02 Apr, 2024
In today's evolving business landscape, the term "lean manufacturing" is commonplace. It is a pivotal concept celebrated for driving organisational success. A business model that prioritises activities customers are willing to pay for, while considering everything else as waste. Defined by its focus on managing and reducing waste, lean manufacturing seems, at least on paper, to address sustainability goals , but is lean enough? What is lean manufacturing? Emerging from the post-war 1950s through the Toyota Production System (TPS), lean manufacturing is built upon the concept of continuous and incremental improvements in both product and process. Its primary objectives are to reduce production time, improve responsiveness from suppliers and to customers, enhance product quality, and boost efficiency. This is achieved by eliminating, simplifying, reducing, or integrating activities that do not add value to the business, i.e. effectively managing and minimising waste. Toyota identified 7 types of waste (Muda) in a business: Over production: producing products before a confirmed order. Unnecessary waiting: inactive work periods leading to lengthened cycle time which reduces agility and responsiveness. Unnecessary transportation: unnecessary movement of people and goods inside the system. Overprocessing: processes that are more complex than required or making parts beyond the standard expected by the customer. Unnecessary inventory: an excess of raw materials, work-in-process elements or finished products. Unnecessary motion: inefficient layout or automating processes before improving the method. Too many avoidable defects: poor quality output that needs correction.