Corbett Gilliam

Lean manufacturing is all about reducing waste and increasing efficiency. Manufacturers have been implementing lean practices for decades and have stood the test of time. Now, with technological advancements, lean methodologies can be more transformative than ever before. “Integrating automation into lean manufacturing is a powerful strategy. Unlike traditional automation, which often aims to increase production capacity without considering real needs, lean automation focuses on the smart and selective application of technologies to meet specific continuous improvement goals and eliminate inefficiencies,” the Kaizen Institute said. “Digital transformation provides an unprecedented opportunity for implementing lean,” it continued. “When applied within lean, tools like the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), and data analytics can revolutionize how organizations detect and eliminate waste.” What is Lean Manufacturing? In “The Machine That Changed The World,” published in 1990, lean production is hailed as “Toyota’s secret weapon in the global car wars.” The Toyota Production System was developed following World War II from “a series of simple innovations … to provide both continuity in process flow and a wide variety in product offerings,” according to the Lean Enterprise Institute. In “Lean Thinking,” a 1996 follow-up to “The Machine That Changed The World,” authors James…

Stay up to date on all the latest conversations, interviews, and episodes we released this week here at Supply Chain Now! We started our week off with a conversation on Supply Chain Now with not one, but two Allisons! Scott and Greg had the opportunity to talk with Allison Grealis the President of the Women in Manufacturing Association and Education Foundation, and Allison Giddens the Co-President of Win-Tech and Treasurer of the Georgia Chapter of Women in Manufacturing. Scott focused on the history of Labor Day in Monday’s This Week in Business History’s episode. Scott talks about the history of the holiday and the part that everyone plays when it comes to the global workforce. On Tuesday, we published a new episode of TEKTOK with host Karin Bursa featuring Greg White, host of TECHquila Sunrise. During this episode Karin talks with Greg about his perspective on how to be successful in today’s HOT Supply Chain Tech market. On Wednesday’s episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott and special co-host Mike Griswold, Vice President of Research at Gartner, interviewed Scott Mann. Scott Mann is known for being a Green Beret, Retired Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army, and President of Rooftop Leadership.…