W.P. Hickman Company Partners with N.C. State to Implement Lean Manufacturing Process
The W.P. Hickman Co. is partnering with the Industrial Extension Service of N.C. State University to implement a manufacturing system known as Lean.
The W.P. Hickman Co., Asheville, N.C., is partnering with the Industrial Extension Service of N.C. State University to implement a manufacturing system known as Lean throughout its operations. The Lean process is based on the Toyota Production System, a manufacturing system designed to improve productivity and lead times, and reduce costs.
“Lean is a methodology for eliminating waste, reducing inventory, compressing cycle time, and doing more with less,” explained Cheryl Smith, Hickman’s process control coordinator. “The whole process focuses on the customer, on what adds value to our products from the customer’s perspective.”