Trent Zuberi

It’s been an exciting week here at Supply Chain Now! Catch up on all the latest episodes, interviews, conversations, and livestreams right here for all the hottest supply chain news! On Monday, we launched Dial P for Procurement with program co-hosts Kelly Barner & Scott Luton who welcomed two professionals who have put their procurement and supply chain experience to work in the service of others: Anna McGovern, Chief Supply Chain Officer at the Food Bank for New York City, and Kathy Fulton, Executive Director of the American Logistics Aid Network.   On Tuesday, Laura Cyrus with Truckers Against Trafficking joined host Enrique Alvarez to share how supply chain & trucking workers are uniquely positioned to combat human trafficking.   On Wednesday, we launched our new Digital Transformers series in partnership with Total Network Service. Check out our first episode as Scott Luton, Kevin L. Jackson, and special host Thomas Carter welcome Dave Stehlin and Chris Poli to the show.   On Thursday, we released The Supply Chain Buzz with Kevin L. Jackson, Greg White, & Scott Luton who discuss leading stories from global supply chain and global business, including the skyrocketing costs of medical supplies, the impact of IoT…

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…