Manufacturing and hospitality – two sectors, one set of lean approaches

Lean in Europe visits bring small groups of people interested in process improvement to a company to learn how it uses lean tools to drive its activities with the aim that the participants learn, see, understand, share good practices and engage, challenge and give feedback to the visit’s hosts. 

As the most recent and the next Lean in Europe visits show these ‘tools’ are equally applicable in conventional manufacturing and in the services sector:

On 21 February, 15 participants from a range of sectors (medical, industrial goods, aerospace, building, drainage, photonics, hospitality, automotive and space) visited the Konecranes factory in Uslar, Germany to learn about the Konecranes Way and the importance of leading and engaging ‘our people to be better every day’. Konecranes identifies 6 lean leader behaviours: ‘go look, see, engage’; lead by coaching; follow up on non-conformities; act based on data; challenge target conditions; and ‘do what you say’. During practical problem-solving exercises, the group identified ideas to optimise two process – one around assembly and packing and one around assembling and testing a part. Learn more here.

Join us on 17 & 18 April at La Plagne, France where Ski Beat will host the next Lean in Europe visit. It will include process mapping and improvement exercises around the preparation and serving of breakfast, preventative maintenance and combining lean tools and net promoter scores to improve customer satisfaction. Priority will be given to people involved with overseeing process improvement in their company who explain how participation in this activity will benefit their company. This visit is open to all sectors (not just to hospitality companies) and will be led by Prof. Richard Keegan, the EU-Japan Centre’s Lean Advisor and Adjunct Professor of Lean Operational Excellence at Trinity Business School.

If you are potentially interested in hosting a visit or would simply like to be sent details of future visits as and when they are arranged, please email simon(at)eu-japan.eu. 
For an idea of what happens during a Lean in Europe visit, watch this highlights video from the 2022 visit to PakMarkas.

Published: April 2023