Customer Reviews

Winning in a Highly Competitive Manufacturing Environment

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Winning in a Highly Competitive Manufacturing Environment is an excellent "How To" book written in an easy to read style. Mr. Buckley divides the book into four broad areas - History, The Factory, Quality & Teams. In each of the four sections, he relates his own personal success and failures.

The bulk of the book is focused on The Factory. The author guides the reader through his vision of a well run factory and tutors the reader on such topics as Linked Cell Manufacturing, Process Velocity, inventory control, supplier negotiations, and creating labor & equipment flexibility.

He also addresses Quality and explains how Statistical Process Control and Mistake Proofing can increase First-Pass Yield and reduce or eliminate Out-of-Box Failures.

One of the most important topics covered in the book is Cross-Functional, Self-Directed Teams and their power to drive change. The author discusses the organization, management, recognition and dissolution of these teams.

Throughout the book the author stresses that the solutions to your manufacturing problems are simple, effective and, in most cases, already known - they just need to be implemented.

Mr. Buckley has captured the essence of what it takes to win in a highly competetive manufacturing environment. The most important element of any continuous improvement program is employee involvement. The author conveys an exceptional message that it is the combination of teamwork along with lean flow techniques, that can make an operation truly great.

Mr. Bucklet has captured the essence of Flow Techniques and the true benefits of the Cross Functional Self-Directed Teams in this book. His explanations and information in support of each element discussed is presented in a simplistic and easy to understand manner. Read this book and look within your organization to see the benefits of applying these principles. It works not only for the organization, but it has an incredible affect upon the personnel building their self esteem and capabilities.

If you are looking for a complete "how to" on lean manufacturing, this is a must have for your library. Clearly drawing on years of experience in implementing lean manufacturing systems, Mr. Buckley has compiled in one neat volume all of the essential pieces necessary for a successful implementation. Each chapter follows a similar format opening with an introduction to the concept, followed by theory and real life examples, with a nice summary to conclude the topic. In addition to covering all the pieces of the lean manufacturing pie, Mr. Buckley closes with a key ingredient often missing from manufacturing treatises - how to use teams for successful implementation. A great read on winning in manufacturing by someone who has obviously been there and done that.

This is a book to be read by anyone who is interested in helping his or her organization achieve manufacturing excellence. It encompasses many principles with real life examples that keep the reader engaged. It departs sharply from the typical dry subject matter people in manufacturing have become accustomed to reading. It is easy to read and understand by the non-manufacturing professional as well as the most experienced operations manager. I think it is the recipe book for exactly what the title of the book says...Winning in a highly competitive manufacturing environment. This book pulls it all together for the reader to go out and put their operation together or to reorganize the way they do business today. It addresses the techniques as well as the culture.

As a manufacturing executive and California resident, it has become increasingly difficult to remain competitive in the world market place. Author Ronald Buckley has written a "how to" book for achieving or just rejuvenating your operations world-class results.

There is a saying that knowledge is power. However, implementation is just as important. Mr. Buckley has written a book that delivers both the key concepts for continuous improvement and real world examples of successful implementation. At the end of the day, we are all striving to achieve world-class results. This book delivers an ideal balance of diverse industry knowledge and hands on experience.
A key element throughout the book is the impact of cross-functional, self-directed teams on driving change and breakthroughs within organizations. Mr. Buckley provides a blue print for the formation, management, recognition and dissolution of these teams.

If it is time for breakthrough results, this is a book to be read by anyone who is interested in influencing their organization to achieve manufacturing excellence.

Mr. Buckley has written this book with an insight into reality of Manufacturing. This book provides a clear picture based on his experiences how we can turn around manufacturing companies into Lean by using "Self Directed Cross Functional Teams
Mr. Buckley's experience in defining a world class manufacturing facility is so apt for the new millennium. He shares the entire supply chain starting from Customer to factory to Parts that come from suppliers. He talks about Customer Quality out of box failures, Manufacturing velocity, first pass yield and Kanban process for parts getting from suppliers.
What I really admire and encourage about this book his the way Mr. Buckley approaches to establish the highly productive manufacturing operations, with cross functional team working while providing an insight into end to end approach.

Mr. Buckley has written this book with an insight into reality of Manufacturing. This book provides a clear picture based on his experiences how we can turn around manufacturing companies into Lean by using "Self Directed Cross Functional Teams
Mr. Buckley's experience in defining a world class manufacturing facility is so apt for the new millennium. He shares the entire supply chain starting from Customer to factory to Parts that come from suppliers. He talks about Customer Quality out of box failures, Manufacturing velocity, first pass yield and Kanban process for parts getting from suppliers.
What I really admire and encourage about this book his the way Mr. Buckley approaches to establish the highly productive manufacturing operations, with cross functional team working while providing an insight into end to end approach.

Author Ronald Buckley has written what will surely be considered the Manifesto for Manufacturing at the dawn of the Third Millenium. He clearly and concisely puts forth a methodology based, not on theory, but his own experiences in turning his factories into manufacturing powerhouses to be reckoned with.

From the factory, to quality, to cross functional self-directed work teams, Buckley shares with his readers a blueprint for "doers". Only a 30 year operations veteran could offer his readers this sage advise, " Sure, it would be nice if the resources were available for a full blown Six Sigma program; however much progress can be made using the simpler tools, such as SPC. So if you are a smaller organization, start with SPC and when you collect from the payoff of your efforts here, move on to Six Sigma, but don't think for a minute that you cannot compete without it." This may be considered heresy by the Six Sigma "bigots" but for a small or midsize company struggling to survive it's like the clouds parting and the stone tablets being handed down from on high!

If your company's back is up against a wall, your choices have been reduced to two: You can quit or you can stand and fight. If you choose to stand and fight "Winning in a Highly Competitive Manufacturing Environment" can be a tool to begin rebuilding your factory with a chance to have a future!

Many books explain how a Just-In-Time factory operates, but few offer simple, straightforward guidelines on how to accomplish the conversion -- and even in a high mix, low volume environment. The author calls on good practical examples, and provides personal experiences of what is required to make the change. It even goes one step further in explaining what barriers you will encounter during the transition. If you are looking to reduce your operating costs and convert your manufacturing operation to JIT, this book is a MUST read.