The advertised benefits and those being touted from numerous Lean factories today are just too great to ignore. Not only can companies save time and money and increase market share, but they can achieve product differentiation from their competitors, which is the single best reason for implementing Lean.

Applied Lean Business Transformation was written for manufacturers who have taken the initiative to implement a Lean operating system but haven’t achieved the expected results, and for those convinced of the benefits of Lean but don’t know how to go about achieving a successful Lean transformation. Often, fear of a new system causes a guarded, conservative, safe, minimum-to-low risk approach to be taken. An approach to business transformation so safe that no traditional systems are challenged will no doubt result in few benefits being achieved.

This valuable guide is presented in three parts. Part One explains the decision-making process for determining whether a Lean business transformation is a good solution for your enterprise. Part Two explains the mechanics of the Lean transformation process. Part Three discusses the need to change goals to support the Lean operating system with new performance measurements to re-enforce Lean throughout the enterprise. This unique book also includes the means for estimating realistic operational benefits, return on investment, and potential increased product or service market share.

Dennis Hobbs has nearly 40 years of line and staff experience including 20 years in materials and operations management in both the pharmaceutical and electro-mechanical manufacturing industries. He led project teams in the implementation of two different MRP systems and was subsequently responsible for the daily operation of those systems. During the last half of his career, Mr. Hobbs has concentrated on the consulting and education of Lean manufacturing systems. Since 1994, he has trained over 2500 manufacturing professionals at all organizational levels in the methodologies of Lean manufacturing.

Mr. Hobbs has spoken at several APICS annual conferences and numerous local chapter meetings. In addition to the US, he has presented his Lean Manufacturing Implementation workshop in New Zealand, Australia, China, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Egypt, Jordan, UAE, Bahrain and Belarus. He has also completed lean manufacturing consulting engagements in the US, Mid-East, Pacific Rim, and Europe. This is his second book on the subject of lean. The first one, Lean Manufacturing Implementation: A Complete Execution Manual for any Size Manufacturer, was published in 2003 and is a best seller.

Introduction

Part I: Making the Case for Lean Transformation

Chapter 1: Waste in Traditional Manufacturing
Chapter 2: The Lean Operating System—A Different Way of Thinking
Chapter 3: Identifying the Benefits of a Lean Operating System

Part II: The Business Transformation

Chapter 4: A Lean Business Transformation Is Not a Grass-roots Project—It Must Be Led
Chapter 5: Transforming the Company to Operate as a Lean System
Chapter 6: Identification of Processes Required to Produce Lean Line Products
Chapter 7: Resource Identification and Lean Line Design
Chapter 8: Component Material Strategies
Chapter 9: Operation of the Material System & Supplier Certification

Part III: Expanding Applied Lean Manufacturing Throughout the Enterprise

Chapter 10: A Process is a Process—Lean Methods Are Applicable to any Series of Processes
Chapter 11: Taking Lean Technology to the Next Level
Chapter 12: Lean across the Enterprise
Index

LEAN Manufacturing Implementation A Complete Execution Manual for Any Size Manufacturer By Dennis P. Hobbs Hardcover, 6 x 9, 264 Pages ISBN: 978-1-932159-14-1 September 2003 Co-published with APICS Retail Price $54.95 Direct-Response Price $44.95  Add to Cart

Lean Six Sigma Logistics Strategic Development to Operational Success By Dr. Thomas Goldsby & Robert Martichenko Hardcover, 6 x 9, 248 Pages ISBN: 1-932159-36-3 August 2005 Retail Price $49.95 Direct-Response Price $44.95  Add to Cart

Lean Cost Management Accounting for Lean by Establishing Flow By James Huntzinger Hardcover, 6x9, 336 Pages ISBN: 1-932159-51-7 May 2007 Retail Price $49.95 Direct-Response Price $44.95  Add to Cart

Lean Materials Planning & Execution A Guide to Internal and External Supply Management Excellence By Donald H. Sheldon Hardcover, 6x9, 248 Pages ISBN: 978-1-932159-65-3 November 2007 Retail Price $59.95 Direct-Response Price $49.95  Add to Cart

Lean Six Sigma Service Excellence A Guide to Green Belt Certification and Bottom Line Improvement By Gerald M. Taylor, Six Sigma Black Belt Hardcover, 6 x 9, 280 Pages ISBN: 978-1-60427-006-8 September 2008 Retail Price $59.95 Direct-Response Price $49.95  Add to Cart

Lean and Agile Value Chain Management A Guide to the Next Level of Improvement By Ehap H. Sabri, Ph.D. and Salim N. Shaikh Hardcover, 6 x 9, 474 Pages ISBN: 978-1-60427-025-9 January 2010 Retail Price $54.95 Direct-Response Price $44.95  Add to Cart

Accelerating Lean Six Sigma Results How to Achieve Improvement Excellence in the New Economy By Terence T. Burton Hardcover, 6x9, 432 Pages ISBN: 978-1-60427-054-9 January 2011 Retail Price $69.95 Direct-Response Price $64.95  Add to Cart