With relentless pressures to provide more value to customers, reduce costs and increase sales, companies across a wide range of industries are embracing Lean Manufacturing.  Lean Manufacturing processes can revolutionize the way that companies deliver products to their customers and manage their supplier relationships.  But you need more than the promise of complex philosophies and techniques, you need proven, high-value Lean solutions and methods to achieve rapid results and sustained performance.

With our exclusive focus on manufacturing and distribution, Manex has helped numerous companies implement Lean throughout their organizations for breakthrough results in productivity, profitability and growth. Our consultants have extensive Lean Manufacturing expertise coupled with in-depth industry experience and practical solutions to optimize processes and maximize the value of your existing assets. Our holistic approach consists of a proven combination of consulting and training, to ensure you can effectively sustain a culture of continuous improvement with Lean at the foundation.

Approach

We tailor our approach to the unique needs of your organization so you can use the most effective application of Lean concepts and methodologies to achieve rapid results and make Lean a sustainable part of your culture, not just a temporary tool set.  Knowledge transfer across the organization ensures Lean Manufacturing practices are sustained for long-term, measurable results.  We can help your organization initiate a Lean initiative, strengthen an existing Lean initiative and integrate Lean with other initiatives (Six Sigma, ISO, Supply Chain, etc.)

Methodology

Our rapid, team-focused approach yields immediate improvements in your processes by carefully assessing your business and processes, identifying opportunities for improvement, and then facilitating the implementation of those improvements throughout the organization. 

Assessment

The first step in our approach is to conduct a comprehensive assessment of your current operating environment and identify immediate and long-term opportunities for improvement.

Design

Based on the outcome of the assessment, we flowchart processes with steps, activities, material, and information flows.  We identify and quantify specific areas that constrain performance and require improvement, and create a “Future State” visual tool that shows how the value stream can look after improvements have been implemented.

Visual and 5S Events

In this next step, we facilitate the change and cleanup process through the use of 5S, the methodology for organizing, cleaning, developing and sustaining a safe, visual and productive work environment. 

Training and Implementation

We assist in the implementation of the revised product and process flows, providing in-depth training, advisory and train–the-trainer activities to ensure supervisors and staff can continue to drive continuous improvement efforts.  Metrics for each process “before” and “after” the optimization process are developed to document the modifications and their impacts in quantitative terms. 

 Benefits

  • Strategic: Increase market share, use as a competitive advantage and improve customer satisfaction.
  • Financial: Reduce costs, increase revenues and improve margins.
  • Operational: Improve cycle times, improve quality (less rejects) and reduce product to market time.
  • Organizational: Improve employee morale, enhance communication and teamwork and achieve superior performance.
  • Administrative: Eliminate processing errors, reduce paperwork and streamline administrative functions.