We all know keeping excess inventory on hand is not a good business practice, but as much as we understand the importance of just-in-time supply practices, we’re easily susceptible to all those pesky “what-ifs:”
Logistics and assembly have a lot they can learn from each other across industries and sectors. Consider the “manufacturing supermarket,” part of the Toyota Production System that mimics the functionality of a retail supermarket within automotive...
Any multi-step production process has its logistical challenges, from transporting and receiving components from suppliers to transferring in-production items from one operational area to another. The longer and more circuitous the transit routes, the...
In manufacturing, production, and distribution environments, rhythm is essential. A smooth, steady, predictable flow ensures that each critical component – tools, parts, materials, labor, equipment, information – is available in exactly the right form...
Consumer holiday shopping is not just increasing year-over-year; for many retailers, it’s getting much more complex. Many retailers are managing everything from e-commerce to brick-and-mortar stores and everything in between:
It’s a holly-jolly time of year for consumers, who are shopping in droves online and at brick-and-mortar stores across the United States.
Emphasis on boosting productivity is prevalent in the manufacturing industry. It might seem counterintuitive to name overproduction as the primary source of waste, but across most organizations, it consistently is. That’s because the volume of work...
This holiday season, both brick and mortar and online retailers (and those serving their shipping needs) are planning for increased shopping volumes.
Lean wastes are any activity or cost that add no value.
Waste, in Lean terms, is any activity that does not add value to the product, costs you money and resources, and earns you nothing as a business. From operating losses to missed opportunities,...
