Chinese Executive Mindset change towards Lean Productivity


Implement a Lean electric motor assembly work-cell
Chinese Electric Motor Company
 

A Chinese owner of an Electric Motor Company wants to adopt Lean Productivity into his company but lacks the technical and operational skill sets. Asia Manufacturing Services defined and implemented a Lean assembly work-cell improving productivity 400%, eliminated 1 day of WIP, and removed (2) workers from the assembly line.

A Chinese electric motor company owner is aware of the Lean Productivity trend through various media, education seminars, and customer meetings. The conservative Chinese owner wanted to see how Lean Productivity could be implemented in his factories but at the pace at which he could understand and control.

He found Asia Manufacturing Services by way of another business transaction. He found Asia Manufacturing Service to be extremely knowledgeable and hands-on. He requested Asia Manufacturing Services to evaluate one of his assembly lines and make a recommendation.

A current state and future state map was defined showing a re-layout of the line, elimination of some of the part jigs, conveyors, one machine, (2) people per shift were no longer needed, material feeders were added, kanban was established as well as some modifications were made to the equipment. The anticipated recommendation would yield a 400% increase in Productivity, elimination of Work-In-Process (implement 1 piece flow), and a higher reaction opportunity if a defect was identified.

The Chinese owner was skeptical of the proposed recommendation but still wanted to see the recommendation being implemented so a plan was made. After implementation, the results were immediately recognized. The Chinese owner now is a believer in Lean Productivity and now is engaging his management and engineering teams to learn more about Lean Productivity so the entire company's competitiveness can improved.