And why the difference between the two always compounds Every plant manager has watched it happen. A changeover gets rushed at the start of second shift. The operator swaps the change parts but doesn't verify something critical. Maybe it's a standard that's been written down, maybe it's not. The line runs for forty minutes before someone notices there's something wrong (bottles dented, labels crooked, wrong materials, wrong print, etc). Now there's a quality hold, a financial

There are Three Systems Every Plant Needs and They Have to be Implemented in Order There are three core systems in every manufacturing operation. Most plants only build one of them and it's the wrong one to start with. Your first system is Accountability. It's the system that gets people to follow a process. Your second system is Continuous Improvement (CI). It's the system that makes the process your people are following better as you learn things. Your third system is Daily

Is the classic CIL (Clean, Inspect, Lubricate) model of preventive maintenance missing a crucial piece? Yes, and it's a critical piece that the maintenance industry never discusses but we need to. Don't get me wrong, CIL is foundational in making components last longer. But without efficiently fixing identified issues before they spiral, the damaged and worn items on your machine will accelerate failures no matter how much grease you apply. Deferred maintenance leaves your as

Ever go into a meeting and see a Pareto Chart that is linear? Or maybe there is a slight rise at the top... but clearly it's not in accordance with the Pareto Principle? Pareto Principle: Also known as the 80/20 rule, it states that roughly 80% of effects come from 20% of causes—in ops, 80% of downtime might stem from 20% of factors. This one is essential for setting priorities in a leadership role. When leading change, the temptation is to pull the most easily accessible dat

Lean is arguably one of the most powerful and comprehensive frameworks for process improvement ever developed. Yet, studies show that 70-95% of Lean initiatives fail to sustain gains, often ending up costing more than they deliver. Applying Lean without the right groundwork completed can actually hinder progress rather than help it. And without the right prerequisites in place, Lean will fail every time. How does that happen? Lean is celebrated for a reason, it’s transformati

Have you noticed how much better a team's processes look on audit day? If we can run the way we're supposed to on audit day, why can't we just do it right every day? Pearson's Law: "When performance is measured, performance improves. When performance is measured and reported back, the rate of improvement accelerates." This one is critical in maintaining any systemic function of a team. If it needs to happen, someone needs to be checking. If you want that process followed dili

I'm writing these articles to explain the meat-and-potatoes of turning a plant around. Parts 1-3 are not negotiable. There is no other way. You cannot coerce people into excellence. Great organizations are creative enterprises at every level. That requires you to earn the investment of a lot of people.  Even if you get people to work with you by keeping them out of the error states and behaving well, you won't survive the complexity of the task without using a well-structured