For several decades, manufacturers have been pursuing lean on their shop floors to reduce costs and improve lead times through waste elimination and process improvement. They have been less successful, however, in reaping lean’s potential benefits in their purchasing, planning, and supply chain operations, areas that promise significant potential improvement.

Identifying and eliminating the 8 Wastes; reducing nonvalue-adding activities; and creating 5S workplaces, standard work, and continuous improvement have been the tools that have permitted successful lean implementers to survive and thrive in an increasingly competitive world. The Oregon Manufacturing Extension Partnership (OMEP) has assisted many clients in applying lean on the factory floor and in developing lean cultures, with incredible results. A 2015 study found that OMEP had delivered more than $1 billion in direct economic impacts within Oregon through cost savings, job creation, and increased sales since 2002.

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