Investing In Lean Manufacturing
Lean Manufacturing is defined as a systematic method for the elimination of waste within a manufacturing system. It also assesses waste created through overburden and unevenness in workloads, which is why many manufacturers throughout the country have taken the initiative to invest in lean business solutions. For many, the process of implementing Lean has been not only an eye-opening experience, but also a simple mission to accomplish with tremendous benefits.
As the 2016 year comes to an end, all manufacturers should be taking the necessary steps to assess how they can optimize their facilities in the most efficient and effective way possible and should consider adopting new tools and programs. For Fisnar Inc., making a small investment in lean business solutions has had astronomical positive effects on their organization.
About the Company: Fisnar Inc. is a world leader in Industrial Robots and Automation Solutions for fluid dispensing headquartered in Pine Brook, New Jersey. Fisnar offers a large selection of products that meet their customer needs in numerous industries, including Medical, Electronic, Jewelry, Automotive and general industrial OEM assembly operations. The company employees 26 in its US operation and does $8,000,000 in annual sales.
Challenges: For Fisnar Inc., the company wasn’t experiencing any immediate challenges within their organization. However, in efforts to foster the process of continuous improvement, Steve Kohnle, Vice President and General Manager of Fisnar, Inc. contacted New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program, Inc. (NJMEP) because he was very interested in introducing Lean into his company, as one of Fisnar’s alternate locations went through a Lean Transformation with another MEP and was extremely happy with the results.
Lean Transformation: On the second visit with Fisnar Inc., NJMEP conducted a Lean assessment and as a result, a transformation plan was put in place. To get a complete understanding of transitioning to Lean, Mr. Kohnle and Ms. Wu attended two Lean workshops conducted by NJMEP—Lean Tools for the Office and Principles of Lean Manufacturing both with Live Simulation.
After attending the two workshops, Fisnar, Inc. began its Lean Transformation with a Value Stream Mapping Event and then consulted with NJMEP on developing efficiencies related to their manufacturing operations. Fisnar also participated in additional complimentary NJMEP workshops and ended up pursuing ISO 9001 certification, as they learned the importance of having it while making the Lean transition.
Results: As a result of partnering with NJMEP, Fisnar, Inc. was able to:
- Achieved an overall cost savings of $55,000.
- Invested $20,000 in new processes or products.
- Hired 2 new employees and was able to retain 23 incumbent workers.
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The Lean process provides you with tools and training—skills and knowledge, to grow your business.
Contact us to learn about the services we provide or to discuss your most important business issues. Schedule a complimentary business assessment by calling us at (973) 998-9801.