Our Lean Journey
Like so many companies, our reasons for exploring Lean were driven as a direct result of the issues we were experiencing on a daily basis. Our business had grown steadily since we began in 2007 but our problems were also growing every year. We seemed to be stuck in a vicious cycle of constant mayhem, firefighting, workplace accidents, high staff turnover, all resulting in a high stress environment. We were still delivering a good quality service to our customers but just barely.
As a company we always had some awareness of Lean (or thought we did). We knew about Henry Ford, The Toyota Way and had watched all the videos on the Boeing moving assembly lines but we really had no idea where to start or begin. In 2019/2020 we started to explore the subject more intensely and had begun seeking help from outside sources. During this time we definitely increased our knowledge but we were really struggling to make any gains with regard to implementation. Everything just seemed very complicated and hard to achieve.
In 2020 we were also recommended a book by one of our main suppliers, called “2 Second Lean” written by Paul Akers. Reading the book was a real lightbulb moment for us and for the first time Lean seemed achievable. We visited our supplier’s factory and were blown away by their morning meeting and the simplicity of their approach.
The next week we started holding our own morning meetings and have continued to do so ever since. We initially struggled to get employee buy-in and stopping every day for a meeting seemed like a crazy idea to our already overburdened staff. Over the next year we made every possible mistake you could imagine.
After reading another book called “Improvements Starts With I” we reached out to the author Tom Hughes. Tom came to visit some weeks later which marked the start of a major turning point for us. Tom continues to be a friend and key mentor to Adman Steel Sheds.
We also started taking groups of employees to tour Seating Matters in Northern Ireland which gave us an exclusive opportunity to experience their company culture and see firsthand how they utilized employee genius and the incredible benefits they have achieved from implementing Lean to a world class level.
The staff at Adman Steel Sheds have learned so much by visiting other Lean companies. We are incredibly grateful to have been granted full access to their offices and factory floors. We had watched the videos online and read the books, all of which are very valuable but none of this compares to getting out of the business and touring in person.
Today we now host tours every week inviting other companies to visit and tour our company. Opening our doors to other companies and groups to see how we are implementing Lean in our manufacturing facility is a way for Adman Steel Sheds to give back to others while also helping us to sustain and build on our success to date.
Book a Lean Tour Today
If your company or organization is interested in implementing Lean or have already started your Journey we highly recommend taking part in one of our weekly tours. Our tour takes place at our Factory in Gorey, Co. Wexford.
Tour starts at 8.40am with a quick meet and greet with your hosts followed by joining us with all staff members at our Daily Morning Meeting. After the meeting the tour will then take you through our offices and factory showcasing Lean processes and principles at every step of the way. The Tour finishes at 12.00pm. Questions are welcome throughout the tour and there will be sufficient time at the end for additional questions also.
To book a tour please complete the enquiry form below and we will supply you with a list of available dates.
Costs
The cost of the tour is €150 + vat per person attending.
Our Lean Factory Tour is a Not For Profit venture and all funds raised are donated to employee nominated charities and amateur sporting organizations annually.
Tour Preparation
To help you get the most out of the Tour and to get a better insight of what to expect, we recommend that all attendees take the time to watch the following short videos prior to the Tour:
Please also see a link to the full 2 Second Lean audio book which we highly recommend you listen to: 2 Second Lean book- by Paul Akers