Heijunka: The Art of Leveling Production

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Heijunka (pronounced hi-JUNE-kuh) is a Japanese word that means “leveling.” When implemented correctly, heijunka elegantly – and without haste – helps organizations meet demand while reducing while reducing wastes in production and interpersonal processes. According to many Lean experts, heijunka is better achieved as a later-stage implementation in a Lean organization, long after value streams have […]

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Zenjidoka: Take Six Sigma to New Heights by Uplifting the Expertise of People

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“Before cars, make people.” – Eiji Toyoda, former chairman of Toyota. Jidoka is one of the core principles of the Toyota Production System, one that empowers production workers to stop the assembly line and solve problems at the moment they occur. Jidoka integrates the two guiding pillars of the Toyota Way, “Continuous Improvement” and “Respect […]

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Toyota Quality

Toyota Program Offers TPS Expertise to Schools, Hospitals, Non-profits

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At the recent Clinton Global Initiative meeting in Chicago, Toyota Motor Corp. announced the launch of a program that will teach its Lean-based Toyota Production System (TPS) guidelines to schools, hospitals and non-profits across the United States.

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Three Lean Expert Authors Win Shingo Prize

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Writers Steven E. Hoeft, Steven C. Bell and Michael Orzen have all been named winners of the Shingo Prize for Operational Excellence, Research, and Professional Publication, which is bestowed on authors who advance the Lean body of knowledge into new areas and promote a broad understanding of operational excellence.

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Lean Operations Allow for Consolidation at Vending Machine Plant

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Crane Merchandising Systems, one of the world’s largest suppliers of vending machines and vending payment systems, has employed Lean techniques to consolidate two of its manufacturing operations into a single facility in Williston, S.C., USA.

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Toyota, AkzoNobel Create Process Improvement Program for Collision Repair

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AkzoNobel Car Refinishes Americas and Toyota Motor Sales, USA, have agreed to combine experience and resources surrounding process improvement methods for collision repair operations, resulting in the Toyota Production System for Collision (TPS-C).

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Healthcare Futurist Flower Touts Six Sigma Methods for Hospitals

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In order to increase organization and efficiency at hospitals, administrators should employ management tools such as the Toyota Production System, said healthcare futurist Joe Flower, who works with clients ranging from World Health Organization to Global Business Network.

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Quality Industry Rallies Around ‘Toyota Way’

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After overtaking General Motors as the world’s largest car maker in early 2009, Japan-based Toyota Motor Corp. is now facing withering criticism from its own shareholders and the U.S. Congress as a result of the accelerating and braking systems in its cars, which have led to the recall of about 9 million vehicles worldwide as […]

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Continuous Vs. Breakthrough Improvement

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Bharat Gears Limited, an Indian company, with the help of Toyota, is using a concept called “Step-Up” to meet the quality levels of the rest of the world.

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Building Cultural Acceptance Key to Lean Transformation

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Successful transformation to a continuous process improvement culture is arduous. It requires an enterprise approach that engages the entire organization and challenges its norms. It requires knowledge of new tools and methodologies, and a level of internal discipline beyond that in which most organizations operate. Most organizations are addicted to quick fixes and immediate results. […]

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Hoshin Planning: Making the Strategic Plan Work

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Hoshin planning, which focuses on achieving a vital annual stretch goal, has been used successfully by Toyota and other companies in Japan since the 1960s and some top-tier companies in the United States and elsewhere. However, interest in using Hoshin planning now appears to be growing. Bank of America, for example, has made a very […]

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Lean Manufacturing: Adapting as Important as Adopting

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Lean is a wonderful experience when deployed properly and can be a nightmare when it is not. When properly deployed, a company has productive and relatively happy employees, increased efficiency, on-time deliveries and all sorts of other desirable outcomes. When it is not deployed properly, a company can have angry customers, frustrated employees, late deliveries, […]

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