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At Solectron, Lean Six Sigma permeates everything we do. It is a discipline focused on eliminating waste (muda) and variability throughout the supply chain, and it mandates that every company activity adds value for customers.
Lean, which is based on the world-renowned Toyota Production System, is driven by five key principles at Solectron:
Value - Understanding the value of the work we perform by defining it as something that our customers want to pay for.
Value Chain - Mapping the process steps that we perform throughout the supply chain by identifying the steps that add value and striving to eliminate those that add waste.
Pull - Eliminating the primary sources of waste - overproduction - by only producing what customers want, when they want it. This means starting production only when the customer "pulls."
Flow - Removing other major sources of waste - bloated inventory and waiting - by ensuring that goods flow continuously through the supply chain and never stop.
Kaizen/Continuous Improvement - Striving for the total elimination of waste through a succession of small, action-oriented (kaizen) events within the production process.
To complement Lean, Six Sigma is the well known, data-driven set of standards that drives exceptional quality in all Solectron operations. It requires in-depth statistical metrics to analyze quality at all levels of the supply chain, eliminating defects. Six Sigma - when combined with Lean - allows for easier identification and quicker resolution of quality issues or problems, and reaps quick results while opening people's eyes to new and better possibilities on plant floors.
Lean Six Sigma is a differentiator in the EMS industry and fundamental to Solectron's overall strategy and future success. It significantly improves Solectron's quality and reduces waste. It reinvents the way we serve customers. It empowers every employee to help make drastic improvements in the company's performance. It enhances partnerships with key suppliers across the supply chain. And it drives new ways of thinking about our business.
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