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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 history of Kaizen begins when Toyota first employed a special activity called "Quality Circles" in its production process. Quality Circles were formed of workers at the production site. Mr. Taiichi Ohno, a former Executive Vice-President of Toyota Motor Company and a graduate of Nagoya Institute of Technology, pioneered development of the well-known Toyota Production System, which he based upon Quality Circle principles and the "Just-in-Time" 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, 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.
 
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*) while diligently pursuing Kaizen activities:
    1. Simplify -- Seiri
    2. Straighten -- Seiton
    3. Scrub -- Seiso
    4. Stabilize -- Sheiketsu
    5. Sustain -- Shitsuke
*Please contact us for an actual translation of the 5S.
The SGC Production System is the most practical and effective Kaizen methodology for reducing unrecognized waste and improving overall efficiency. We compare the SGC Production System to a house, which must be built on a solid foundation. Our foundation is Heijunka (Level Production). This refers to the ability to manufacture products as needed, without excess inventory, in direct response to market demand. On the foundation of Heijunka, the proven methodologies of "Just-in-Time" (JIT) and "Autonomation" provide the structure for significantly improving efficiency in every element of the production system.
 

If your company wants to increase profits without a large capital investment, the SGC Production System offers the best Kaizen methods to achieve your productivity goals.
 
 
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