Archives November 2026

Lean manufacturing is a way of running a factory that removes waste, so work flows from order to delivery with fewer delays, less rework and less stock. For South African manufacturers facing high input costs, unreliable supply and import competition, it is one of the few improvements that needs more discipline than capital. This guide covers what Lean is, where to start, and a practical 90-day plan for a small or medium manufacturer.

OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) tells you what share of your planned production time actually produced good parts at full speed. Below is the formula, a worked example from a real-style shift, the benchmarks, the mistakes that make OEE lie, and how to use it to find your biggest losses.