March 10 2011
Volume 41, Issue 5 - A Practical Approach to Lean
41
5
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A lot of the talk around lean in distribution has revolved around determining how a concept used primarily in manufacturing can be applied elsewhere in the supply chain. But the reality, according to lean expert Chuck Emery, is that lean has always worked with distribution in mind. In a recent MDM webcast, Emery provided a practical approach to implementing and measuring the returns of lean in distribution.
This is an exclusive summary of the webcast, Lean for Distributors: Improve Process, Eliminate Waste.
Lean is not about manufacturing more efficiently; lean is about making the supply chain work more effectively, according to lean expert Chuck Emery. “It’s always been about distribution,” he says in a recent MDM webcast.
Emery spent 16 years working with Toyota – the generally accepted leader in lean – before founding Lean Quest, a consulting firm focused on lean.
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Distributors continue to ride tailwinds through the first quarter of 2011, following a fourth quarter that surprised many distributors and turned a do-or-die year into a turn-the-corner year. This year will be a pivotal year for many distributors, as we’ll see the results of investments made to gain market share take hold as economic conditions improve.
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In part one of MDM Editor Lindsay Konzak’s interview with Lewis-Goetz and Company CEO Jeffrey Crane, Crane spoke about the industrial rubber products distributor’s acquisition strategy. In part two – below – he talks about the role of technology as the company grows and the importance of training the distributor’s employees to effectively use that technology to add value for customers.
MDM: What role have technology tools played for your company as you have grown?
Crane: We like to make decisions with data. We have reporting tools we use consistently to understand what trends are taking place in our business and to understand the data behind what’s happening in our business.
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According to the MDM/Industrial Market Information MRO Market Analysis, the U.S. market size in 2010 for the 126 MRO product groups is $XXX billion. The Canadian market size is $XX billion. Click download pdf at the bottom of this article after logging-in to see the full market analysis.
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Indicators showing the rate of recovery for the construction industry have been a mixed bag. Overall, recent numbers remained subdued compared with pre-collapse figures. But some indicators seem to be heading in the right direction.
The construction industry added 33,000 jobs in February, the largest monthly increase since March 2000, according to Ken Simonson, chief economist for Associated General Contractors of America.
- Premium
- Premium
A lot of the talk around lean in distribution has revolved around determining how a concept used primarily in manufacturing can be applied elsewhere in the supply chain. But the reality, according to lean expert Chuck Emery, is that lean has always worked with distribution in mind. In a recent MDM webcast, Emery provided a practical approach to implementing and measuring the returns of lean in distribution.
This is an exclusive summary of the webcast, Lean for Distributors: Improve Process, Eliminate Waste.
Lean is not about manufacturing more efficiently; lean is about making the supply chain work more effectively, according to lean expert Chuck Emery. “It’s always been about distribution,” he says in a recent MDM webcast.
Emery spent 16 years working with Toyota – the generally accepted leader in lean – before founding Lean Quest, a consulting firm focused on lean.
- Premium
Distributors continue to ride tailwinds through the first quarter of 2011, following a fourth quarter that surprised many distributors and turned a do-or-die year into a turn-the-corner year. This year will be a pivotal year for many distributors, as we’ll see the results of investments made to gain market share take hold as economic conditions improve.
- Premium
In part one of MDM Editor Lindsay Konzak’s interview with Lewis-Goetz and Company CEO Jeffrey Crane, Crane spoke about the industrial rubber products distributor’s acquisition strategy. In part two – below – he talks about the role of technology as the company grows and the importance of training the distributor’s employees to effectively use that technology to add value for customers.
MDM: What role have technology tools played for your company as you have grown?
Crane: We like to make decisions with data. We have reporting tools we use consistently to understand what trends are taking place in our business and to understand the data behind what’s happening in our business.
- Premium
According to the MDM/Industrial Market Information MRO Market Analysis, the U.S. market size in 2010 for the 126 MRO product groups is $XXX billion. The Canadian market size is $XX billion. Click download pdf at the bottom of this article after logging-in to see the full market analysis.
- Premium
- Premium
Indicators showing the rate of recovery for the construction industry have been a mixed bag. Overall, recent numbers remained subdued compared with pre-collapse figures. But some indicators seem to be heading in the right direction.
The construction industry added 33,000 jobs in February, the largest monthly increase since March 2000, according to Ken Simonson, chief economist for Associated General Contractors of America.
