How a kaizen event lead by Lucian Arsene increased productivity by 56% while reducing manpower from 10 people to 5 in only one week.

1. Kaizen Event Lead by Lucian Arsene
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2. Objectives
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• Introduce and Implement Lean tools in the Constraint
• Begin development of lean culture among employees
• Improving work conditions
• Document the correct inspecting procedure using
Standardized Work
• Improve sorting performance
• Minimize work in progress on slides
• Develop Visual Board to communicate progress

3. Lean Methodology
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3) Do
analysis
2) Identify
alternatives
1) Define
Problem or
Opportunity
4) Make
recommendations
5) Take action
6) Track &
Evaluate

4. Constraint Area Analysis
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All team members identified obstacles and opportunities
UsedTools:
Fishbone Diagram
Before Documentation Photos
Impact – Changeability Chart
5 Whys and Therefore Analysis

5. Problem Solving and Brainstorm Solutions
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The team members listed problems on a fishbone diagram and
brainstormed solutions to determine actions needed to implement in their
area
20 Problems Identified20 Problems Identified 30 Solutions or Actions Identified30 Solutions or Actions Identified
3 Items (all related to training) moved to the parking lot

6. Current State vs. Future State
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Adopting the “Clean as We Go” 5S philosophy eliminates the need for
additional handling of the trash and scrap materials
Current Method:
Proposed Method:
Do Job – 15
polo
products
Each sorter inspect all 15 products; Products
are waiting on 1.5 – 2 days WIP to be
inspected, making handling difficult
10 people
working on 5
slides
Do Job – products
sorted in 3 families:
T-Shirts; Long
Sleeves and Baby
Rummage
Each sorter inspect
4-5 products, WIP
is minimized to 30-
40 min.
Place items in
designated bins
at end of job/shift

7. Before/After – WIP on Slides
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• Work in Progress on each of the 5 slides
• Large bins to collect wipers and resorting
• Work in progress minimized
• Small barrels used for resorting and wipers
• Work in progress minimized
• Small barrels used for resorting and wipers
Before AfterAfter

8. Before/After – Finished Goods Boxes
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• An average of 16 finished goods boxes
used around workstations by each operator
• An average of 6 finished goods boxes used by
each operator
• An average of 6 finished goods boxes used by
each operator
Before AfterAfter

9. Before/After – Work conditions
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• Cloths difficult to pick from WIP;
• No room for sorters • Ergonomic work condition• Ergonomic work condition
Before AfterAfter

10. Before/After – Work instruction
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• Verbal, informal training
• Standardized work developed
• Improved from sorters feedback
• Posted on workstations, easy to be reviewed
• Standardized work developed
• Improved from sorters feedback
• Posted on workstations, easy to be reviewed
Before AfterAfter

11. 11
• All 15 products sent on 5 slides • 3 slides dedicated for Polos:
• Products divided by: T‐Shirts, Long
Sleeves and Baby items
Workflow Process
AfterAfterBefore

12. 12
• Just finished goods recorded • Daily production report developed
• Visual board for Measure of performance to
communicate progress will be soon ready
Production Report
AfterAfterBefore
Daily Production Report:
Date: 16-Jun-10
Area: Polo
Name: Meeta Balwinder Bhamna Daljit Vally
Finished Goods
Adult T-Shirt 641.5 640.5
Ladies T-Shirt 217.5 227.5
Sexy top SS 127.5 210
Children T-Shirt 100 206.5
Sport T-Shirt 199.5 104.5
Ladies LS 438.5
Sexy Top LS 298
Mens LS 501.5
Polo Pants
Children Turtleneck
Light Baby 633.5 378.5
Heavy Baby 642.5 387.5
Sleepers 30 71.5
Sexy Top SS 261.5 279
Children Turtleneck
Total: 1,286 1,389 1,238 1,568 1,117
FG %: 53.4% 68.3% 50.3% 62.7% 58.4%
White Wipers 397 124 171.5
Coloured Wipers 366.5 247.5 772
Dirty Baby Cloths 89.5 59.5
Total: 763.5 371.5 943.5 89.5 59.5
Whipers % 31.7% 18.3% 38.3% 3.6% 3.1%
Resorting: 357.75 274.25 279.5 842 735
Resort %: 14.9% 13.5% 11.4% 33.7% 38.5%
Processed (lbs): 2,407 2,035 2,461 2,499 1,911

13. Team Results After One Week
Support Metric Before After Difference
%
Improvement
Increase Safety and morale
Huge WIP on slides;
Difficult to handle;
Complex boxes
layout
Minimum WIP,
easier to
handle; easier
boxes layout
Workplace is a safer and
nicer to work TBD
Simplify the process flow – less
types of products to be inspected
15 products on 15
slides;
16 boxes needed for
each sorter
6 products on
each slide
3 slides needed
Reduce cost of parts,
improve stock accuracy,
minimize unexpected
shortages
60% boxes
reduction;
40% slides
reduction
Labour required to sort Polo 10 people
5 people + part
of Mika’s job
5 people are working on
different areas 50%
Main Metric Before After Difference
%
Improvement
Polo Area Performance
Average of 800 lbs
per sorter daily
Average of 1,250
lbs per sorter daily
Better productivity 56%
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14. Lessons Learned
• “It makes you aware of the severity of the problem”
• “The new process is much more easier than before”
• “It’s nice to work in this area now.”
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15. About Lucian Arsene
12 Years Experience in Production
Management
8 Years leading/facilitating Lean
Projects
3 Years Consultant in Process
Improvement
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16. About Lucian Arsene
Improving productivity by 56% while reducing manpower needed by 40%, in a matter of
days;
Doubling inventory turnover in less than three months, reducing material inventory from
$3 million to $1.6 million,
Squeezing the manufacturing lead time by 70%, from 4‐6 weeks to 3 to 10 days, improving
on‐time delivery from 40% to over 95%,
Improving stock accuracy from low 60% to 98%;
Reducing late deliveries from 321 days to 5 days in two months, and minimizing weekends
overtime from 40% of the workforce to less than 5%,
Reducing machining setups from an average of 265 minutes to 70 minutes,
Redesigning shop floor from functional departments into manufacturing cells, reducing lot
sizes and grouping work orders as families of products;
Eliminating major disruption in flow due to quality rejects by implementing one‐piece
flow;
Give a new opportunity to sales and marketing to increase company’s market share by
segmenting the market and creating different offers, services, options for different
products.
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17. Contact Me
Contact:
Email: larsene@extramilegroup.com
Phone: 604‐552‐3864
Profile: ca.linkedin.com/in/lucianarsene
Website: www.extramilegroup.com
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