Joined up lean [lean manufacturing]

This paper suggests that there is an opportunity for a number of lean interventions across an enterprise to be linked together to add greater value. Because the lean approach to business is centered upon delivering customer value using the least resource, it is important to identify these resources, with associated skills and capabilities, as these are the company´s competences and a subset of these are its core competences. This paper presents an outline process that is based on lean tools and principles with which to analyze a company in order to reveal its core competences. A trial implementation of the process was undertaken, focused on the service and supported provided by the Dowty Propeller Repair and Overhaul (DPRO) for one propeller platform, based at their facility headquarters in Gloucester, UK.