Graphic Arts Magazine July / August 2019 | Page 28

Column
Lean for the Summer
Three exercises for a leaner, more efficient and more profitable business
Summer is upon us and, for many
print businesses, summer is treated
as a strategic hibernation period.
Business is often a bit slower and
so, between juggling vacation
schedules and recovering from
the surge of the previous quarter,
summer often becomes a great
excuse to put off new initiatives and
to maintain the status quo.
However, for most lean print busi-
nesses, summer represents a great
opportunity to implement new
projects and to conduct kaizen
exercises. With a lighter load,
there is an opportunity to try new
things without the added capacity
complications. With a bit more time
on their hands, the necessary
participants can more easily find
opportunities to gather together.
If you are new to lean, here are a
few simple exercises you can do this
summer that will have immediate
positive effects on your production
and will position you well for the late
summer business surge.
Exercise 1: Summer clean-up with 5S
Marie Kondo has formed an impressive
empire around strategies for and the benefits
of uncluttering for modern consumers.
Similarly, 5S is a structured approach to
uncluttering work cells (production
areas) to optimize safety, productivity,
and efficiency. Highly organized work
cells also improve employee morale and
engagement, as a significant amount of
reported stress and frustration is attributed
to non-productive activities arising from
disorganization and missing/damaged
resources.
28 | July / August 2019 | GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE
The five S’s are Sort, Set in order, Shine,
Standardize, and Sustain.
1. Sort Everything in the work cell is examined,
asking, “Is this needed? If so, is it needed
in this quantity? If so, how frequently is
it needed? Where, specifically, is it
required? When it is needed? Who is
responsible for ensuring it is available
when needed? What is the reorder
process?” Things are sorted into Discard,
Hold in inventory, Hold near, and Needed
categories. Ideally, kanban cards are
created to support the reorder process
for items held near or held in inventory.
2. Set in order Now that the required
items have been identified, they need
to be distributed in the most efficient
way possible in the work cell. Needed
tools and supplies get a permanent
home near where they are used, ideally at
the ergonomic height for use. Needed items
should be visible to the operator and their
positions labelled or shadow boarded so
that operators can easily see if they are
running low or if something is missing.
Best-in-class lean plants colour code
their work cells and the needed tools of
that work cell to make it easy to get
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