Lean implementation through value stream mapping: A case study of a footwear manufacturer

Abstract

Lean production is one of the initiatives that are applied by many manufacturers to obtain the competitive advantages in the increasingly competitive global market. Value Stream Mapping (VSM) is one of the key lean tools to identify the opportunities for other lean approaches and for waste elimination in the production system. Since the performance of the supply chain would significantly influence that of individual partners, the implementation of lean thinking should also extend beyond the boundary of the manufacturing plant to the whole value chain. This paper introduces the VSM and the extended VSM used for description, analysis and identification of improvement initiatives internally and externally in the context of a footwear manufacturing enterprise. It can be seen from the analysis of the “initial state”, “current state” and “future state” VSM that the inventory and other non-value added activities within the manufacturing plant can be reduced by the launch of lean initiatives internally. However, the market responsiveness and competitiveness would not be enhanced substantially unless the extended VSM is taken into the implementation of lean.