Improvement of operational efficiency in a jobshop using lean manufacturing principles: a case study

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to document experiences gained due to implementation of lean strategies in one of the Caribbean jobshop manufacturing organisations. Design/methodology/approach: The present mode of the selected Caribbean manufacturing firm's operations has revealed that there is existence of excessive motion, processing time and queue time within the manufacturing layout. To gain insights in the lean area, a comprehensive review of literature has been conducted. For in depth analysis of the company's problems, the 5-whys methodology was followed. The current value stream map (CVSM) has been developed after making several company visits and necessary computations. For improvement of the system, various lean strategies have been proposed and future value stream map (FVSM) was developed. Findings: Due to implementation of lean strategies such as parallel processing, smaller batching, deployment of new technology and computer aided job assessment the company realised benefits in terms of...