Operations Management

ProGuide provides consulting service areas with structured methodologies that facilitate value-added improvements to our clients’ transformation processes. Our process improvement consulting for operations management aims to decrease operating costs and cycle time and increase quality and customer service.

Shakespeare wrote, “A rose by any other name is still a rose.” Most of us have heard various names used for a common concept: The dedicated effort to make operations as efficient and effective as possible. The most used term for this concept is “lean manufacturing.” It is a basic philosophy of continually reducing waste in all areas and all forms. ProGuide has proven expertise in Lean 6 Sigma, a method relying on team efforts to improve performance by removing waste and reducing variation.

We understand that the preliminary step toward applying the “lean manufacturing & philosophy” is identifying and eliminating the sources of waste. We have found that there are seven basic types of waste in a manufacturing system: overproduction, time on hand (waiting), transportation, processing, stock on hand (inventory), movement, and making defective products.

Part of ProGuide's Operations Management consulting service area is the application of lean manufacturing concepts, tools, and practices. We also strategically integrate other organizational improvement initiatives to help our clients achieve a lean enterprise.

ProGuide provides solutions to production processes that eliminate waste, reduce operating cost, free up working capital and reduce customer lead time. We offer a broad array of business assessment capabilities and solutions, including:

  • Team, Knowledge, And Skill Development
  • Improvement Methodology Training
  • Change Engagement Facilitation And Guidance
  • Continuous Improvement Strategy Development
  • Integrated QI System Development

What is Lean Manufacturing?

Lean techniques are, in their most basic form, the systematic identification and elimination of waste (80%), and the implementation of the concepts of continuous flow and customer pull. The benefits of lean manufacturing are 50% lower production costs, 50% fewer personnel, 50% less time to field new products, higher quality, higher profitability, and higher system flexibility. By continually focusing on lean manufacturing and waste reduction, there is no end to the benefits that can be achieved.

Generally, five areas drive lean manufacturing: cost, quality, delivery, safety, and morale. Just as mass production is recognized as the production system of the 20th century, lean production is viewed as the production system of the 21st century.

What is a Lean Enterprise?

The lean enterprise encompasses the entire production system, beginning with the customer, including all transformation processes through the product sales outlet, and all levels of the supply chain. We believe that the lean enterprise is fully engaged in organizational effectiveness with all organizational elements in balance, working harmoniously. Any truly 'lean' system is highly dependent on the demands of its customers and the reliability of its suppliers. No implementation of lean manufacturing can reach its full potential without including the entire 'enterprise' in its planning.