Lean Thinking and Lean Systems

Chocolatier Uncovers Sweet Savings with Supply Chain Optimization

Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory is implementing a range of supply chain optimization initiatives, leading to sweet cost savings for the company known for cheesecake caramel apples, gourmet truffles, English toffee, and assorted dark mints.

Reducing inventory levels on raw materials and finished goods of underperforming chocolate products has enabled the company to eliminate multiple traditional warehouses. RMCF now relies heavily on cross-docking facilities for faster inventory throughput and more efficient out-bound loads. These factors are enormously important in streamlining online orders […]

By James Kirby Easterling|2023-08-20T07:09:30+00:00August 23, 2023|Tags: cold chain, efficiency, inventory management, lean management, logistics, optimization, waste|

Walmart Using Custom-Sized Boxes

Walmart, Staples, Amazon and others are implementing an on-demand custom-sized cardboard box system. In addition to custom-sized boxes, the equipment will package the item.

This approach, which offers savings in terms of labor and material, will replace the store and retrieve, pre-sized boxes that are commonly used. Less material is helpful for the environment, reducing the amount of cardboard that goes to the landfill.

Video Spotlight:

Customized boxes | ECO9 (May 29, 2023, WUSA9)

This post is based on […]

By Ross L. Fink, Ph.D.|2023-07-13T05:05:34+00:00July 13, 2023|Tags: automation, inventory management, logistics, packaging, product design, shipping, sustainability|

Lean Six Sigma in Hospitals

Although Lean Six Sigma has its origins in manufacturing, many services effectively use it. One such example is the Oncology Department at UC San Diego Health.

The Oncology Department applied a variety of Lean Six Sigma tools to produce $3.73 million in additional annual revenue.

The main source of waste was identified to be the way that several cancer drugs were used in dosing. These drugs were placed in a vial by the manufacturer with a single use dosage concept. In many […]

By Ross L. Fink, Ph.D.|2023-05-10T05:53:01+00:00May 10, 2023|Tags: 6S, healthcare, lean, process improvement, six sigma, waste reduction|

Major League Baseball Drives Faster Cycle Times

Cycle time is an essential part of operations management.

Using an industrial analogy like repetitive automobile manufacturing, cycle time can be defined in two contexts: the time it takes to perform one task, such as installation of the hood, or the cumulative time it takes to perform all tasks as a product makes its way to completion, such as a completed automobile.

Companies often seek to improve cycle time to increase output (inventory), support more sales, reduce costs, and capture more market […]

By James Kirby Easterling|2023-03-30T19:34:21+00:00March 30, 2023|Tags: cycle time, lean, takt time, technology, training|