The implementation of the proposed solutions will be possible through the use of specific lean tools that will help Vachon optimize its supply chain with maximum efficiency at the current stage. First of all, the use of the 5S system will address the improvements from a comprehensive perspective. It will outline the primary organizational blueprint, introducing the five categories to emphasize within the framework of the supply chain.
Through its use, the workers of the company will see the points of growth, as well as the areas in which they currently underperform. As such, they will be able to sort the unnecessary expense and find new avenues of enhancing the value at Vachon. This tool intersects with the use of the value stream mapping, which will be another pillar of the improvement implementation. Its purpose is to visualize the advancements, enabling a better understanding of the process. Thus, the comparison of the ‘current’ and ‘future’ version of the value stream map will outline the key points of improvement to be understood and shared by the workers.
The next element of the improvement implementation consists of identifying the goals for the near future. These objectives are to align with the SMART perspective, meaning that they are to be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-specific. The planning of these goals is important for the staff of Vachon, as it will add a tangible dimension to the process of improvement implementation. Through their use, the members of the team will not have to interpret distant and vague statements of efficiency. Instead, they will see measurable and clear objectives that will guide them through the quality transformations.
The overall process is to be centered around the concept of Muda, which is the fourth lean tool to be implemented. This notion revolves around identifying and eliminating the waste. In this particular context, the nexus of the lean tools will focus on the examination of wasteful activities in terms of time and money. Then, through the implementation of value stream mapping, SMART objectives, and 5S system, the company will eliminate the waste and make the supply chain more efficient. Ultimately, with the improved loading and delivery schedule, SIPOC will save at least 2 days across the storage and distribution process with an expected financial improvement of over 10%.
References
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Cummings, J. N., Butler, B., & Kraut, R. (2014). The quality of online social relationships. Communications of the ACM, 45(7), 103–108.