Manufacturers Improving Performance, Further Increasing Bottom-Line Results with Lean Strategies, Says AberdeenGroup;

July 12, 2005 05:53 PM US Eastern Timezone

Manufacturers Improving Performance, Further Increasing Bottom-Line Results with Lean Strategies, Says AberdeenGroup; Report Cites Better Customer Responsiveness and Production Efficiencies Among Multiple Payoffs

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 12, 2005--Best-in-class manufacturers using lean techniques such as kanban and value stream mapping are now further leveraging these technologies to improve production efficiencies and customer responsiveness. According to a recent Aberdeen best practices research report, these companies are also reporting significant improvements in manufacturing performance and bottom-line results.

The new report, "Best Practices in Lean: The Momentum Builds," showcases nine best practice case studies, expanding on findings and insights first published in Aberdeen's 2004 "Lean Strategies Benchmark Report." That report cited that companies successfully able to implement lean techniques were up to three times as likely to become best-in-class performers, and up to six times less likely to be severely impacted by customer pricing and service issues. The results published in "Best Practices in Lean: The Momentum Builds" document further improvement on those original gains.

"Best-in-class companies are benefiting from lean initiatives and are in the process of deploying lean techniques across manufacturing, into the enterprise, and out to supply chain partners -- including customers and suppliers," says Jane Biddle, vice president of manufacturing research for Aberdeen, and author of the report. "Each company represented in the best practices report is clearly a leader in its category."

The nine companies profiled in this study illustrate success strategies and the business challenges they faced; lean strategy investments; technology deployments; as well as results from their strategies and technology investments.

Major study findings include the following:

-- Customer, competitive, and shareholder pressures are driving manufacturers to expand lean programs;

-- The number of technology solutions continues to increase the deployment options compared to what was available just 12 months ago; and

-- Technology-enabling lean practices are becoming requisite for achieving scalability, manufacturing flexibility, and managing a truly customer-responsive supply chain.

To download a complimentary copy of the report, please follow this link: http://www.aberdeen.com/link/sponsor.asp?cid=1950

About AberdeenGroup, Inc.

AberdeenGroup provides fact-based research and insights focused on the global, technology-driven value chain. Aberdeen's benchmarking, market and solution assessments, sales acceleration programs, and conferences support Global 5000 value chain and technology executives -- and the solution providers who serve them. For more information, visit www.aberdeen.com or call 617-723-7890.

Source: Business Wire