Plain and Simple: Bright Business Insights Winter 2019 | Page 3

• Working harder, not smarter. Idle time, delays or continually leading organizations across all industries use to increase operational waiting for information is a great way to waste time … and time efficiency and capacity, Lean Six Sigma improves processes and is money. quality while increasing profits. Having to wait months to build out some much-needed extra space can Lean focuses on lead times and the reduction of inventory by be disheartening. However, working to improve processes and reduce producing only what is necessary. A Lean process for production is waste can have positive short- and long-term results. driven by actual customer orders – not forecasts. This way, demand Assess the Situation, Identify a Solution In addition to identifying areas of waste, consider conducting a survey to help you assess how space is being used throughout your facility. Then work with your staff to determine which arrangements are ineffective and ways you might be able to improve. For example, your floor space may be limited, but you could potentially utilize overhead “pulls” a product through production, instead of relying on forecasting to “push” it onto the shop floor. The Six Sigma discipline is geared toward improving product quality and consistency by reducing any manufacturing flaws, waste and quality issues. Utilizing your people, process, equipment and resources in the most effective way is a key tenet of Lean. The ultimate goal of a storage and rack inventory. manufacturing floor plan is to create value: for external and internal Another great way to maximize industrial utilization is to use mezzanine activities should always begin with the end in mind and should leverage space. By adding a ceiling and building on top of it, you can use the existing footprint of your building twice. One classic example of this is to build office space over the restrooms and break room. Another is customers. The timing of your process and the sequence of your visual management cues. Assembly and production do not always require the use of the entire to place a return processing department right over the shipping areas. floor plan either. Manufacturers who seriously embrace Lean practices The Lean Six Sigma Solution production in the most minimal of spaces. Lean Six Sigma is a continuous improvement methodology designed to help you identify and eliminate waste and inefficiency throughout your operations – from the manufacturing floor to office and administrative processes. A powerful management tool that investigate and implement cellular manufacturing, which maximizes For many manufacturers, linking Lean with Six Sigma is a perfect marriage, providing the tools needed to meet real demand with high- quality products in the shortest time possible. World-class organizations use Lean Six Sigma and problem-solving tools to eliminate waste, improve efficiency, increase quality and use of space and make more money. It is worth the time to see if the process would help you and your business. Reach out to me to discuss how Lean Six Sigma can help you get more from your existing space and more. by: Chris Liebtag, PMP Lean Six Sigma Black Belt & Certififed Lean Gold Practitioner 5775 Perimeter Drive, Suite 200 Dublin, OH 43017 614.923.6586 [email protected]