Business Management

• FastTrac™, the premier business planning training program in the nation, a program of the Kauffman Foundation of Kansas City.

Lean Manufacturing

• We're Moving Overseas; Are We Making a Big Mistake?. Yes, moving manufacturing operations overseas usually is a big mistake! This white paper compares overseas labor savings to increased direct costs, indirect costs and risks.
• Manufacturing Choice Cost Analysis tool. Be sure of your costs before moving overseas! Use this spreadsheet to compare the total costs of manufacturing goods in China, Mexico or the U.S.A. Enter information about your product on the "Inputs" tab, then look under the "Report" tab to see the results! The modeling methodology is fully documented under the "Calculations" tab.
• Benchmarking and Assessment for Manufacturers. Descriptions of commonly-available data sources for manufacturers to benchmark their processes.
• Lean Manufacturing and Your Bottom Line. Highlights of the major lean manufacturing techniques, and how they can affect your company's financial statements.
• Lean Factory: Graphic of lean manufacturing tools available through Blackerby Associates

• 5-S Shop Color Conventions. Color conventions for visual control of industrial processes used by a major manufacturer.
• Transformation Tips for Printers. Printers can transform to high-performance, too! Describes six concrete ideas printers can use to boost profits, growth, productivity and improvement.
• Using Lean Manufacturing to Reduce Head Count. Beware! Manufacturers who use lean manufacturing techniques to cut their work force may miss key opportunities!
• Value Stream Mapping. Description of a basic technique for identifying opportunities to improve processes.
• Value Stream Mapping for Administrative Functions. Here are some tips for developing value stream maps for administrative functions.
• Additional reading. A manufacturer's summer reading list! Read one of these books every month, and you'll be an expert in two years!

Other Resources

Lean Manufacturing Training
www.wmtrainingsolutions.com
WM Training Solutions: Lean manufacturing training, maintenance management training and industrial training (Manchester, Cape Town, INdia, Australia and USA).