Lean Manufacturing is Essential for Competitive Advantage

Lean Manufacturing, best described as the relentless elimination of waste. The power of lean lies in its ability to reduce costs in all areas. This is accomplished not through traditional cost reduction efforts but by challenging every activity to determine if it adds value in the eyes of the customer. Lean manufacturing principles must be aligned rigorously and thoroughly at all levels of the supply chain to make a difference. Lean manufacturing will improve the performance in the form of dramatically reduced cycle times and inventories, enhanced supply chain throughput. This paper explains how to identify and analyze key processes, how to understand what needs to be fixed, how to know who should be involved, and how a successful implementation of lean manufacturing can save the Indian Manufacturing Industry which is going through a very tough time.