All warehouse managers like to think that they run a tight ship, where wasted processes are minimized, employee productivity is high, and throughput is on target (or better). But not all warehouse and DC environments can truly make these claims—or at least not on a predictable, daily basis. Continually increasing customer demands and highly competitive markets have set the bar high, as businesses find it more difficult to drive efficiencies that will help them satisfy customers.
Under these conditions, fulfillment centers can be thrown into a frenzy as they rush to keep up with demand. Warehouse, DC, and 3PL managers that have found themselves running in place need systems that help them reduce waste, maximize their physical assets, and fully leverage their people power.
Some are finding the answer in lean management techniques, a concept that originated on Toyota’s factory floors and then quickly resonated across many different facets of the business world. Today, Toyota Lean Management (TLM) or "lean processes" focuses on helping organizations optimize processes to eliminate waste or “muda.”