Manufacturer Reduced Production Lead Time By 56% With GLSS
United States
Manufacturing
Operations
56%
- The problem: A manufacturer faced lengthy production lead times averaging 9 weeks, resulting in higher operating costs, frequent expediting, and challenges meeting customer expectations.
- The Results: With GLSS Green Belt Training, the manufacturer reduced production lead time from 9 weeks to just 4 weeks, a 56% improvement, enabling faster deliveries, greater production flexibility, and improved customer satisfaction.
In manufacturing, delivering quality products on time is essential to building customer trust and staying competitive. When production delays began affecting operations, a manufacturer recognized an opportunity to transform its processes and better prepare for future growth.
To address these challenges, the organization turned to GLSS’s Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Training & Certification for practical Lean Six Sigma methods that could help its team identify inefficiencies, improve workflows, and achieve measurable results. Guided by GLSS’s commitment to Ethical EfficiencyâĒ, the team focused on improvements that would benefit both the business and its employees by reducing unnecessary work, strengthening employee skills, and making better use of available resources.
The manufacturer’s production lead times ranged from 8 to 10 weeks, making it difficult to consistently meet customer delivery expectations. Extended production schedules increased operating costs, created a greater need for costly expediting, and placed additional pressure on employees.
With growing demand and new business opportunities, these challenges threatened the organization’s ability to scale effectively. Improving production efficiency became a priority, not only to satisfy existing customers but also to increase capacity, control costs, and remain competitive in a demanding market.
Through a closer examination of its operations, the improvement team identified several factors slowing production. Existing equipment was not being used to its full potential, while gaps in employee training limited the team’s ability to maximize available technology.
The addition of a new customer and new equipment also exposed weaknesses in tooling organization. Employees spent valuable time locating tools and preparing machines, creating unnecessary delays throughout production.
Additionally, the machine shop needed modernization to better accommodate changing production requirements and support long-term growth.
Equipped with practical improvement methods learned from from GLSS Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Training, the team introduced several changes to streamline manufacturing operations.
- First, the organization purchased and installed a new production machine to expand manufacturing capabilities and improve efficiency. The team also cleaned and reorganized machines and tooling, reducing time spent searching for equipment and preparing for production.
- Next, production workflows were updated and documented, establishing clearer procedures that helped employees complete tasks more consistently.
- Employee development was another important focus. Team members received training in CAM programming using SolidWorks, strengthening their technical skills and expanding production capabilities. Cross-training also allowed multiple employees to operate key machines and contribute to the same projects simultaneously.
These changes supported Ethical Efficiency by reducing unnecessary waiting, making better use of resources, and empowering employees with additional skills rather than relying on a single operator to complete each production step.
The improvements delivered a significant reduction in manufacturing lead time.
- Before: 9 weeks average manufacturing lead time
- After: 4 weeks average manufacturing lead time
- Improvement: 56% reduction in lead time
By cutting production time by more than half, the manufacturer improved its ability to meet customer expectations while reducing the need for costly expediting.
Better-organized equipment and standardized workflows helped production run more smoothly, while cross-trained employees increased scheduling flexibility and reduced operational bottlenecks.
The improvements also strengthened the organization’s ability to accommodate growing demand, pursue new business opportunities, and maintain more reliable production schedules.
with GLSS
By combining equipment modernization, improved workflows, and employee development, the manufacturer achieved a remarkable 56% reduction in manufacturing lead time, demonstrating how targeted process improvements can deliver meaningful results.
GLSSâs Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Training & Certification’s innovative instructional design, streamlined content, and practical, project-based learning helped the team apply improvement methods quickly and achieve measurable outcomes without unnecessary training time.
Beyond faster production, the project created a stronger foundation for sustainable growth. With more capable employees, efficient operations, and improved production flexibility, the manufacturer is now better positioned to meet customer needs, expand its capabilities, and continue delivering results through Ethical EfficiencyâĒ.
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