American Quality Management Discusses The Importance Of Lean Manufacturing In The Age Of Coronavirus

American Quality Management, a California based auditing and consulting firm, has released an article that discusses the importance of lean manufacturing post the coronavirus pandemic. Lean manufacturing is a manufacturing method that aims for minimum waste while increasing efficiency. The article claims that the pandemic has created new opportunities for incorporating lean manufacturing principles in industries across many fields.

To explain its point of view, the article cites the example of Pioneer, an Ohio-based production company, that specialized in horse-drawn farm equipment. When there was an acute shortage of medical equipment in the country owing to the spike in coronavirus cases, the company stepped up to leverage its manufacturing capabilities to fill the gap in the market. Within 2 weeks the company was able to establish a hospital cot prototype, network directly with relevant industry partners, and produce 50 cots on their first day of fabrication. Eventually, the company was able to get to the point where they were producing 2 cots per minute. AQM claims that this is an excellent example of utilizing lean manufacturing methods to maximize efficiency at a given task.

The article also details other techniques that are being incorporated in the workspace to deal with the coronavirus pandemic. It states that many companies are redesigning physical spaces to prioritize worker safety. To prevent the spread of COVID-19, workspaces are being shuffled to enforce employee spacing according to social distancing guidelines. Another initiative that has been undertaken is the setup of visual displays of proper distancing and hand-washing techniques. Workspaces also have point-of-use cleaning supplies spread throughout their physical production space.

The article goes on to say that all of these measures would be not effective were it not for maintaining close communication between all employees. The lean manufacturing model accommodates the need for greater communication by pushing for more regular team check-ins and greater leadership alignment. The article says that the onus is on team leadership to identify top-priority tasks. The article goes on to recommend that leaders sideline non-essential tasks to maximize efficiency depending on the manufacturing capacity. This involves adapting to consumer needs and streamlining the products and services that are in high demand.

The article also talks about the surge of mandatory mask mandates in many industries. These mandates are being instituted by manufacturing companies not only for the safety of their workers but also for the financial security of the organization. However, some workers have actively resisted these mandates because of the nature of their work. For example, some employees who work in sparsely populated cities or those who operate in physical spaces with built-in employee distancing practices have been resisting the mask mandates.

Connie Smith, the owner of American Quality Management, talks about the future of the manufacturing industry in optimistic terms. She says, “Though there have been major challenges for lean manufacturing in the wake of the coronavirus, industry leaders have accepted the challenges head-on and have been instrumental in transforming those difficulties into unique opportunities for growth. We are tracking all the new developments as the industry goes through a period of upheaval. Now, more than ever, it is important for companies to form strong working relationships with each other to share knowledge. That is going to be vital for creating fast and effective solutions to keep up with the demands of the market.”

American Quality Management helps companies acquire and maintain their ISO and AS Certifications. This includes the AS9100, the AS9120, or any of the required ISO standards, ISO 9001:2015, or ISO 14001. The company’s team of ISO 9001 consultants aim to provide solutions for a business’s QMS, environmental, and safety programs. American Quality Management claims to provide properly defined projects including specific goals, milestones, agendas, status reports, and action items to help a business achieve its certification goals and increase its operational efficiency. They have been operational in California for more than 25 years. The company has a contact form on its website for interested parties to elaborate on their quality management system needs and to request quotes.