Fighting fit factories: making industry lean, agile and sustainable

The manufacturing industry is under increasing threat of competition from low labour cost countries throughout the world. In order to compete in this environment, there should be a clear integrated strategy that removes the competing issues of lean agility. That strategy should combine these concepts into one business approach. Companies should now look at becoming fit. Manufacturing fitness combines lean and agility with considerations of sustainability and integrates these approaches into a framework that allows the company to tune its technological and operational capabilities with its overall strategic vision. This paper discusses fit manufacturing in detail.