Lean Manufacturing in Build to Order, Complex and Variable Environments »

A business that can provide exactly what its customers want at a competitive price, and do so when its customers want delivery, will have an insurmoutable advantage over competition that cannot. That's why from oil rigs to trucks customized for specific purposes, from large scale HVAC systems and ship engines to houses and airplanes, this book will create a new playing field for leaders of companies who wish to offer customers complex products that are built to order. The authors show and tell how it is not necessary to move production offshore to achieve lower costs and at the same time produce products customized for specific needs. And they explain how quality and speed of delivery will simultaneously be enhanced by using lean manufacturing techniques. No wonder this book a must read for anyone involved in manufacturing in the twenty-first century.

Acknowledgments     7
Foreword     9
Introduction     11
Lean Manufacturing in a Highly Variable Environment     18
Layout and Factory Design     36
Scheduling and Support     81
Supporting the Build-to-Order Operation     117
Bringing About Change     144
Measuring Your Lean Transformation     160
Key Factors for Lean Enterprise Success     176
Index     189
About the Authors     190