To accelerate the adoption of Lean across the company, the Modesto, California Continuous Line was selected as a model to showcase the substantial benefits of transforming the line with the implementation of Lean practices. This line was chosen for its complexity in operations - high volume of fruit, 24x7 operations, and seasonality. Achieving significant productivity improvements in this intricate environment would further the rapid adoption of Lean practices throughout the company.

In collaboration with Del Monte management, Manex developed a comprehensive Lean program. A complete life cycle approach was used - awareness, immersion, implementation, and sustainability. An in-depth assessment of the line was performed to understand the current environment and determine the key areas of focus and supporting metrics. The team was immersed into Lean with comprehensive training, tools, and processes - 5S Visual Factory, Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), standardized work, practical problem solving, and cultural change activities.