Applying lean techniques to nougat fabrication: a seasonal case study

Lean manufacturing has been increasingly applied by leading manufacturing companies throughout the world, led by the major automobile manufacturers and their equipment suppliers. The aim of this case study is to show the applicability of lean manufacturing’s body of knowledge to a different environment: a seasonal food industry. Several techniques and analyses such as value stream mapping (VSM), overall equipment efficiency, spaghetti diagrams, work balance, and discrete event simulation were applied in this case study. Some of the improvement ideas resulting from the tools used were tested in the field to corroborate the findings. Finally, the future state VSM was mapped, where most of the improvement ideas identified throughout the project were consolidated. Whether the path to improvement is marked by increased spending on systems and machinery, human capital, or both, engineers and managers in the frontlines of food production recognize that improvement is a quest and not a destination. Although process industries need a special version of lean manufacturing tools, this case study shows how, with slight modification, several tools can be applied to the seasonal traditional craft industry.