BWA Lean Road Map & Innovation Culture – An export readiness necessity – Bluewater Wood Alliance

December 11th, 2019 at EDC Export Growth Hub in Kitchener, Canada’s only business hub, BWA members came together to learn about how lean is transforming companies into competitive forces to be reckoned with in the market place. As more and more BWA members continue their lean journey, their competitive strength continues to grow.

The day began with BWA key lean trainer Brad Cairns teaching how to think about the concepts of lean and how it can apply to a vast spectrum of applications in manufacturing – from custom shops to high volume production. The training carried on discussing the history of lean and looking at key concepts, principles, and themes that support the manufacturing process.

Attendees began to see more and more examples of just how much waste we as manufacturers produce – from the seen as well as the unseen waste all around us. 

Brad Cairns looks on as training video plays for the group

Brad showed many examples of widespread but not often considered operational tasks that cost factories thousands of dollars every year.

“And this kind of behavior goes on all the time in our factories,” – Brad Cairns remarked to a video example played.

Lean not only applies to companies that ship to local markets but also companies that desire to export their products across borders. Companies need to be aware of vulnerabilities inside to changing market demand that, when not prepared, could hurt if they aren’t yet adapted to the culture and performance that a lean company operates with.

 Attendees observe and discuss the measurements and results of the workshop at hand.

Training carried on for the second half of the day to include an interactive workshop where attendees got to put the theories to the test while assembling widgets in a group setting timing each operation.

Brad Cairns leads an interactive contest at the end of the day

At the end of the day, guests were able to test their knowledge and test each other’s knowledge learned with an interactive contest played through everyone’s smartphone! 

Are you ready for Lean Leadership? Stay tuned for it coming this January 29th! Read more about this event here.

Ready to find out more and see about attending a BWA Lean Road Map Training Event? Watch for our next event to be posted on the BWA’s website.

Can’t wait for the next event? Would you rather have the BWA’s Lean Training come to your facility? We can do it!

If you would like more information about this event and the BWA, please contact:

Tara Davey
Program Administrator
Bluewater Wood Alliance
e: [email protected]

Together we’re strengthening Ontario’s wood manufacturing future.