Drawing on 40 years of application experience at one of the world's largest chemical and materials manufacturers, King provides the first comprehensive resource written explicitly for change agents within the process industries.

Providing a framework that highlights waste and its negative effects on process performance, value stream maps (VSMs) are essential components for successful Lean initiatives. While the conventional VSM format has the basic structure to effectively describe process operations, it must be adapted and expanded to serve its purpose in the process indu

While Lean practices have been successfully implemented into the process industry with excellent results for over 20 years (including the author‘s own award winning example at Exxon Chemical), that industry has been especially slow in adopting Lean. Part of the problem is that the process industry needs its own version of Lean. The larger part of t

The principles of lean manufacturing – increasing efficiency, reducing waste, lowering costs and improving control – may be applied to any industry. However, the food industry is unique, and creates unique demands. The political, social and economic importance of food is unrivalled by any other form of produce, as is the scrutiny to which the manufacture of food is subjected. For the food industry, lean manufacturing is not simply a cost-saving strategy, but is directly linked to issues of sustainability, the environment, ethics and public accountability. Handbook of Lean Manufacturing in the Food Industry is a major new source of information and ideas for those working in food manufacturing. Offering a fresh and modern perspective on best practice, it points the way to fewer breakdowns, reduced quality faults, improved teamwork and increased profits. With a focus on operations management and new process development, the book is accessible and easy to read, and is complemented by a wealth of practical examples drawn from industry. The author’s conversational style and questioning approach will be invaluable to food manufacturers who are seeking solutions to fundamental issues. The book is directed at those who are working in food manufacturing or the wider food industry, particularly factory operations managers and training teams who are looking for resources to help with lean manufacturing implementations. Others in the supply chain, from producers to retailers, will also find it invaluable. The book is a clear and timely introduction for students and lecturers in food science and technology who want to access the reality of lean manufacturing as well as the theory.

Compared to its widespread implementation across almost all areas of production, Lean improvement efforts lag within the process industries. While many innovators have successfully applied Lean principles to these industries during the past three decades, most of those pioneering efforts were never recorded to guide the improvement efforts of others. Drawing on more than 40 years of application experience at one of the world’s largest chemical and materials manufacturers, coupled with 10 years in private practice, Peter King corrects this void by providing the first comprehensive resource written explicitly for change agents within the process industries. Focusing on areas where the improvement needs of the process industry differ from parts assembly manufacturing, Lean for the Process Industries: Dealing with Complexity, Second Edition: Covers each of the eight wastes commonly described in Lean literature, looking at how they manifest themselves in process operations. Explains how to adapt value stream mapping for process operations. Shows how to identify the root causes of bottlenecks, and how to manage them to optimize flow until they can be eliminated. Provides practical techniques to overcome the barriers which have prevented the application of Cellular Manufacturing to process operations. Discusses the role of business leadership in a Lean strategy, describing both enabling and counter-productive management behaviors Since the publication of the first edition of this book, Peter King has been busy consulting with food, beverage, gasoline additive, and nutraceutical companies -- these new experiences have broadened his perspectives on certain Lean processes and have given him a richer set of examples to discuss in this new edition. While Value Stream Mapping is a very powerful tool to understand flow, bottlenecks, and waste in an operation, the traditional format as presented in many other books does not describe all of the data required to fully understand process flow and its detractors. This new edition highlights the necessary additions with examples of why they are useful. Product wheel scheduling achieves production leveling in a far more comprehensive and effective way than traditional heijunka methods. This edition has a more thorough description of the wheel concept and design steps, and more examples from actual applications.

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Lean manufacturing is the single most effective way to increase sales, cut costs, improve margins, and secure the future of a business. The problem is that the principles and philosophies of lean manufacturing are geared strictly to mass production operations and can be ineffective, even detrimental, for smaller job shops and make-to-order businesses. Now, Speed to Market delivers a proven approach for smaller suppliers who want to successfully cut their lead time and trigger profitable growth. Completely updated and expanded, the book explains how to: * Apply the principles of pull, flow, and the elimination of waste to every area of the company, at every stage from quotes to cash* Implement a continuous improvement process while sidestepping the typical implementation pitfalls* Ease scheduling problems* Improve performance and profitability using the book's practical concepts, process analysis tools, and perspective-enhancing techniques and much more

Examining Lean processes in the context of the authors’ academic research in-progress, People, Process, & Culture: Lean Manufacturing in the Real World illustrates the impact of culture on the implementation of Lean Manufacturing (LM) across various geographic and cultural areas. It identifies cultural values, as examined against Lean manufacturing disciplines, and derives culturally based Lean Manufacturing (LM) values. It then assesses these cultural values in light of specific LM components, such as PULL systems and TPM, to demonstrate varying perspectives and applications. Illustrates global cultural influences on Lean implementation Uses academic research as the foundation of the material Examines the many Lean components currently in use around the world Building on the continued prominence of LM as the preferred operational approach, the book supplies time-tested advice to help you sort through the flood of information on Lean techniques and culture. It examines the numerous Lean components currently being deployed successfully around the world and identifies the limitations that can result from the varying interpretations and applications of Lean systems. Lean culture is all about Lean vision, mission, and values. This book not only identifies the Lean values required, but also supplies the understanding to integrate these values across all levels of your organization. The book will be especially helpful to international corporate managers working to demystify the sometimes hard-to-understand characteristics of Lean transformation.

While there are numerous Lean Certification programs, most companies have their own certification paths whereby they bestow expert status upon employees after they have participated in or led a certain number of kaizen events. Arguing that the number of kaizen events should not determine a person's expert status, The Lean Practitioner's Field Book: Proven, Practical, Profitable and Powerful Techniques for Making Lean Really Work outlines a true learning path for anyone seeking to understand essential Lean principles. The book includes a plethora of examples drawn from the personal experiences of its many well-respected and award-winning contributors. These experts break down Lean concepts to their simplest terms to make everything as clear as possible for Lean practitioners. A refresher for some at times, the text provides thought-provoking questions with examples that will stimulate learning opportunities. Introducing the Lean Practitioner concept, the book details the five distinct Lean Practitioner levels and includes quizzes and criteria for each level. It highlights the differences between the kaizen event approach and the Lean system level approach as well as the difference between station balancing and baton zone. This book takes readers on a journey that begins with an overview of Lean principles and culminates with readers developing professionally through the practice of self-reliance. Providing you with the tools to implement Lean tools in your organization, the book includes discussions and examples that demonstrate how to transition from traditional accounting methods to a Lean accounting system. The book outlines an integrated, structured approach identified by the acronym BASICS (baseline, analyze, suggest solutions, implement, check, and sustain), which is combined with a proven business strategy to help ensure a successful and sustainable transformation of your organization.

Lean Process Creation teaches the specific frames—the 6CON model—to look through to properly design any new process while optimizing the value-creating resources. The framing is applicable to create any process that involves people, technology, or equipment—whether the application is in manufacturing, healthcare, services, retail, or other industries. If you have a process, this approach will help. The result is 30% to 50% improvement in first-time quality, customer lead time, capital efficiency, labor productivity, and floorspace that could add up to millions of dollars saved per year. More important, it will increase both employee and customer satisfaction. The book details a case study from a manufacturing standpoint, starting with a tangible example to reinforce the 6CON model. This is the first book written from this viewpoint—connecting a realistic transformation with the detailed technical challenges, as well as the engagement of the stakeholders, each with their own bias. Key points and must-do actions are sprinkled throughout the case study to reinforce learning from the specific to the general. In this study, an empowered working team is charged with developing a new production line for a critical new product. As the story unfolds, they create an improved process that saves $5.6 million (10x payback on upfront resource investment) over the short life cycle of the product, as well as other measurable benefits in quality, ergonomics, and delivery. To an even greater benefit, they establish a new way of working that can be applied to all future process creation activities. Some organizations have tried their version of Lean process design following a formula or cookie-cutter approach. But true Lean process design goes well beyond forcing concepts and slogans into every situation. It is purposeful, scientific, and adaptable because every situation starts with a unique current state. In addition, Lean process design must include both the technical and social aspects, as they are essential to sustaining and improving any system. Observing the recurring problem of reworking processes that were newly launched brought the authors to the conclusion that a practical book focused on introducing the critical frames of Lean process creation was needed. This book enables readers to consider the details within each frame that must be addressed to create a Lean process. No slogans, no absolutes. Real thinking is required. This type of thinking is best learned from an example, so the authors provide this case study to demonstrate the thinking that should be applied to any process. High volume or low, simple or complex mix, manufacturing or service/transactional—the framing and thinking works. Along with the thinking, readers are enabled to derive their own future states. This is demonstrated in the story that surrounds the case study.