Improving Profitability is our passion. Lean Manufacturing Consulting is our specialty.
In 1997 he wrote "Lessons to be Learned, Just In Time" which chronicled the movement.
His book stands out in sharp relief against the merely theoretical or observational tomes of so many that have fallen into obsolescence,
because Jim's is a firsthand account, an interesting hands-on manual with practical application, a classic even today.
Jim's finely honed analytical skills and energetic commitment to process improvement
which led to such innovations as the 8S System
regularly set for his clients new standards of increased profitability.
To get you started, we offer a FREE initial consultation AND project proposal to all prospective clients.
Interview with Jim Cammarano, author of
Lessons to be Learned Just in Time
Note: This interview was originally published by Productivity Inc. in the April and May 1998 issues of "The Lean Production Report".Copyright 1998 by Jim Cammarano. All rights reserved worldwide.
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What is the central theme of Lessons To Be Learned Just in Time? The central theme is that, no matter what you are doing in business, it can be done better by implementing the strategies of Just in Time manufacturing and Continuous Process Improvement. This includes companies in the "service" sector. Your book is about the lessons you have learned from history and your own experiences in industry. What is the number one lesson your readers will learn? The number one lesson they will learn is how to improve the processes at their companies. The book provides the tools and methodology to enable readers to increase profitability, productivity, and quality to an unprecedented level. In the introduction of your book, you state, "The failure of U.S. manufacturing companies to adopt 'Just in Time' (JIT) manufacturing techniques and to pursue Continuous Process Improvement (CPI) actively has caused our productivity to decline." Why don't more U.S. manufacturing companies adopt JIT and CPI? There has been a great deal of misinformation published about JIT/CPI, and this has led to confusion as to the viability of implementing these concepts. Secondly, many companies have a level of internal inertia that actively discourages any type of improvement whatsoever. The book addresses both of these matters in detail and how to overcome these obstacles. In the last decade or so, management acronyms have abounded. Each is touted as the method that will save U.S. businesses. Is JIT empirically sound or is it simply another management acronym soon to be discarded? Why or why not? Corporate America has been assaulted by simple programs that were offered as "magic bullets". Many of them were in fact tactics that in of themselves addressed part of a problem and ignored the big picture. JIT and CPI are an overall strategy that addresses profitability, productivity, and quality as a whole. JIT delivers success, and therefore will endure throughout the years to come. |
Lessons To Be Learned
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How can JIT and CPI become a way of life in today's factories and can they work in an environment where change is resisted? Sometimes to make it big, you have to start small. I recommend that a pilot project be started in an area that is out of the main stream. Do not bring out the brass band and make speeches. Simply tell the people that you are going to try something new and that you want them all to participate. Then do it. As for resistance to change, in my experience no one is against change for the better--once they understand the benefit. People will always ask what is in it for me?," and you have to address this issue in a positive manner. Much of your book is based on your experiences with the implementation of JIT at one particular plant. How easy would it be for someone to try the same techniques in a different industry--computer manufacture or the clothing industry? I have been able to duplicate the success with Company X in many different industries. The concepts remain the same, although the implementation must be amended to serve the unique needs of the particular company involved. What do you hope readers ultimately will gain from your book? I hope that the readers will apply the information in the book to the challenges that their companies face and to achieve increasingly better results over time. To get you started, we offer a FREE initial consultation AND project proposal to all prospective clients. |
More about Jim's terrific book If you have ever wondered how Just-In-Time Manufacturing theory works when put into practice, "Lessons to Be Learned Just in Time" is the book for you. Just-in-Time (JIT) manufacturing is hailed as the answer to American manufacturers' quest for excellence. But what is JIT? Where did it come from? Is it just another management acronym soon to be forgotten or can it help American manufacturers gain market share as the 21st century approaches? The answer to these questions can be found in this book. By tracing the evolution of JIT manufacturing from Henry Ford to the Japanese and relating how he applied JIT philosophies to a manufacturing plant in trouble, manufacturing expert Jim Cammarano demonstrates that JIT is for real. The stories of his real-world battles and successes and his common sense view of manufacturing and management will help you learn how your company can become a more productive, world-class manufacturer. Book Reviews
"Today's industrial engineers (change engineers) work hard to implement JIT
through a process as risk-free as possible. We employ sophisticated, analytical
models to aid us in making decisions in regard to JIT. We create committees,
task forces, and self directed teams to enhance productivity as well as quality.
We buy 'How-To' books to help us hone our personal JIT skills. This
publication is definitely a 'How-To' book that makes JIT a piece of cake." ----
Ray Baker Ardahji, Senior Manufacturing Engineer, Hurd Lock Company
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