Manufacturers pursuing lean are already well on their way to achieving competitive differentiation by satisfying customers and driving operational improvements. AberdeenGroup's new "Roadmap to Lean Success: Measurement and Control" study characterizes some of the lean efforts already under way:

• 92% of best-in-class companies are pursuing lean for operational excellence

• 69% of best-in-class are looking to improve profitability

• 39% of companies have improved schedule attainment by over 40%

• 29% have boosted first-time quality results by 40% or more

• 14% enjoy at least a 6% uptick in bottom-line profitability

Given the successes achieved by companies overall, it's not surprising that best-in-class performers are gravitating to lean for operational performance improvements and bottom-line results, and have the highest expectations for their lean initiatives. Of those best-in-class companies that have started lean initiatives, 100% expect to recoup their investment within one year; 59% are even more ambitious, setting their sights on breaking even within six months.

Value Stream Management