Lean concepts have been around for a long time. As we consider “lean,” our minds immediately turn to manufacturing. It’s likely because our roots lie in quality assurance and manufacturing. We’ve worked on it for quite a while.
Lean principles were adopted as the standard for manufacturing after Japanese manufacturing companies like Toyota introduced them to great success. These processes have since been extended to all aspects of supply chain management, such as the warehousing process. What does “lean” mean, and what exactly is lean warehouse housing?
An Overview of Lean Practices in Brief
A little steamed up, “lean” simply means to eliminate unnecessary elements in the process. So, applying lean principles to supply chains eliminates processes that are not adding any value. The aim of this approach is to boost efficiency by eliminating waste and keeping output.
Lean techniques allowed Toyota to increase efficiency in its manufacturing processes and provide a range of products, including colors. They achieved this by developing the five-step system. Specific adjustments included right-sizing machines according to actual demand requirements, as well as reverse connecting the data for each process. This means that each machine is produced according to the requirements for each gate. Instead of producing at maximum efficiency, the demand information is transmitted to other machines within the production chain.
The Toyota manufacturing empire is at the top of the list in the total amount of total sales worldwide. Lean manufacturing practices are an integral part of the supply and manufacturing chain. For more information about the background story behind how this all happened, take a look at the book.
Lean warehouse housing: What is it?
Lean warehousing can be described as an industrial facility that has implemented certain practices to eliminate inefficient or inefficient procedures. The traditional “storage only” warehouse is now obsolete. Since warehouse operations today involve numerous procedures, lean methods are an essential part of the efficiency of any kind in the warehouse.
Some of the most modern Warehouse services include outbound and inbound freight receiving, receiving, pick and package, kitting, inventory management, and light assembly. The more processes are in your system, the more to be lean. What is the best way to achieve this?
Practices for Lean WarehousesÂ
Lean is always five steps. Warehouse management is also a part of Lean, however, the term “step” may not be the most appropriate description. This is due to the fact that the continuous improvement and implementation happen simultaneously rather than in order. However, the “steps” are as follows:
The 5S Lean Warehousing Methodology
- Sort ( Seiri)
Sorting can be described as organizing your warehouse’s operations into required and unnecessary sections. When you consider a warehouse, isn’t that just a means to store, sort, and arrange items? So, “sort” is a vital aspect of lean warehouse management. To accomplish this, make sure that every operation is filtered through this sorting process so that you can determine valuable and ineffective elements. - Streamline (Seiton)
The most efficient aspect of lean warehousing is eliminating the ineffective processes that are part of the workflow of your operation. This entails arranging the physical material to ensure maximum accessibility and optimizing the arrangement in the floor plan so that you are able to reduce energy and time. - Shine (Seiso)
Shine ensures that the warehouse is clear and clutter-free. This could include repair requirements or anything else that could affect the efficiency. Implementing this method can cut down the time required for certain tasks by investing the time needed to identify the problem. - Standardize (Seiketsu)
The other side of standardizing is not implementing procedures in the first place. To standardize, you must create specific steps that every team member must follow throughout the day. These procedures should be clear in their specifics and wide in their application. Lean warehouse processes should also include an operation plan B. This will ensure smooth operations even when there are issues. - Sustain (Shitsuke)
In the final of the five lean warehouse 5S aspects, sustain is “continuous improvement”. This is the reason why I don’t prefer to refer to lean principles as “steps”. Instead, this principle stresses that lean isn’t one and accomplished. Implementation is a refinement process with the course of time.
Management of Lean Warehouses
As with any other method, the lean warehouse management process requires commitment and participation to succeed. In order to achieve success with lean warehouse management, all employees are required to be on the same page. The right principles, support, and understanding of all employees are essential. Implementation is complete across all levels within the company (not only warehouse management), including the upper management and labor. Everyone can look at the 5S principles in a continuous manner and search for ways to improve efficiency and cut out unnecessary processes.
Before beginning any process, the teams must focus on obtaining information. Instruct team members to search for processes that are more efficient and work with each other to develop solutions. When you have some ideas, make a plan, place, and write down the procedures for each section. Managers should also make sure that the team members have constant alertness to inefficient or unproductive procedures.
Examples of Lean Warehouses
There are a myriad of ways that lean warehousing practices can improve the way warehouses operate. Here are some examples.
- Instead of cleaning dust and debris each day, take a look and address the cause. It could be that a tiny hole to the outside causes it, and can be quickly fixed.
- Put commonly utilized inventory items near their intended destination. In pick, pack, and ship tasks, warehouse workers can take a carton from a particular location or pallets within the warehouse 15 times every day. This means that the time required for a journey to reach the box site and then return to the area of shipping is multiplied by 15 every day. Thus, reducing the traveling time allows workers to pick up their items faster..
- Set up heavier or larger items near the docks to load. The longer distance needed for heavy or bulky objects increases the risk of injury, and the more inefficient moving these materials becomes.
- Make a checklist of the maintenance requirements for forklifts and other equipment. This will reduce the chance of expensive repairs, or even worse, equipment breakdown.
- Consolidate inventory. If there are multiple locations for similar inventory, it can cause confusion and increase processing time. If employees are required to search for or travel long distances to find items, it is an area that could benefit from efficient warehousing.
Conclusion Regarding Lean Warehousing
Lean warehousing offers a number of advantages when it comes to cost reduction, as well as improving the efficiency of work within your warehouse. However, there are best practices to implement and maintain lean warehousing practices that must be adhered to.
If you implement the 5 actions of lean warehousing and ensure that all employees are in the process (not just the warehouse managers), you could be successful and have a repeatable method of achieving continuous improvement.