Lean Manufacturing For High Performance

An article in the June issue of Maintenance Technology discusses why lean companies stay fat. The article, titled "Lean Manufacturing For High Performance", is also available online.

More than half of U.S. manufacturers have started a lean manufacturing program, but many are not seeing the results they expected. Why? This article points out that these companies are not staying tey course--they do not have a full commitment to lean manufacturing.

The article brings out four important points that are critical to a successful lean manufacturing program:

1) Lean Is A Way Of Life

2) Understanding That Long-Term Success Means Far Reaching Change

3) Getting On (And Staying On) The Scale

4) Avoid The Big Letdown

The article concludes with: "A lean lifestyle has to be a total commitment. Successful practitioners use it to change the entire culture of their companies. They recognize that to stay lean in the long term, they will have to institute strategic and operational changes that go beyond mere manufacturing. They know too, that success involves accurately and consistently measuring the right things and aligning these metrics with common corporate goals."