Manufacturers the world over have been facing severe economic difficulties recently, regardless of their product or location.
Those who survive are able to satisfy rapidly-changing market trends, deliver high-quality products/services quickly, at ever more competitive prices. Meeting these challenges without raising prices (to keep customers), while reducing costs of production (to stay in business), requires innovative and responsive management techniques that are uniquely suited to each business's individual needs. Staying in business today demands high efficiency in every aspect of production operations. Although every business executive understands this principle, achieving it is often a daunting challenge.
The key to success here is this hands-on approach based on what we call the "3-GEN" principle (sometimes knows as "Go and see") :
現地 現物 現実
"GENchi" / Actual Place , "GENbutsu" / Actual Thing , "GENjitsu" / Actual Truth
This principle guarantees NO waste from "guesswork"
We are able to help companies realize a various of Kaizen results, such as "improvement of production efficiency, " "reduction of reject percentages," and "cost reductions" by teaching "production preparation" through incorporating the Shingijutsu Global Consulting Production System (SGC-PS) including "Kanban and "Jidoka" (Autonomation).
Our production efficiency concept, the Shingijutsu Global Consulting Production System (SGC-PS), when incorporated into your production, logistics, or other operations, will identify weaknesses in your system, eliminate all visible and invisible waste (of time, materials, manpower), minimize production costs, and increase profits. Many global manufacturers have experienced the effectiveness of the SGC-PS concept.
There are three important factors in successful Kaizen activity.
First, all Gemba staff (workers at the production site) must understand the Kaizen concept, and have a positive attitude and enthusiasm about the benefits of vigorously practicing Kaizen activities.
Second, top management must understand, encourage, and learn how to correctly evaluate the outcome of staff's Kaizen endeavors (simply introducing Kaizen activities at the work site can lead to a false sense of accomplishment without achieving quantifiable results).
Third, Kaizen is the whole company activities, everyone involved must not only understand and practice Kaizen techniques on a day-to-day basis, but must also understand its underlying spirit and philosophy.
Many production managers have theoretical knowledge about Kaizen ("Continuous Improvement"), Just-in-Time ("JIT") and Jidoka ("Autonomation").
They do not know, however, how to incorporate Kaizen systems in their own workplace (Gemba). Unfortunately, trying to bring book knowledge to bear on complex problems in the real world generally proves impractical or ineffective at best, if not actually counter-productive.
All Shingijutsu Global consultants have worked for major Toyota group companies(Toyota Boshoku, Toyota Auto Body and Denso), Isuzu Motors and Rinnai where "Lean operation" has been vigorously pursued. This has given them practical, hands-on experience as employees in solving day-to-day problems through application of Kaizen activities in successful manufacturing businesses. Having the benefit of Shingijutsu Global Consulting's accumulated know-how is the most significant factor in improving your productivity and profits.
・Your operation needs dramatic improvement without major changes in your current systems, equipment, and/or location. We call this work "Gemba Kaizen". Through Gemba Kaizen, your own staff develops practical solutions providing immediate improvement, which results in reduction of total production and/or operating costs. Gemba Kaizen is not a one-time activity, but should become an integral part of day-to-day operations. Shingijutsu Global Consulting will help your staff learn to continuously apply Kaizen techniques in their daily workflow.
・Your current logistics create a bottleneck in your Lean operations. The Logistics Kaizen incorporates Kaizen methods in logistics within one manufacturing site, or between separate locations. Moving materials/products from one location to another is one of the most commonly wasteful activities, causing lost time and excesses or shortages of materials and/or manpower, etc. Logistics Kaizen focuses on scheduling and ordering techniques, material/product and information flow, delivery systems, implementation of the Kanban and Heijunka ("leveled production") systems, and customer and supplier relationships. Inefficient logistical systems will actually cancel out even strenuous Gemba Kaizen efforts, which means that Logistical Kaizen must be implemented at the same time as Gemba Kaizen is undertaken. Logistical Kaizen is also very effective when applied in distribution industries.
・Planning for a new product, new production site, or complete replacement of the existing site, has commenced. We call this work Production Preparation Process ("3P"). Although Gemba Kaizen is a very useful activity, its effectiveness is limited because it is executed on an existing system where fundamental changes cannot be undertaken. When a new product and/or new production site is considered, we strongly recommend that our consultants are included in the development phase. Our consultants will work closely with your design team for creating the best production system possible for your new product.
On the first day of the on-site consulting process, our experienced consultant will simply observe the day-to-day operations at your workplace (factory, warehouse, office, etc.). In this first step of Kaizen, within an hour the consultant will be able to identify many areas needing improvement. Pointing out the problem where it exists, at the time it is found, is very important. This allows operators and production management to see the problem as it occurs and observe the consequences that were invisible to them before.
Next, our consultant begins analyzing each of your processes, which includes measuring time, moving distance, information shown on labels, movement status, etc. Such details may seem trivial, but it is the accumulation of seemingly minor details that can negatively or positively affect productivity. Addressing problems on this level can make a dramatic difference -- the difference of success.
"As you will see, personally experiencing the results of Kaizen activity is worth a thousand words, as both staff and management, together, recognize the benefits of Gemba Kaizen".
For more information about SKW Click here
Educate
Shingijutsu Global Consulting will provide you with a curriculum based on your needs choosing from over 40 training modules.
We provide an education grounded in the fundamentals of Kaizen, so that Kaizen can be thoroughly understood and correctly implemented.
Critical to the success of Kaizen is the development of a support system to promote Kaizen activity.
We provide instruction on the significance of the Kaizen Promotion Office (KPO) and how to establish a KPO.
(Please see our approach: Educating in Kaizen tools and concept)
It is necessary to advance Kaizen activities strategically in order to achieve a positive impact on the business. The Kaizen process clarifies the current state, defines a future state, establishes the themes for Kaizen projects and determines strategic priority for activities.
Experience:
The Shingijutsu Kaizen Workshop(SKW) provides lectures on the fundamental Kaizen concepts, hands on experience of Kaizen activities and a final report out. The activities center around one theme and will be completed in one week. (5-day/from Monday to Friday) activity during which our consultant will visit your facility to teach and help implement actual Kaizen (not lecture on theory, but make real changes).
The approach is 100% hands-on and customized: at Gemba – working with your people and products – all learn through doing (not reading, listening, or observing).
(Sample SKW Schedule: Typical First-Time Kaizen Planning Workshop )
The Shingijutsu Kaizen Workshop, provides on the job training for Kaizen Specialists.
(Sample Company’s Kaizen Results:Changes to the 4 primary “Kaizen Themes” over 20 months)
We also offer Gemba-Kaizen Seminars that focus on teaching Standard Work, as well as seminars on such subjects as Kanban, 3P, Hoshin Kanri, Problem Solving or Lead Time Reduction.
Seminars are held either in Japan and US or at the client’s site all over the world and will be designed to meet the client’s need. ( 2020 Seminar & Training Schedule )
Evaluate:
It is very important to continue managing improvements after a Kaizen workshop. Are the results of the Kaizen being maintained? If the Gemba is struggling to maintain the results, why is this happening?
Daily management objectives need to be established and audited on a daily basis. This information must be visual, so that everyone is clear on what further improvements need to be done.
Kaizen activities are not temporary events, but strategic and continuous. Initially Kaizen is done here and there as "dot kaizen". The next step is to connect the dots and create a line. Eventually as kaizen on the entire line proceeds, they can be connected with other lines creating Kaizen on a plane. The results of these activities, the Kaizen metrics, should be displayed, monitored and evaluated on an ongoing basis.
(Sample Company’s Kaizen Results Changes to the 4 primary “Kaizen Themes” over 20months)
Kaizen activities should be in line with the company’s policies or Hoshin. It is important that everyone understand why they are doing Kaizen and how the activities contribute to improvements, so this information must visible to all. Both Hoshin Kanri (top down directives) and Daily Management (bottom up initiatives) are utilized to determine Kaizen activities and to ensure Kaizen is linked to management strategies.
If you would like us to audit the progress and direction of your Kaizen activities,
please contact us. A Gemba Walk will be conducted based on the local physical reality to evaluate the current status and KAIZEN needs, and to educate your employees on how to use KAIZEN tools for evaluation / diagnosis and how to proceed with KAIZEN workshops.
Our consultants really would like to visit to your sites and doing Gemba walk together
(it has to be based on”ACTUAL”-place, -things, -facts= Shop-floor, loading dock, etc. where Kaizen is being done) and evaluate your current status and Kaizen needs, and educate your employees on kaizen tools techniques for assessment/diagnosis and how to proceed Kaizen workshop.
Enhance :
One purpose of Kaizen is to nurture people . The more people there are who know how to find the problems and know how to solve those problems, the more powerful the company. That is why we emphasize educating and nurturing the workforce through Kaizen activities.
The company’s Kaizen activities should be evaluated at regular intervals. Progress in Kaizen activities, achievement of targets, illumination of problems and inclusion of new themes, etc. become triggers for moving in new directions. Any projects that remain incomplete need to be reflected in the Kaizen planning for the following fiscal year.
Our goal is to educate and nurture people to become leaders in Kaizen and we use Evaluation Sheets and Kaizen Skill Maps to do this. We issue certificates to those who complete the Kaizen curriculum, giving those in the program a goal to work toward.
We would like to highly recommend you “Kaizen Planning & Workshop” for your future Lean activity deployment. Because this will help management make an informed decision about how to proceed. It would, of course, also be an opportunity to show our expertise in finding and implementing Kaizen even in a small-scope, short-term scenario! We also can advise you in detail when our consultant visit your site. If you would like us to audit the progress and direction of your Kaizen activities, please contact us.
(For more information about SKW Click here）
Mobirise themes are based on Bootstrap 3 and Bootstrap 4 - most powerful mobile first framework. Now, even if you're not code-savvy, you can be a part of an exciting growing bootstrap community.
Choose from the large selection of latest pre-made blocks - full-screen intro, bootstrap carousel, content slider, responsive image gallery with lightbox, parallax scrolling, video backgrounds, hamburger menu, sticky header and more.
Kaizen (Continuous Improvement System) : KAI(改) meaning "CHANGE" + ZEN(善) meaning "BETTER"
Kaizen is a Japanese word meaning "improvement". In production jargon, however, Kaizen stands for "Continuous Improvement": to find and get rid of any "Waste" existing anywhere in the production line or organization. Therefore, Kaizen activities transform your production, logistical, or other operations into efficient "Lean systems". Kaizen must be continuously practiced, however, because inefficiencies always exist in any plant, system, or organization. Therefore, not only is Kaizen a continuous activity, it also requires promotion, coordination, and execution by all members of the organization, managers and workers alike.
The Kaizen concept consists of four elements:
・Quality
・Effort
・Willingness to Improve
・Communication
Thus, each participant needs to recognize the importance of focusing on five "assignments" (the 5S) < What's 5S?> while diligently pursuing Kaizen activities:
SEIRI...Sort
SEITON...Simplify
SEISO...Sweep
SEIKETSU...Systematize
SHITSUKE...Sustain
Please see our Supplement Kaizen Results
Not only manufacturing industries but also various service providers today are under a constant stream of attacks from financial crisis. The healthcare industries have suffered by issues of legislation, litigation, competition, overstocks, complexity of the hospital supply chain, payers, patients, etc. Like other industries that successfully leaned their operation through Kaizen activities, the healthcare industries are now trying to adapt the same Kaizen concept and tools to healthcare processes and management. Some major national hospitals have achieved significant improvement of their work efficiency as well as increased customer satisfaction. The Kaizen concept is applicable in any industries so as to improve the performance of the organization.
(Kaizen Activities and Case study)
Case Study: A success story from a hospital with which our consultants have worked
THE WAIT IS OVER : A Japanese-speaking sensei is helping a few of Vancouver's biggest health care facilities eliminate inefficiencies and streamline their operations.
Patients to Need less Patience
Shorter waiting times and improved safety are goals of plan patterned after Toyota system. -Amy O'Brian, The Vancouver SUN
