Lean Supply Chain Lego Simulation “Blows Minds” at AME Boston 2017

TXM Managing Director, Tim McLean and Queensland Best Practice Network Director, Kevin Bennett had an enjoyable day on Monday 9 October running our new Lean Supply Chain Simulation at the AME 2017 Conference in Boston.

The simulation uses a simple Lego manufacturing process to demonstrate the challenges of managing an extended supply chain. It shows how using Lean approaches can dramatically improve supply chain performance.

Participants at the Boston workshop came from a wide range of manufacturing industries including food, household appliances and medical devices. All agreed that the workshop realistically simulated what happens in a typical supply chain.

Participants had highly positive feedback, with the quote of the day being from a Sales and Operations Planning Manager from a major US company admitting:
” You have blown my mind. I have spent my whole career believing that the MRPII/Class A approach was the only effective way to run an international supply chain. Now [after the workshop] I am reassessing my whole thinking”

Members of the Best Practice Network will get the opportunity to participate in this fascinating simulation at workshops around Australia as 2018. As well, Tim plans to present the workshop to customers in the UK early in the New Year.

Tim said, “Developing the lean supply chain Lego simulation has been a huge amount of work. However, the Boston workshop shows that we now have a unique world-class simulation that effectively highlights the challenges of extended international supply chains”. Tim went on to say, “Developing the workshop would not have been possible without Best Practice Network. Kevin and (Victorian facilitator) Neil Hooke offered tremendous insights and expertise and Best Practice Network members, especially Leica Biosystems, Denso, Sequirus and  Toyota were generous in their willingness to participate in the trial runs of the simulation and to provide practical constructive feedback.”

Learn More about Lean Supply Chain in Tim McLean’s Book “On Time In Full”

TXM is looking forward to participating once again in the next AME USA Conference to be held in San Diego in October 2018.