Are you Lean enough?

No, we are not talking about your waistline, but about the application of Lean principles and practices to the manufacturing, supply chain and design processes within your company.

Lean is based on the concept of continuous improvement that was pioneered by Japanese companies, in particular Toyota. Lean focuses on the elimination of wasteful and unproductive steps within a process. By reducing waste, companies cut costs, boost productivity and speed up operations. The results can be significant.

Companies in the automotive and industrial sectors have been applying Lean principles to their operations for years but only fairly recently has it gained broad attention in the electronics industry.

In coming months, ESM will spotlight Lean practices through a combination of exclusive survey reports, articles and live NetSeminars.

Check this site regularly for Lean updates.

Here are two highlights

1. Editorial Coverage
June cover story on Celestica. This top-tier EMS provider has been on the Lean journey since the late 1990s, but has recently boosted commitment. Results include improved business performance and industry recognition, including receiving the prestigious 2005 Shingo Prize for Manufacturing. This marks the first time the Shingo Prize has been awarded to an EMS provider.

The Lean Journey
Celestica has kicked its adoption of Lean practices into high gear in an attempt to bring the company back to health. The results are promising.

2. NetSeminars

Electronics Supply & Manufacturing Editorial NetSeminar: Applying Lean Principles to the New Product Development Process Thursday, June 8, 2005 11:00 am PT/2:00 pm ET Sponsored by Oracle You've heard of Lean Manufacturing and Lean Supply Chain Management. Well now get ready for the application of Lean principles to Design and New Product Development. As many electronics companies trim R&D budgets, outsource design and purchase IP like a commodity, the design and product development process is becoming more complex. Lean principles can help improve the end-to-end new product development process. Join Bruce Rayner, editor-in-chief of Electronics Supply & Manufacturing, and guests from the industry as they discuss the application of Lean principles to design and product development, including results from a new survey of Electronics Supply & Manufacturing readers. This is a must-attend NetSeminar for engineering and business managers with bottom-line responsibility for product development.

Applying Lean Principles to the New Product Development Process
Lean NetSeminar Questions .DOC File (86 kb)	PD Metrics Alignment .PDF File (43 kb)	Rapid Fire Order Delivery .PDF File (128 kb)
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