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.