Lean manufacturing

As companies and consumers begin to adjust and recover, many are finally accepting that there has been a fundamental shift in their personal economy. In the past many companies were so successful that a certain amount of waste was okay. If a project didn’t have a 6 month ROI, the project was killed. That kind of thinking caused a lot of waste. Long term thinking 1-4 years, or omg, 5-10 years was not relevant. Everybody wanted the results today and not much else. Benjamin Franklin said, “Count your pennies and you dollars will add up.” I think similarly, if you do a lot of small things very well, you will have a business foundation of far superior strength. One that is able to weather storms, take advantage of new opportunities and support growth.

If you have not made “lean” a part of your new normal you need to get serious. Lean doesn’t mean lots of conference room meetings and rocket science analysis. Many lean decisions can be made from your common sense and business acumen. For example, if you recognize aging inventory, a little knowledge about your business should tell you whether that inventory is justifiable. You don’t need a consultant to tell you that. Your knowledge and experience should give you most of what you need to make a decision. Not going to make a 6 month ROI? How long do you expect to be in business? More than 6 months I hope. Our BXMKR machines are warranted for 3 years. We think your savings will continue indefinitely. Not making a 6 or 12 month ROI doesn’t justify the long term waste.