We recently received a release from the headquarters of United Grinding (UG) in Switzerland announcing its formalization of a corporate-wide lean program it calls Puls. Instituted in 2013, it has been systematically applied to the company’s manufacturing facilities across Europe (grinding.ch).  

Waiting times, surpluses and unnecessary movement of materials are classic examples of inefficient production, which adds costs that are not necessary. The industry is very competitive, and any savings in production can result in savings for the customer.

With a mix of measures individually developed for the group, which comprise of process optimization and quality management concepts, UG aims to avoid waste, thereby increasing overall efficiency. Within the Puls program, all employees of the various company brands have received training in the principles of the program.

The resulting focus of the Puls program ranges from optimizing measures that can extend from a complete production flow process reorganization to restructuring an individual’s workspace. Large and small, efficiencies add up to a better product and better production.