Gain a Competitive Advantage for Bottom-Line Results

Enhanced visibility and on-time automation provides more “bandwidth” within the production cycle because demand signals no longer need a fulfillment phase and are instantly causing replenishment to occur. Amazon.com now has same-day delivery based on these systems, and its fulfillment processes are the envy of competitors.

This is the fourth white paper in our series exploring Pull-based Kanban systems. Each paper in the series looks at the manufacturing system from a different perspective: In the first paper, Gaining Control: Exploring Push vs. Pull Manufacturing, we looked at systems and workflow processes, exploring the nature of Push- and Pull systems and the difference between manual and eKanban systems within a Pull environment.

In the second paper, Gaining Clarity: Drive Productivity, Flow and Profit with Data that Matters, we introduced the essential operational building blocks and transition points of Pull-based manufacturing and explored the benefits of a more predictable environment along with the decision-making power gained through a deeper access to data and analytics. In the third paper, Gaining Confidence: Syncing Supplier Delivery to Customer Demand, we discussed how demand-driven concepts take Lean outside the four walls of the manufacturing operation to bring a forward-looking perspective.

In this paper, we will look at the competitive edge that manufacturers gain by being not only devoted to driving flow and eliminating waste, but also enabling their organizations to become best-in-class by using Pull and eKanban technology. They are committed to providing valuable opportunities to their customers and, because of their Lean and continuous improvement efforts, these companies are equipped to increase their effectiveness, productivity and capacity while achieving a competitive advantage in the marketplace.