Strategic planning of optimising productivity: a '5S under lean quality' approach

Fierce competition led manufacturing firms striving towards operational excellence by quality products. Improving efficiency of production line is widely acknowledged in order to reduce downtime rates by meeting higher levels of market demand. Since last decade, cement industry, which is 'lifeline of Indian economy', is facing numerous challenges of productivity issues; lacking integration of quality aspects within business functions aligned with technology innovation. In this juncture, dire need for the managers is to adopt quality initiatives like 'lean philosophy' in line of improving productivity. Here, attempt has been made how to strategise 'leaning' in line of addressing pre and post implementation of '5S and lean quality policy' in an Indian cement firm. Contribution of this study may direct the decision makers in line of flexibility that 'lean philosophy with 5S is the proposed solution in future' by which not only waste can be minimised but also productivity can be improved.