Latest / The Operations Podcast with Fexingo: Process, People, and Profit in Modern Business
How a Machine Tool Builder Cut Lead Times by 80 Percent
Lucas and Luna dive into the operations transformation at Mazak, a Kentucky-based machine tool manufacturer that slashed its build-to-order lead times from 16 weeks to just 3 weeks. They unpack the specific changes: moving from batch-and-queue to a cellular layout, implementing a pull-based kanban system for parts, and cross-training machinists to run multiple machines. The episode focuses on the concrete metrics — work-in-progress inventory down 60 percent, on-time delivery hitting 98 percent — and the people-side challenge of convincing veteran machinists to abandon the old ways. A…
The skinny
The skinny isn't ready yet — notes appear once the transcript is processed.