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Lean systems have proven to be the single most powerful tool an automotive supplier can use to improve productivity, quality, and responsiveness, says the head of Freudenberg-NOK (Plymouth, MI) on Thursday. Speaking at the opening of the new Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center headquarters in Plymouth, MI, Freudenberg CEO Joe Day says that while automakers and Tier 1 suppliers have adopted lean programs, the lean culture has only penetrated the tip of the iceberg.

In his own company, he says, it has participated in more than 15,000 kaizen projects and eight years of practicing the principles of the Toyota Production System. "For every manufacturer that has implemented lean, there are literally thousands in the supply chain that have not, and that must change," says Day, who also chairs the Original Equipment Suppliers Association.

Eventually, he says, if a supplier doesn't adopt the lean culture, they simply won't make the purchasing cut. The industry should adopt the SAE J4000 lean standard to evaluate its supply base capabilities. With sales of about $4 billion, the Freudenberg and NOK Group ranks among the 15 largest OEM auto suppliers.

Edited by Norman Martin
Managing Editor, AutoCentral.com

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