CabinetMaker+FDM - March 2012

those considering lean to visit other lean operations. “Visit a plant that is already well down the line. I had the benefit of that. I persuaded Fleetwood to let me visit Lantech Engineering. You could see how well everything worked,” he says.

“Many of the consultants I’ve dealt
with start and end with 5S,” he says.
“It’s easy to get discouraged. But if you
see the entire comprehensive thing
that brings in several years of continu-
ous improvement, then you know what
you want it to look like at the end.”
Naturally, Spencer says the biggest
stumbling block to avoid is not getting
enough support from top management.
“If top management doesn’t get it and
they aren’t deeply involved, you might as
well forget it,” he says. “Top management

has to be on the floor. They have to basically live on the gemba (shop floor). Top management is usually more interested in sales dollars and rarely grasp the strategic importance. Think of a company that can fabricate and ship in one or two days in an industry where everyone else takes one to two weeks.” ❮

+ Want more?

Two experts mentioned in this article are available to consult on lean transformations. Columns by them are available at www. CabinetMakerFDM.com or contact them directly.

Jim Lewis: 616-295-8077;
usti@wmis.net
Gero Sassenberg: 704-907-9891;
woodnet@carolina.rr.com

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