Lean for the Cash-Strapped Leader The Path to Growth and Profitability

Brief Overview of Lean and Elimination of Waste

A Different Way of Thinking

Rationalizing the Inventory

Kanban Signals

Deriving Dependent Demand for Kanban

Documenting the Current State in a Process Map

Creating the Future-State Process Map

Understanding Kanban-Heijunka Card-Flow Process

Kanbans and Heijunkas

Continuous Improvement, the Kaizen Event

Beginning the Kaizen and Documenting Reality

The Percent-Loading Chart

Using Percent-Loading Chart

Dependent-Demand Manufacturing Kanbans

The Total-Value Flow with Standard Work and Visuals

Tying Up Loose Ends in the New Total-Value Flow

Competition and Continuous Improvement

Recommended Readings

Index

Biography

John E. Madigan earned his BA from the University of Denver. While at Wiremold’s Chicago manufacturing plant, he held management positions in both materials and operations. Madigan likewise benefited from Lean training delivered by Shingijutsu and Moffitt Associates. After Wiremold, Madigan did Lean implementation consulting and training in the Midwest for 7 years at various companies—from the small privately held company to several Fortune 500 companies.
Todd C. Maher’s educational credentials include a BS in industrial engineering from the University of Illnois and an MBA in operations management from DePaul University. He worked for Wiremold during their Lean transformation and held leadership positions in both operations and engineering. At Wiremold, he also benefited from 10 years of training delivered by Shingijutsu Ltd in both the US and Japan. After Wiremold, Maher has spent the last 13 years helping both private and public companies with their Lean initiatives. Maher has participated in or led over 500 different kaizen events since learning this philosophy.

Mohammad Ali earned a BS in electrical engineering from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a BS in mathematics and physics. He has also received hands-on training in PMP, CCNA, and is Security+ certified in information technology.

Ali has participated in numerous kaizen events during his tenure at Wiremold’s Chicago plant. He is an expert in creating VBA-based Microsoft Access applications with user-friendly graphical interfaces. He has successfully designed, tested, and implemented a number of such applications for a number of small- to medium-size manufacturers for their kanban cards’ creation process.

"This book gives a step-by-step method with specific examples to help anyone implement a Lean Operations System to all their operations in any industry. Along with this, the authors provide things to be aware of along the journey based on real experiences…."
—John T. Schulz , Lean Manufacturing/Plant Manager in the Electronics, Machinery, Aerospace, Rubber Molding, and Sewing Industries

"John has hit the Lean Target dead center. His clear and concise approach makes this a must-read for those early in their Lean journey."
—Frank Celmer, CFO and Treasurer, TC Industries, Inc.

"Madigan, Maher, and Ali have prepared a good roadmap to getting started on a Lean journey. The most important step is to start the journey and keep moving forward."
—Jeffrey P. Lillig, Lean Practitioner and Financial Professional

"John Madigan and Todd Maher have written one of the most informative 'How to' books on the implementation of Lean and the application of Lean tools. The examples in the book will provide specific details and guidance for any manufacturing company on their Lean journey…."
—Dick Ryan, Lean Journey Leader, Barry-Wehmiller Companies