Efficiency is not static, and there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to logistics and production. Production conditions, the availability of materials and many other factors are constantly changing. The Kaizen method can help to establish a culture of continuous efficiency improvement – even in logistics and warehousing, small adjustments can repeatedly lead to improvements in day-to-day operations. However, these sectors face the challenge that equipment, workstations and shelving are usually configured once and adjustments are only possible through new purchases or comprehensive restructuring. Thanks to the modular Easytube plug-in tube system, however, you can adapt your working environment step by step – entirely in line with the Kaizen method.
What is the Kaizen method?
According to the Gabler Business Encyclopaedia, ‘Kaizen’ describes a corporate philosophy based on continuous, employee-led improvements in production processes. Kaizen is also closely linked to, or rather forms part of, the ‘Lean Production’ approach, which aims to minimise waste and costs. The Kaizen method has its origins in the Japanese automotive industry, specifically at the Toyota Group, which introduced and implemented this philosophy in its manufacturing and assembly processes.
This continuous improvement is made possible by constantly scrutinising every step and immediately implementing any potential efficiency gains. A key aspect of the Kaizen method is that staff in the warehouses and production halls are also involved: it is precisely these people who work at their stations and with the shelving every day and know what minor problems and challenges exist.
No problem is too small: there may well be minor tasks or walking distances involved when products need to be carried from one place to another – tasks that take only a few minutes – which can be eliminated by optimising workstations. However, this requires that there is scope within the company for suggestions for improvement. The following objectives are central to the Kaizen method:
- Quality assurance and quality improvement: Improvements to work processes lead, in the long term, to better products for end customers as well as for staff in other departments.
- Time efficiency: The Kaizen method is primarily designed to save time, which can then be reallocated elsewhere.
- Cost efficiency: The aim is not only to save time, but also to reduce unnecessary waste of materials.
- Standardisation: The improvements should be introduced in such a way that every employee benefits from them and can apply them in their day-to-day work, so that the company as a whole becomes more efficient.
What challenges does the Kaizen method face in logistics and production?
At first glance, these objectives sound ideal: every company wants to achieve significant efficiency gains through small, cost-effective improvements. Unfortunately, there are two major factors in logistics and production that stand in the way of this:
Firstly, ‘top-down’ management is common in Western countries: particularly in manufacturing companies, managers consider how the business operates effectively and then devise all processes based on traditional strategies. This brings together a great deal of in-depth specialist knowledge, but often fails to take the day-to-day reality of work into account. Furthermore, specialists often have a strong focus on their own departments or areas of work. When changes affect several departments, the decision-making processes are often lengthy and laborious.
On the other hand, there is a lack of resources to implement improvements quickly. Once processes have been planned, they are usually only adjusted during major restructuring; equipment and tools that have been procured are generally inflexible and cannot be easily modified.
Putting Kaizen into practice in industry and logistics
PEK3 offers you a practical and straightforward way to get started with implementing the Kaizen method: our modular Easytube plug-in system allows you to customise a wide range of work tools and workstations in a modular way.
One key area of application is ergonomic workstations: PEK3 workstations can be adjusted without the need for any special tools. When configuring the workstation for the first time, you can choose, for example, whether the workstation should be mobile, whether the shelves at the workstation should be fitted with drawers, how large the work surface should be, and so on. The workstation is specifically tailored to the respective work processes. In day-to-day work, however, staff members find that the drawers often need to be opened and closed frequently. If the workstation were not modular, the employee would have to make do with the existing setup or might have to manipulate the drawer so that it stays open. Thanks to the modular system of the Easytube products, however, you can then quickly and easily replace the drawers with open baskets or rails that automatically ‘push’ the products within easy reach according to the first-in, first-out principle. This is how the Kaizen philosophy is implemented in day-to-day work: the employee identifies an opportunity for improvement that they can easily put into practice. No new workstation is required, and in just a few minutes, several minutes’ worth of time savings are achieved. Ergonomics are also directly improved, as the repeated motion of opening drawers places a strain on the employee’s joints over time.
Another example: as part of the work process, a shelf is filled with products, which are then transported to a packing table. One member of staff places the items on the shelf, whilst the next member of staff must then drive a trolley to the shelf, load the products onto the trolley, take the trolley to the packing table and unload it again. With modular industrial shelving from PEK3, you can fit castors to the shelving in no time at all, thereby eliminating the need for the intermediate step of using a trolley.
Introducing the Kaizen method into the organisation
Employees must have the opportunity and the freedom to critically examine their own work. Processes must not be taken for granted, but should be actively shaped. This must not be merely a formality; an open culture of dialogue is not enough – there must be concrete opportunities through which employees can implement improvements. The Easytube products are a fantastic starting point here: we provide your staff with practical training on how they can modify the equipment and workstations themselves. This gives them the sense that they can take action independently and that their ideas have a real impact on the organisation.
At the same time, however, you must ensure that there is clear communication and that this culture of improvement is seen as something that is genuinely desired. Traceability is particularly important: improvements should not be introduced haphazardly, but should be seen as part of the overall process.
The Kaizen method cannot simply be introduced once and for all; rather, it requires constant monitoring and ongoing analysis to determine whether the adjustments are actually having a noticeable impact on the product. Furthermore, there is a delicate balancing act between flexibility and standardisation; here, you must strike a balance between fixed structures and adaptability.
Consultancy on Kaisen in the production and manufacture of PEK3
Here at PEK3, we are committed to lean production. We understand the requirements of various industrial sectors and know how shelving, workstations, trolleys and much more need to be manufactured to meet these requirements. We also engage in dialogue with our customers to explore how Kaizen can be introduced into production.
Please feel free to contact us: we will not only advise you on our products, but also explain how you can introduce the principles of Kaizen into your business. Our engineers will suggest ways in which you can remain as efficient and flexible as possible with our products.
Please feel free to give us a call – together we’ll find a suitable solution.
An interview with Bernd Schnappinger from PEK3 on the Kaizen method
Bernd Schnappinger has been a sales representative for PEK3 for 10 years and helps companies to use PEK3’s pipe-fitting system to pave the way for implementing Kaizen methods in their organisations. In the following interview, you can read about the challenges he faces in this role and how you can overcome them.
Question: Why is the Kaizen method more important today than ever before, particularly in production and warehouse logistics?
Schnappinger: Now more than ever – partly due to increasing cost and competitive pressures – it is essential to act as quickly and flexibly as possible: whether in the production sector, where requirements for material supply often change rapidly, or in logistics, where warehouse operations must be managed efficiently for a wide variety of manufacturers and products. Here, continuous and institutionalised workplace and process optimisation in line with the Kaizen method often provides the decisive advantage over the (now increasingly international) competition!
Question: What are some typical misconceptions that companies have regarding the Kaizen method?
Schnappinger: The modular system is often seen as a cost-effective alternative to standard solutions, such as simple warehouse shelving or standard trolleys, and people are surprised to find that these fixed, welded-together solutions are, in some cases, significantly ‘cheaper’ to purchase. However, this view is too narrow, as the modular system really comes into its own precisely where you not only need ‘static’ equipment over the years, but also need to adapt the applications flexibly and sustainably to new requirements or – should the need cease – build new applications with the material, or dismantle them completely and store them in a space-saving manner until the next ‘construction project’. Welded, ready-made applications, on the other hand, are often space-consuming and therefore costly to store, or expensive to dismantle and, if necessary, dispose of should they no longer be required. In short: Kaizen thrives on flexible requirements and the willingness to adapt to them regularly. Our EasyTUBE modular system was created precisely with this approach in mind and has been optimised over several decades. Customers who do not have, or do not require, these flexibility requirements in their business will never be able to make full use of, or appreciate, the cost benefits of Kaizen.
Question: What foundations must be in place within a company for the introduction of Kaizen principles?
Schnappinger: The customer’s business sector must actually require this flexibility, or the customer must recognise the benefit that this flexibility can provide in terms of real competitive advantages – not in the short term, but usually in the medium to long term. A long-established craft business, some of whose requirements have remained unchanged for decades, may see less need for Kaizen than, for example, a logistics company that participates in tenders for warehouse logistics for a wide variety of manufacturers with diverse products and requirements (car parts, electronic components, sanitary ware, etc.). In such cases, a tool for the rapid assembly and reconfiguration of logistics equipment is definitely required in order to be able to operate quickly and cost-effectively, even in the face of increasingly international competition, and thus remain competitive in the long term.
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Question: What factors do you think have a positive impact on the company?
Schnappinger: Factors that speak in favour of Kaizen include:
- Constantly changing requirements for materials and/or end products
- Rapidly changing work processes, tasks or projects
- Volatile market conditions with significant fluctuations and ever-changing challenges
- Willingness within the company: the need must be recognised (and put into practice!) that rapid adjustments can bring competitive advantages. And this applies not only to management, but ideally to the entire workforce.
- This ‘living Kaizen in everyday life’ has an impact in the medium and long term not only externally (towards customers or competitors), but also increasingly internally: by promptly and cost-effectively implementing employees’ requests regarding workplace optimisation and ergonomics, the workplace – and thus the employer as a whole – is perceived as comparatively ‘more attractive’. This not only helps to continuously improve work processes, but also boosts satisfaction, motivation and identification with the company in general. In turn, this can lead to significant cost savings and productivity gains in the medium to long term.
Question: What are some simple levers that companies can use to benefit quickly from Kaizen?
Schnappinger: To allow – and, indeed, to encourage – staff to ‘think for themselves’ in the workplace. To create an open culture in which processes and possibilities are questioned, and to ensure these are regularly discussed and evaluated in small specialist groups. Ultimately, a suggestions scheme should be introduced – supported by incentive programmes for constructive suggestions aimed at improving the workplace and optimising processes. Ideally, employees should be encouraged in the long term to feel a sense of responsibility for their work, to strive for improvements and to be able to actively influence these in their day-to-day work. However, this presupposes that management actually provides this scope and that Kaizen is consistently practised in this way in practice. Perhaps not ‘quick fixes’, but in my opinion – particularly in the long term – the most successful approaches.
Question: How do PEK3’s products help to put Kaizen into practice?
Schnappinger: Experience shows that with a clear and easy-to-use tool, such as the EasyTUBE kit system, the Kaizen principle is significantly easier to implement, as it often quickly sparks employees’ creativity; moreover, employees often even find a certain sense of fulfilment in being able to make concrete suggestions for practical implementation. It is therefore extremely important to involve staff as widely as possible and at an early stage in the process of introducing this tool, and to offer workshops and training sessions in good time, where staff from a wide range of departments can learn how to use it or at least understand the principle of its ease of use.
Question: In your view, what future demands will be placed on shelving systems and workplace solutions?
Schnappinger: A major focus in the future will increasingly be on ergonomics, improving satisfaction, health and efficiency in the workplace, as well as the optimisation of workflows and processes to minimise costs and boost productivity in the medium to long term. Robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) will also be key factors in international competition, which will increasingly – and more than ever before – demand rapid and highly efficient action. In my view, this makes a flexible, simple and, at the same time, comparatively cost-effective tool such as EasyTUBE all the more essential to ensure rapid and effective adaptation to increasingly fast-paced markets and to be able to respond adequately – and ultimately successfully – to the often highly variable demands within production and logistics.
Bernd Schnappinger
With over 10 years’ experience in sales, Bernd Schnappinger is your expert on implementing PEK3 Easytube systems within your organisation. In his work, he has already helped numerous customers to successfully introduce the Easytube system.
