Becoming Lean: Inside Stories of U.S. Manufacturers
Excerpts from Becoming Lean: "Becoming Lean fills an urgent need by describing in great detail the initial steps taken by a number of pioneering American firms in a range of industries to introduce lean thinking. Change agents actually leading the effort describe precisely what worked and what didn't.... Your job is to study their examples and advice carefully, and to look in the mirror to see if you are the change agent who will make the future better than the past." -From the foreword by James P. Womack Author of The Machine That Changed the World"Lean systems are the best competitive tool available in business today. ... Our savings on everything from productivity and cycle time to travel distance and work-in-process inventory have been dramatic. ... Tapping the workers' knowledge and creativity through lean systems at Freudenberg-NOK has been the most powerful resource our company has ever known."  -Joseph C. Day, CEO Freudenberg-NOK"The concept of lean is disarmingly simple to understand, but bringing yourself to apply it is difficult. To really believe in the key principles of lean you must consistently apply lean-day after day, month after month. Only then, after years of daily hands-on dedication, will you achieve the performance levels possible with lean production."  -George Koenigsaecker, President The HON Company"One of the primary reasons for the remarkable improvements in quality and productivity that were achieved at Plant 6 is that Delphi tapped into the potential of every employee to establish a working environment-one in which everyone can help in running the business. To unleash the power of the work force and implement real change, management, union leaders, and the work force must move together toward a common vision."  -Daniel Woolson and Michael A. Husar on Delphi Saginaw Steering Systems, General Motors