Have you ever felt like every wasted minute in your shop is a dagger to your productivity and bottom line?
It’s frustrating when you're on a tight deadline, orders are piling up, and yet, you’re constantly bogged down by inefficiencies.
Every misplaced tool, every unnecessary trip to fetch supplies, it all adds up to precious hours lost. The frustration builds up as you watch potential profits slip through your fingers, all because of preventable delays and bottlenecks.
If this sounds familiar you need to check out the Cabinet Maker Profit Systems podcast episode with Danny Small.
As a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt with a strong engineering background, Danny's the guy you want to talk to about eliminating wasted time in your cabinet shop.
Lean Manufacturing has deep roots, starting way back in the 1960s in Japan with the Toyota production system.
Over the years, it's spread its wings and helped out tons of companies, not just in auto manufacturing, but also in service industries like finance and healthcare.
But the construction industry (including cabinetry), hasn't really jumped on the Lean bandwagon yet.
And that's why Danny is dedicated to bringing Lean into the trades and construction (mainly offsite manufacturing).
Plus Lean isn't just about streamlining the shop floor - it's also about tackling waste in the office too.
Just think about all those times you're stuck waiting for paperwork (or when it takes up too much time).
This manufacturing model can swoop in and tidy up those messy processes.
But let's zoom back onto the shop floor for a sec.
You and I both know how frustrating it is when things aren't running smoothly.
Maybe it's waiting on materials or redoing work because of silly mistakes.
So where Lean steps in is helping us cut out all that wasted time and effort.
When Danny walks into a place, he's often met with a lot of skepticism.
Workers are like, "Okay, who is this guy and what's the boss got going on now?"
They're not sure about this whole Lean thing.
So, how do you warm up your crew for waste elimination?
Danny starts by making it crystal clear that this isn't about stroking the boss's ego or some fancy strategy from the ivory tower.
Nope, it's about them—the people on the shop floor who actually make stuff happen.
He tells them straight up, "You're the stars of the show. Without you, there's no company." And you know what? It works like a charm.
Of course, people in the beginning think "He just wants us to work harder, faster."
And Danny's heard it all, so he's quick to set the record straight.
It's not about working harder - LEAN is about working smarter.
It's about making THEIR jobs easier, removing roadblocks, and helping them find their flow.
And you know what's wild?
When you walk into a shop that's firing on all cylinders, it's not a chaotic mess with everyone hard at work — it's quiet.
It's calm, smooth, like nothing's happening at all.
But that's the beauty of a good process—it's relaxed, it flows, and it gets the job done without all the fuss.
So, if you want to get your crew onboard with waste elimination, remember: it's not about cracking the whip or working harder - it's about finding that sweet spot where everything just clicks.
Alright, let's dive into the "Gamba Walk" exercise and how it can slash wasted efforts on the job site.
Now, before we get into the nitty-gritty, let's clear up one thing: what the heck is "Gamba"?
It is a Japanese term that basically means the real place where value is added.
Think of it as your company’s heartbeat —the place where the magic happens, where you produce stuff.
In the context of your cabinet business, it’s the shop.
Now, onto the "Gamba Walk" exercise itself.
It's a simple yet powerful practice that Danny teaches his clients as part of Lean methodology.
Here's how it goes down: the big boss—usually the CEO, owner or president—takes a stroll out to the factory floor.
They observe what's happening, strike up conversations with the folks doing the work, and ask a simple question:
"How can we help you make this process more efficient?"
And let me tell you, the results can be mind-blowing.
Take this one story, for example.
Danny was out on a "Gamba Walk" with a CEO, and within 15 seconds of asking that question, they stumbled upon a game-changing idea.
Turns out, one of the workers was using a jig that was designed for a left-handed person, but he was right-handed.
As a result, he was wasting about two hours on every unit he worked on—climbing up and down a ladder, struggling with the awkward setup.
But with a simple tweak to the jig, they estimated they could save about $6,000 every month.
And get this—it only took half an hour to make the necessary changes.
Now, here's where it gets interesting.
When other employees see their coworkers making a win like that, it sparks a fire.
Suddenly, everyone's got ideas pouring out of them. They're eager to jump in and contribute, to find their own ways to slash wasted time and boost efficiency.
It becomes a sort of friendly competition to see who can come up with the next game-changing idea.
And that's the beauty of the "Gamba Walk" exercise.
It's not just about finding ways to streamline processes—it's about empowering your employees, showing them that their ideas matter, and inspiring a culture of continuous improvement.
So if wasted time on the shop floor is driving you crazy, maybe it's time to take a walk and see what hidden gems your team has to offer.
So, if you're a business owner feeling that frustration because you know things could be running smoother and faster, Danny has some golden advice for you.
First things first, you need to get a real handle on what's happening on your production line.
Take a good, hard look at what your people are spending their time on.
Because a big chunk of it probably isn't adding any value.
Observe the process firsthand.
Pay attention to when and where your employees are walking back and forth, fetching tools, or doing rework.
All of these activities are forms of waste.
But by being there, by really seeing what's going on, you'll start to uncover those areas where efficiency could be ramped up and waste could be slashed.
Once you've got a clear picture of what's happening, that's when you can start figuring out how to make things better.
Now let’s get to one of the most frustrating aspects of the job site: tool administration.
Ever watched an installer contort themselves into odd positions, struggling to awkwardly hold fasteners?
Or maybe you've witnessed someone searching frantically for a tape measure or a box cutter because they forgot theirs or can't find one nearby.
It's enough to drive anyone crazy!
One simple yet effective solution is to equip your team with the right tools and accessories.
Installers can sport magnetic wristbands to securely hold screws while they work in tricky positions.
It's a small investment that can save countless minutes of fumbling and frustration.
But that's not all.
Proper uniforms play a crucial role in streamlining workflow too.
Each team member should wear an apron stocked with essentials:
A precision pencil for accurate markings, a high-quality tape measure, and a sharp box cutter for effortless material handling.
That gets rid of wasted time hunting down tools or borrowing from colleagues – everything they need is right at their fingertips.
So, what's the big deal about getting these details right?
Well, it's about minimizing what Danny calls "tool administration," those non-value-added activities associated with tools.
This includes fetching and returning tools, swapping out bits or batteries, and dealing with tangled cords – all tasks that eat up precious time without adding any real value to the end product.
And the best thing is you can tackle this issue head-on within a week at your company.
Seriously, it's that simple.
So, go ahead and invest in those magnetic wristbands, stock up on quality tape measures and box cutters, and establish clear uniform standards for your team.
The insights Danny shared can benefit not just you as the business owner, but your entire team.
So feel free to listen to the full Cabinet Maker Profit Systems episode with Danny Small, share it with your crew, and together, you can take meaningful steps towards efficiency and excellence.
Show Notes:
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