LEAN STRATEGY BOOSTS FIRMS
ALEAN strategy sees an organisation identify and eliminate waste, optimise its resources, establish a corporate culture and achieve customer satisfaction.
However, there is a lack of progress in its implementation in lessautomated industries, such as wood and furniture. Their slow adoption of the manufacturing strategy is due to the constraints in resources and expertise.
To this end, the Malaysian Timber Industry Board (MTIB) has increased productivity and promoted a quality factory environment through the Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP-5S) and Lean Management Programme (LMP) for local wood and furniture companies.
The first initiative of the lean implementation programme was with 40 timber-based product companies in 2014. The programme aimed to encourage wood and furniture manufacturers to implement lean manufacturing practices for better business performance.
Realising the benefits and great potentials of lean manufacturing implementation, Ruang Idea Kreatif Sdn Bhd participated in both programmes. Ruang Idea was formed by two Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) alumni — Muhammad Wafiq Khairul Anuar and Amirun Rafiq Khairul Anuar.
They are involved in the furniture business. The company manufactures cabinets and also does construction work. Clients include government agencies and the private sector.
Based on the observation of the engagement between lean consultants and Ruang Idea in the GMP-5S and LMP programmes, the pace of change towards the adoption of lean manufacturing practices was slow due to a lack of human resources, knowledge and time, as well as workers’ attitude problems and reluctance among employees.
It is often difficult for an organisation to implement lean manufacturing practices as it may take a long time to adopt them fully. Studies found that while many companies adhere to lean manufacturing practices, they faced various barriers in adopting any new lean production system.
Besides, almost half of all smalland medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) failed in their first year of implementing lean manufacturing due to their inability to address issues and challenges.
A joint project, such as between Ruang Idea Kreatif and UiTM Shah Alam’s Faculty of Applied Sciences, will help companies build a solid foundation for effective lean manufacturing implementation. It will also prove the importance of industryacademic collaboration.
The focus of such collaborations should be on the wood and furniture manufacturing productions, specifically kitchen cabinets, wardrobes and interior design constructions.
A collaboration such as this had helped Ruang Idea save RM37,000 within six months after it implemented lean manufacturing practices. UiTM Shah Alam Faculty of Applied Sciences Eco-Technology Programme senior lecturer Dr Falah Abu believes the local wood and furniture industries have great potential in implementing lean manufacturing considering Ruang Idea’s successful implementation of lean tools.
Yet, the main problem faced by wood processing factories is their incapability to implement lean manufacturing consistently. Therefore, industry-academic collaboration provides a platform in addressing the obstacles in implementing lean manufacturing.
DR FALAH ABU
Senior Lecturer, Eco-Technology Programme, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA
DR JUDITH GISIP
Senior Lecturer, Eco-Technology Programme, Faculty of Applied Sciences, UiTM