Culture and 5S

Manufacturing in the food industry provides a unique set of challenges that many industries are not burdened by. Heavy regulation, seasonal components, and short shelf life – among other challenges – mean inefficiencies are exacerbated.

The Lean Manufacturing journey is a series of tools that can help break down barriers and re-establish the organization culture. This article will not present the entire series of Lean Manufacturing tools but rather one of the tools that will provide the most impact early in the initiative.

The 5S tool is specifically good for food manufacturers looking to improve overall efficiencies:

• Sort: Sort out and separate needed vs. not needed
• Straighten: Arrange remaining items as easy to locate and use
• Shine: Clean the workplace and equipment to maintain standards
• Standardize: Using walkthroughs to ensure, Sort, Straighten, and Shine
• Sustain: Self-Discipline and maintenance