How can you speed up production by as much as 44%, without investing in new kit or staff? This is the time saving that Interflex Group, in Dalkeith, Scotland, achieved in just four months by implementing lean manufacturing. Lean manufacturing derives from the Toyota Production System, which focuses on making products to fit consumer demand, with minimal inventory and minimal wastage - in all its forms. But the techniques and, more importantly, the philosophy behind them are equally applicable to print and packaging firms. "When I first came across lean manufacturing I thought it was for the car industry, but it transferred easily," says James Cleghorn, technical services manager at Interflex Group. Interflex started three years ago with what it dubs its '5C programme on the shopfloor. This focuses on workplace organisation - at its simplest using ideas such as 'every tool has its place'. Interflex then called in print industry forum Vision in Print (ViP) to encourage buy-in from the staff by highlighting success stories and offering tools and techniques to help the implementation.
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