Best Practices In Lean — The Momentum Builds

This report presents best practice case studies from selected manufacturers that have recently improved or deployed Lean strategies, techniques, and technologies. These companies stand out from their peers because their Lean programs have driven and continue to drive significant improvements in manufacturing performance, customer responsiveness, and bottom line financial results. Each case study in Chapter 3 is unique, the industries are varied, some companies are Lean veterans, and others have just implemented Lean processes for the first time; but each is a ‘winner'.

This best practices study is a continuation of the Aberdeen's June 2004 Lean Strategies Benchmark Report. At that time, we reported that very few manufacturers were using packaged solutions to support their Lean implementations. Over the past twelve months, the market for technologyenabled Lean solutions has picked up considerably. There are more solutions available, manufacturers with Lean pilots underway gained traction over this past year and are seeking solutions to help them standardize Lean operations and scale beyond pilots. Finally, there is a growing recognition that technology enabling Lean is a requirement for building customer-responsive supply chains.