by Rich Vurva

Have you noticed how many fast food restaurants have added low-fat or low-carbohydrate selections to their menu offerings? They’re all trying to boost sales by jumping on the latest diet fad. Everyone, it seems, wants to lose weight and get lean.  

There’s another lean craze sweeping the country that has to do with helping manufacturers remove waste from their production processes. More than a flavor-of-the-day management fad, lean manufacturing is a way of doing business. Its goals include eliminating unneeded inventory, developing a continuous production flow to ensure that product moves seamlessly between work cells in the manufacturing process, and reducing wasted movement.

Distributors that understand lean manufacturing concepts can help their customers become more productive and efficient. And don’t be fooled by the term manufacturing; smooth product and material flow is just as important on a construction site as it is on a manufacturing plant floor.

What are some of the ways distributors can help their customers get lean? Introducing them to new tools that are more productive, cost less or lower their production costs. Staying on top of new technologies that may help customers do things better, faster and cheaper. Making them more organized and streamlined. Helping them achieve inventory reduction goals (don’t let your salespeople try to sell them 500 widgets when all they need is 422) so they view you as partner and not just a vendor.

One of the best ways distributors can help customers get lean is to understand their manufacturing processes. If you want to learn more about lean manufacturing, consider attending LMU3, the third installment of Lean Manufacturing University sponsored by Progressive Distributor’s sister publication for end-users, MRO Today. Scheduled for November in Milwaukee, LMU3 will feature some of the biggest and best proponents of lean manufacturing in North America. Watch our Web site for details.

This editorial appeared in the July/August 2004 issue of Progressive Distributor magazine. Copyright 2004.