‘Continuous improvement’ is a key concept in successful business operations. The aim is to provide optimum service to customers by wasting as little as possible, in other words by means of ‘lean’ operations. The Lean Operations Research Center (LO-RC) of the University of Groningen will organize a symposium on lean thinking in research and in practice on 11 February.
One of the speakers will be Prof. Rajan Suri of the University of Wisconsin, a ‘guru’ in the field of productivity improvement. The international journal Industry Week has recently included him in the Manufacturing Hall of Fame, where he is in the company of famous business people such as Michael Dell (founder of Dell Computer), Rich Teerlink (former CEO of Harley-Davidson) and Steve Jobs (Apple).
Suri is in great demand as a symposium speaker and also is an advisor to many small and large businesses. The basic principle of the Quick Response Manufacturing (QRM) Center which he has founded, is that a company should focus primarily on shortening its lead times, which will automatically result in lower cost prices. Organizations must therefore have quick response times and great flexibility.
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