Engaging A Lean Manufacturing Consultant
What Do You Mean - Lean Manufacturing Consultant?
A lean manufacturing consultant is a specialist in a number of complimentary tools and techniques which can significantly (and often dramatically) improve the performance of manufacturing businesses and also non-manufacturing organisations.
Many of the principles of lean manufacturing began to be established by Japanese manufacturing businesses following advice from American consultants like Deming and Juran. This was then augmented by the business process re-engineering revolution, which advocated identifying and then driving out non-value-adding activity or waste (muda). To this tools and techniques were added including: Kanban, Poka Yoke, SMED / quick changeovers, Total Productive Maintenance, Six Sigma Quality / Zero Defects etc. The most notable example of lean manufacturing is the Toyota Production System, which remains an exceptional model of performance. To get an overview of some of the more important lean manufacturing tools and techniques see our article: Lean Manufacturing.
Why Engage a Lean Manufacturing Consultant from Executive Interims?
Lean principles can mean different things to different organisations. More mature organisations, which already embody many lean principles, may be interested in implementing another lean tool in their process management armoury. Less mature operations may need to address issues at a more fundamental level. Moving to a "cellular" architecture from a "functional" one for example, typically delivers labour savings of between 20-30% and reductions in WIP and lead times (typically by 50%). WIP reductions of this magnitude generate significant cash and therefore bring cash positive results almost immediately following implementation.
Using a lean manufacturing consultant can be a particularly valuable approach when its necessary to augment an already stretched team to deal with high profile / value / risk projects.
When trying to address major change management challenges it's vital for a lean manufacturing consultant to use systems/procedures and organisational structures that are designed specifically to deliver the requisite objectives. It's simply not realistic to expect even the best people to deliver breakthrough performance improvements when the emphasis is of necessity (for example) on fire-fighting today's shortages. Such change has to be managed differently, if the root causes are to be successfully dealt with. For large assignments, this usually means a dedicated multi-disciplinary team, supported by a lean manufacturing consultant on a full-time basis. A lean manufacturing consultant from Executive Interims will use a formal lean manufacturing implementation methodology and equally formal change management procedures, to ensure that the team delivers results on time and to budget, without any untoward surprises. In short we specialise in delivering results not just recommendations.
A Lean Manufacturing Consultant from Executive Interims
A lean manufacturing consultant from Executive Interims can provide expert advice and pragmatic implementation support across a range of tools and techniques:
- Material/Information Flow Analysis
- Cellular Manufacturing Architecture / Business Process Re-engineering
- De-bottlenecking
- Level Scheduling
- Just in Time - Kanban - Pull Control Systems
- Process Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (Process FMEA)
- Design of Experiments / Shainin / Taguchi
- Statistical Process Control (SPC) & Process Capability
- Quality Circles / Continuous Improvement Teams
- Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) / Zero Breakdowns
- Six Sigma
- Inventory Management
- Demand Forecasting
- Sales Order Processing
- Customer Service
- Customer Scheduling
- Changeover Reduction or Single Minute Exchange of Die (SMED)
- Reducing Lead or Cycle Times
- 5S
- Visual Controls
- Simulation
- Capacity Planning
- Mixed mode manufacture
- Master Production Scheduling
- Supplier Scheduling
- Nagare / Single Piece Flow Lines
- Plant/Works Engineering
- Manufacturing Engineering
- Manufacturing / Operations Management
- ERP System/Module Implementations including:
- Configuration
- Project Management
- Programme Management
More Lean Manufacturing Tools and Techniques
Advantages of Choosing a Lean Manufacturing Consultant from Executive Interims
A lean manufacturing consultant from Executive Interims - Supply Chain Practice will always represent better value for your investment compared to a consultant from a "Big Four" firm, either by virtue of our consultants' additional expertise or their equivalent expertise but their lower total cost. When Directors, Executive Consultants and Managing Consultants specialising in lean manufacturing practices within the big firms take golden parachutes oftentimes they will set themselves up as a lean manufacturing consultant through Executive Interims. This means that not only will a lean manufacturing consultant from Executive Interims understand "best practise" intellectual property, but are likely have a greater depth and breadth of consultancy expertise than many of their younger former colleagues, and (just as importantly) more finely honed interpersonal skills. In fact why pay more for a lean manufacturing consultant with less tact, diplomacy AND experience? It's easy to overlook the importance of managing expenses when a lean manufacturing consultant is selected, but expenses add up to no small proportion of the total cost, when the invoices start to arrive. Consultants from the "Big Four" firms will expect to stay at expensive hotels. You can also expect to get a sizeable bill for the various trips on planes, trains and automobiles. By comparison an Executive Interims' lean manufacturing consultant is more likely to use his/her own car and stay at the local Travel Inn. An Executive Interims' - lean manufacturing consultant can be in a client's business within days of an enquiry and bring with them a lot of objectivity - and no political baggage. Because they aren't looking for a permanent role - the approach is very non-threatening to sensitive middle and senior managers in the clients' business. Get in Touch
Executive Interims - Supply Chain Practice is a specialist provider of supply chain consultancy and interim management services. If you'd like to know more about what a lean manufacturing consultant can do for your business, contact us to explore the subject further. Executive Interims - Supply Chain Practice
In addition to providing interim management services, Executive Interims - Supply Chain Practice provides clients with consultants formerly from "Big Four" consultancy firms, including:
Other Lean Manufacturing Articles
Want to Learn More About A Lean Manufacturing Consultant?
If you'd like to understand more about working with a lean manufacturing consultant from Executive Interims - Supply Chain Practice, don't hesitate to get in touch. For this see our "Contact Details" in the main menu. |
