Sal Paradise wrote:I would look for the bottlenecks in the process and apply some simple Kaisan techniques to improve matters - could I suggest the following reading - The Goal by Eliyahu Goldratt - this might change you view about process improvement and their benefits.
As you're so knowledgeable on the subject of Kaisan, then I'm sure you'll appreciate that there comes a point where all bottlenecks are removed and the system runs as smoothly and profitably as possible. This, after all, is the object of Kaisan.
Perhaps this:
McLaren_Field wrote:One thing that has come out of this Government inspired seven day petrol panic is the fact that delivering petrol to the consumer these days is done strictly in accordance with the best Japanese "Just in Time" techniques in that the stocks often held on the forecourts represent in "normal" circumstances only 24 hours worth of fuel - some busy outlets revealing last week that they have two scheduled deliveries per day.
A comment from the petrol retailers spokesperson last week revealed that the main cause of such understocking was cash flow, he quoted a figure of £50,000 for a tankful and for most retail operators its much better to spread the cost of that over several days and several deliveries especially in these days of tightened or no overdrafts and no relenting from the banks.
shows the effect that Kaisan has had on this industry - minimal stock is carried, it is transported from A to B with the minimal need for storage for any length of time.
Kaisan is a wonderful system but if you were as aware of how it works, other than the two day course you seem to have gone on, then you would appreciate that there is only the possibility to remove all AVOIDABLE obstacles to smoothflowing throughput using it. The important word has been highlighted for you there, even the best laid out system will have potential problems inherent in it.
The transport system for fuel is one such inherent obstacle, but is the best available method there is - if it was possible to pump it safely along underground pipes with no risk or explosion or theft, then I'm sure Shell would have started using it before now.