Continuous Improvement: Achieving Lean Production and the new ISO Certificate

Management Services, Autumn 2006

Continuous Improvement: Achieving Lean Production and the new ISO Certificate, by Wayne Scott Ross Published by Management Books, 2003 ISBN 1-85252-427-8 Price: £14.99

This book is very readable and a practical guide to lean production and manufacture, a technique that some feel is the most important manufacturing philosophy to emerge in the last fifty years. The term lean was first coined by Womack and Jones in their book entitled 'The Machine that changed the World' on the basis that it used half of the resources of conventional manufacturing. Lean is based on the Toyota production system and this is explained at the start.

The book takes the reader through the main aspects and philosophy of lean and clearly states what needs to done and why and how it can be achieved. The techniques and tools such as, complete plant efficiency, takt time, Kaizen, 5 whys, Pareto analysis and flow sheets and charts are described in detail. The book goes on to describe the main aspects of lean with a chapter dedicated to each technique. Essential guidance on the changes in ISO regulations and requirements are also covered. Kaizen is the Japanese term for continuous improvement and there is a guide on how to plan such an event.

It is a good reference for anyone who contemplating introducing lean production and manufacturing.