Speed to Market: Lean Manufacturing for Job Shops

Lean manufacturing is the single most effective way to increase sales, cut costs, improve margins, and secure the future of a business. The problem is that the principles and philosophies of lean manufacturing are geared strictly to mass production operations--and can be ineffective, even detrimental, for smaller job shops and make-to-order businesses. Now, Speed to Market delivers a proven approach for smaller suppliers who want to successfully cut their lead time and trigger profitable growth. Completely updated and expanded, the book explains how to: * Apply the principles of pull, flow, and the elimination of waste to every area of the company, at every stage from "quotes to cash" * Implement a continuous improvement process--while sidestepping the typical implementation pitfalls * Ease scheduling problems * Improve performance and profitability using the book's practical concepts, process analysis tools, and perspective-enhancing techniques--and much more.