Investigating the effects of lean thinking on production processes within SMEEs

Abstract

Lean thinking and its principles, as described by Womack and Jones (1996) has been successfully applied to the manufacturing and operational environment, as evidenced by associated case studies. Fostered by a rapid spread into many other sectors beyond the automotive industry, there has been a significant development and localisation of the lean concept in general. This research study sets out to investigate the effects of lean thinking on production processes in a Small and Medium Engineering Enterprise (SMEE). It is hoped that the methodology adopted and the results of the study in the form of a concise lean principle model will assist SMEEs in the strategic planning of their manufacturing processes and improve their sustainability. The case described here, where lean principles were adopted at a transformer manufacturing company (referred to as ABZ), was considered a success by most of those involved at the company. The production cycle time improved from 33 days to 4.5 days within a few weeks of the implementation. In addition; product quality, worker morale, and housekeeping also improved drastically.