PARTNER & MANAGING DIRECTOR

Background
Dean has 10 years experience in the automotive industry, six of these years were at Toyota, Burnaston in Assembly Engineering.

Fondest memory of production
‘The start-up of Toyota at Burnaston was an eye-opener. I remember the first day, receiving my instructions in a portacabin as the factory was being constructed. I had done my apprenticeship at Jaguar Cars but wanted to join Toyota the moment I heard they were building a plant in Derby. I knew Toyota had a great production system and wanted to experience it first hand. From the first day I found myself immersed in TPS (Toyota Production System). I started as an engineer in assembly and was assigned a co-ordinator, Takahashi. His role was to teach me Lean on a daily basis, help me learn experientially, as we breathed life into the assembly line. Those were long days but extremely rewarding from an achievement and engineering perspective.’

Favourite Lean Tool
‘Standardised Work and Yamazumi. You are not doing Lean for real if you choose any other tool. Mark will go on about QCO, I’m sure, a valuable tool I might add, but nothing can beat Standardised Work, the brutal reality of Takt Time and the balance of the work on the Yamazumi. It’s comprehensive, powerful and indisputable. The task is either non-value adding or value adding. A team knows where they stand once they have Standard Work: how to improve, who to train, how to make Takt and pace maker management. It really is a dynamic system at the heart of TPS.’

What will happen in Lean next?
‘Government services, like the NHS here in the UK, are waking up to Lean. We have found, over the years, that nearly every engagement with a client has resulted in better quality through the application of Lean. Government services could benefit from the same experience; and no reason to see it limited to hospitals. Any transaction in an office can be improved.’

Funniest moment in Lean
‘Watching Mark try to sketch a Work Element Sheet on an assembly line in a 1st tier supplier. What a mess. Talk about War and Peace.’

PARTNER & DIRECTOR

Background
Mark started his career with British Aerospace in the Hawker Siddley Business Jet Division. After six years with BAE and Raytheon he joined Carnaud Metalbox in the World Class Manufacturing Division.

Fondest memory of production
‘We had our backs to the wall during the 90’s at Corporate Jets. The bottom had fallen out of the market but we seemed unable to slow down production to match plummeting sales. We were floating in inventory with White Tails building up at the end of the runway. It was then we took the decision to implement the Kawasaki Production System (KPS). Almost instantaneously you could see a lightbulb coming on in people’s heads, challenging systems that had been around for decades that were wasteful. Strange terms started to appear: Kanban, Takt, Kamishibai, One Piece Flow. There was a real buzz about the place and I knew I wanted to be part of it.

Implementing the system and watching it take effect gave a real sense of satisfaction. I enjoyed my time at Carnaud Metalbox and saw quite a lot of the world, but my first exposure to Lean is the memory I look back on with pride.’

Favourite Lean Tool
‘QCO because of its versatility. I can’t think of many companies I’ve been to where QCO has not made an impact. It really is powerful at dealing with downtime of any sort. I know Shingo developed it for the change-over of press tools (SMED) but I’m sure he would be chuffed to know that we’ve seen it applied in aircraft maintenance turnarounds, mining shut-downs, refinery maintenance as well as zinc casting. All with huge benefits. Dean will go on about Standardised Work, but he’s a petrol head!’

What will happen in Lean next?
‘I think we will see Lean apply itself to environmental issues over the next 20 years or so. Companies like Toyota already lead the way in green packaging but it doesn’t stop there. Most companies can challenge their carbon footprint using Lean tools. Working with companies like Comalco Aluminium in Australia has shown me this is possible. They have a strong drive to reduce emissions and are using Lean to do so. More companies will follow suit, it’s just a question of understanding how Lean can help.’

Funniest moment in Lean
‘In a car plant - watching two union representatives lambaste a Production Manager for wanting to move a Yamazumi board off the assembly line. He didn’t show his face for a week.’