Feltovich

    The truth is, for an example of what lean production can do for a company, collision repairers need not look far. As Toyota Motor Company continues its track to becoming the largest automaker in the world; it has done so using the concept of “lean production.”
    But does such a concept, clearly successful in the production world of manufacturing, have an equal place in the every-job-is-different, service-rather-than-manufacturing world of collision repair?
    Steven Feltovich, for one, believes it does – if “lean production” is understood and implemented at its core level. Feltovich conducts estimating and other training as the manager of business consulting services for Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes. He is no stranger to Toyota’s efforts to implement lean production concepts in its dealership collision repair facilities.
    But Feltovich believes too many shop owners are looking for “lean-in-a-box” or a quick and simple way to get “lean” implemented within their business in a few weeks or months.
    “Lean is a journey that never ends,” Feltovich says. “It takes a long time and a lot of effort. But is it worth it? You bet.”
A simple concept
    “Lean production” is based on W. Edwards Deming’s principles for “achieving maximum productivity with the least amount of effort or expense.” Deming was the American business consultant whose concepts Toyota has worked successfully to implement over the past 50 years.
    Deming’s views of lean production can really be summarized in just a few words. It’s really a chain reaction that begins by improving quality. That quality results in lower costs and higher productivity because it eliminates the time and expense involved with quality issues such as rework; mistakes and delays; and inefficient use of equipment and materials. In turn, this better quality and its lower costs allow a company to capture more market share and grow.
    Going lean, therefore, entails creating “a process that delivers quality the first time because it’s cheaper than defects and errors,” Feltovich said. “Some programs out there suggest dealing with bottlenecks, delays and snags by throwing more people, equipment, or materials at the problem, or by building a bigger building. Deming is quite the opposite of that. In lean manufacturing, you need fewer people, less space and equipment. Toyota’s output, for example, is four times as productive as some of our domestic (automotive manufacturing) systems.”
    That doesn’t mean, however, the key to becoming lean is just shedding employees or other “visible” costs, Feltovich said, because such ruthless cutting often results in “hidden costs.” Instead, he said, it involves seeking out waste and anything that negatively impacts quality.
    “For body shops, you’re stripping out redundancies and rework, the time and effort, for example, involved in multiple supplements and parts orders,” Feltovich said.