{"id":91,"date":"2026-02-13T08:43:20","date_gmt":"2026-02-13T08:43:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/leanmanufacturing.co.za\/?page_id=91"},"modified":"2026-05-04T13:16:13","modified_gmt":"2026-05-04T13:16:13","slug":"case-studies","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/leanmanufacturing.co.za\/index.php\/case-studies\/","title":{"rendered":"Case Studies"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">Real Lean Results in Action<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">Lean is not about theory or tools \u2014 it is about delivering measurable results in real operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">Below are practical examples of how Lean Six Consulting has helped businesses reduce waste, improve flow, and unlock hidden capacity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Case Study: Lead Time Reduction in Wood Manufacturing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most manufacturers believe they need new machines, more people, or more space to grow. But in this case, a wood manufacturing workshop proved the opposite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They were operating with lead times of 6\u20138 weeks, constantly firefighting, missing delivery promises, and under pressure from customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What We Did<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Mapped current flow <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Identified waste (motion, waiting, overprocessing, inventory) <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Implemented 5S standards <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Reorganised workstations for flow <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Introduced visual controls <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Standardised daily routines<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Results<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Lead time reduced from <strong>6\u20138 weeks to 3\u20134 weeks<\/strong> <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Output increased <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Walking distance significantly reduced <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Less searching and confusion <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Reduced stress and improved control<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Target: Further improvement towards a 1 &#8211; 2 week turnaround through flow optimisation and pull systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Client Feedback<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>\u201cFor the first time, we can actually see what is happening in our workshop. The changes were simple, but the impact has been massive. The team is more in control, less stressed, and we are finally delivering faster.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Case Study: Inventory Reduction Using Kanban<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A client in the packaging industry was holding 6 months of raw material stock, tying up cash and floor space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What We Did<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Implemented Lean pull systems <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Introduced Kanban controls <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Reduced over-ordering <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Improved stock visibility<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Results<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Inventory reduced from <strong>6 months to 2 months<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>R2 million in cash freed <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Floor space unlocked <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Reduced waste from aging stock<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Client Feedback<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>\u201cWe didn\u2019t realise how much cash was tied up in our stock until we saw it clearly. Reducing inventory not only freed up space, but also gave us immediate financial flexibility. The system is now far easier to manage. Lean Six Consulting worked closely with our team throughout the implementation and continues to support ongoing improvements. The focus is not only on reducing inventory, but on building a system that we can sustain.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>The combination of practical implementation and ongoing support has made a real difference in how we operate day to day.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Case Study: From End-of-Line Inspection to Built-In Quality<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A manufacturing operation appeared efficient with machines running, people busy, targets met. But Lean teaches us that activity does not equal efficiency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Problem<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Products waiting for inspection <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Defects found too late <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Rework and delays <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Large batch sizes hiding issues<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What We Did<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Introduced in-process quality checks <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Defined quality standards at each station <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Created immediate feedback loops <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Reduced batch sizes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Results<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Rework reduced from <strong>6% to 1.5%<\/strong> <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Waiting time reduced by <strong>70%+<\/strong> <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Inspection labour reduced (3 \u2192 1 person) <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Annual saving of <strong>~R190,000<\/strong> <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Improved delivery reliability<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Problems were now solved where they occurred \u2014 not at the end of the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Client Feedback<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>\u201cWe genuinely believed we were efficient because production was moving and quality was checked at the end. Lean Six Consulting helped us see how much waste was hidden in waiting and rework.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>What stood out for us was the practical approach. Instead of complex systems or relying on digital tools alone, the focus was on fixing the process itself and building the right behaviours on the shop floor.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Unlike previous experiences, the support didn\u2019t stop after implementation. The Lean Six Consulting team worked with us, helping us understand, improve, and sustain the changes.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>The result is a system that is simpler, more stable, and far more effective \u2014 and a team that is more confident and in control.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Real Lean Results in Action Lean is not about theory or tools \u2014 it is about delivering measurable results in real operations. Below are practical examples of how Lean Six Consulting has helped businesses reduce waste, improve flow, and unlock hidden capacity. Case Study: Lead Time Reduction in Wood Manufacturing Most manufacturers believe they need [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-91","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/leanmanufacturing.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/91","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/leanmanufacturing.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/leanmanufacturing.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/leanmanufacturing.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/leanmanufacturing.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=91"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/leanmanufacturing.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/91\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":152,"href":"https:\/\/leanmanufacturing.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/91\/revisions\/152"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/leanmanufacturing.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=91"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}