I have been a Lean Management Consultant for the past decade and have been asked interesting questions by my prospects/clients. I’d have to say, the most made statement has been “Lean only works in the Automotive Industry and is not applicable to our industry…”. This misconception is what triggered me to write a book on Lean for the various industries that I consult in, i.e. one book for every industry. This book on the application of LEAN in Apparel Manufacturing, is my first foray into authoring a book. This book is an attempt to educate its readers on how to implement the practical aspects of LEAN, on the shopfloor. It begins with the dissemination of the interrelated elements of the Toyota Production System, the objective of TPS and its importance in Production Management. The concepts of LEAN and waste elimination are then explained with an overview of the Seven Types of Manufacturing Wastes. Value Stream Mapping, a frequently used tool to map the waste, has been elaborated in four chapters. These chapters explain concepts like Product Family Matrix, KPI definitions, guiding principles to design a Lean process and the construction of the ‘AS IS’ and the ‘TO BE’ Value Stream Maps. Individual chapters are devoted to the elements of TPS like 5S, Visual Management, Skill Management, Process Standardization and Single Minute Exchange of Dies. These chapters explain the concepts and their application in detail, equipping you with the required tools and techniques. The chapter on Balanced Score Card and Hoshin Kanri explains the mechanism of aligning the vision of the factory to the individual objectives. The chapters on A3 Problem Solving and Quality Management initiate the readers to a scientific methodology of problem solving. We follow up with chapters on Kanban Systems and WIP Management in order to get a sense of Pull systems. The chapter on Total Productive Maintenance lays emphasis on measurement of OEE% and the problem-solving cascade. We end this book with chapters on Shopfloor Control, sustaining a Lean culture and providing a Lean Implementation Model for Apparel Manufacturing. I would like to extend my gratitude to Deepak Mohindra, Chairman, Apparel Resources for his continued support and guidance. My wife Manali, my daughters Aishwarya & Arya and my mother Padma, have also been my constant motivators. I would also like to thank my past and current clients for implementing my advice. This book would be incomplete without mentioning Ashish Grover, who was a great support during preliminary Lean pilots on the garmenting shopfloor. This book is my tribute to him. I hope that this book creates more value for you and your organization. Wish you all the best in your LEAN journey!

The never-ending global search for a country with a low labour wage is almost bottoming out. The so-called labor-oriented apparel manufacturing industry is poised to change. Due to fierce global pressure on reducing price and lead time, the textiles and apparel producers will have to banish all waste from their supply chain. Lean manufacturing which removes waste and smoothens the process flow is gaining popularity among textiles and apparel producers and will be a key element for the survival of the industry in the years ahead. An overview of various lean tools with a balanced mix of conceptual knowledge and practical applications in the context of apparel manufacturing Valuable industry information which managers and engineers can follow themselves without the need to hire outside consultants Case studies and examples from apparel manufacturing demonstrating how lean tools are being used successfully by leading organizations; an academician's delight Possible use cases of several lean tools having potential use in the apparel manufacturing scenario

The never-ending global search for a country with a low labour wage is almost bottoming out. The so-called labor-oriented apparel manufacturing industry is poised to change. Due to fierce global pressure on reducing price and lead time, the textiles and apparel producers will have to banish all waste from their supply chain. Lean manufacturing which removes waste and smoothens the process flow is gaining popularity among textiles and apparel producers and will be a key element for the survival of the industry in the years ahead. - An overview of various lean tools with a balanced mix of conceptual knowledge and practical applications in the context of apparel manufacturing - Valuable industry information which managers and engineers can follow themselves without the need to hire outside consultants - Case studies and examples from apparel manufacturing demonstrating how lean tools are being used successfully by leading organizations; an academician's delight - Possible use cases of several lean tools having potential use in the apparel manufacturing scenario

While there is pressure (from buyers), inclination (within self to do better) and a heightened aspiration among apparel manufacturers to use Industrial Engineering (IE) like other more industrialized sectors, there is no specific book as such dealing with IE in relation to apparel manufacturing. The existing books that are already written on IE possess academic rigour and generic functions applicable across industries, thus making it difficult for the practitioners to refer and clear discrete doubts related to apparel manufacturing. Undoubtedly, work study is the centrepiece of Industrial Engineering; however apart from work study, industrial engineers in apparel industry are also supposed to perform various other functions like preparing operation breakdown and operation flow chart, selecting machine type and attachment and workaids, planning machine layout for maximizing unidirectional material movement, optimising inventory and storage space and maintaining workplace health and safety. These are some of the areas that often lack significant attention. This practitioner’s handbook is an amalgamation of theory and practices, including steps of implementation and common mistakes. A balanced approached is taken to make it equally meaningful and useful for the academics as well as the industry. A unique section titled “industry practices” is incorporated at the end of each chapter which shares the typical practices, constraints and benefits accrued by the industry, which will give meaningful insight to the readers and help them relate theory with actual practice.

This book highlights the concepts of lean manufacturing that help to achieve the objectives of sustainability in a global competitive atmosphere. Lean can help to lower the manufacturing cost in the rising labour and material cost market. Lean is based on various fundamental concepts such as Kaizen, Kanban, Zidoka, 5S and Six Sigma, which aim at reducing process waste for efficiency and productivity that are discussed in this book. In addition, the technological changes such as introduction of Internet technologies and Industry 4.0 are taken care by the lean concepts, which are also addressed in this book.

This book provides ergonomic principles of times, machines, production space, materials and organization, within contemporary demands of the international fashion industry. It presents the analysis of planning, layout and logistics in the production of clothing as key parameters of strategic and operating management. The book also discusses tools for control as well as methods for determining the time of technological operations are described, which can be useful not only to beginners, but also to professionals experienced in this field.

There are some very good books available that explain the Lean Manufacturing theory and touch on implementing its techniques. However, you cannot learn "how to be" lean from merely reading the theory. And to be successful in the real-work environment you need a clear comprehension of how lean techniques work, rather than just a remote understanding

Sourcing practices in the global apparel industry are changing because of the removal of quotas, new trade agreements, and a drive by apparel importers to lower costs. This study addresses the implications of these changes for garment manufacturers in Commonwealth developing countries. The principal research activities behind the book consisted of face-to-face interviews in North America with top sourcing executives of apparel importing companies and senior executives of apparel manufacturing companies and other stakeholders in six Commonwealth developing countries. The findings indicate that almost without exception apparel manufacturers are struggling to lower costs and to increase productivity so as to remain competitive. Government and industry are thus faced with critical decisions on how best to support the apparel industry in their respective countries. The principal outputs of the study are enterprise level guidelines to remain competitive in the face of evolving sourcing policies, technology, and practices, complemented by related frameworks at government and institutional levels.

Lean production is the gold standard in production systems, but has proven famously difficult to implement in North America. Mass production relies on large inventories, uses "push" processes and struggles with long lead times. Moving towards a system that eliminates muda ("waste") caused by overproduction, while challenging, proves necessary for improved efficiency. Often overlooked, value stream mapping is the essential planning stage for any Lean transformation. In Mike Rother and John Shook's essential guide, you follow the value stream mapping undertaken for Acme Stamping, for its current and future state. Fully illustrated and well-organized, Learning to See is a must-see for the value stream manager.

A Practical, Hands-on Guide to Lean Manufacturing This real-world resource offers proven solutions for implementing lean manufacturing in an enterprise environment, covering the engineering and production aspects as well as the business culture concerns. Filled with detailed examples, the book focuses on the rapid application of lean principles so that large, early financial gains can be made. How to Implement Lean Manufacturing explains Toyota Production System (TPS) practices and specifies the distinct order in which lean techniques should be applied to achieve maximum gains. Global case studies illustrate successes and pitfalls of lean manufacturing initiatives. Discover how to: Rigorously test and retest the state of your "leanness" with unique evaluators Develop and deploy plant-wide strategies and goals Improve speed and quality and dramatically reduce costs Reduce variation in the manufacturing system in order to reduce inventory Reduce lead times to enable improved responsiveness and flexibility Synchronize production and supply to the customer Create flow and establish pull-demand systems Perform system-wide and specific value-stream evaluations Generate a comprehensive list of highly focused Kaizen activities Sustain process gains Manage constraints and reduce bottlenecks Implement cellular manufacturing