5. Conclusion

We have given a three-step approach to bringing stocks under control with a very good "results obtained/energy expended" ratio:

• making suppliers more reliable ;

• Regularly manage shortages and surpluses by exception;

• implement more structural measures to reduce cycle times and batch sizes.

• The main obstacle to implementing such an approach is rarely technical, but managerial. It has to do with the fear of the "first step". To round off our discussion of Kanban and Lean, we'd like to end with a real-life anecdote that came to light during the implementation of a flow improvement project in a factory.

  During an initial visit with the Production Manager, we discussed the performance of his suppliers...