MSC Industrial Supply Co. Logo MSC Industrial Supply Co. Logo
Home / Solutions /
Process and Operations Optimization

Process and Operations Optimization

Focusing on continual improvement

Let MSC help reduce your cost

At MSC we understand the cost-reduction challenges our customers face daily and have in-depth experience solving these problems. Our commitment to our customers with providing best in quality, value, service and solutions helps you identify and drive out waste and non-value add steps within your business.

The five lean principles chart

The Five Lean Principles

What is Lean?

Lean is a continuous improvement methodology that relies on a collaborative team effort to identify and eliminate non-value add steps and waste. The elimination of waste from business operations allows organizations to shorten their processes and increase customer value and quality.

The Eight Wastes – Downtime

Defects
Efforts caused by rework, scrap and incorrect information.
Overproduction
Production that is more than needed or before it is needed.
Waiting
Wasted time waiting for the next step in a process.
Non-Utilized Talent
Underutilizing people's talents, skills and knowledge.
Transportation
Unnecessary movement of products and materials.
Inventory
Excess products and materials being processed.
Motion
Unnecessary movements by people (e.g. walking).
Extra-Processing
More work or higher quality than is required by the customer.

Types of Work

Value Add For work to be considered Value Add, it must transform material or information into products and/or services a customer wants, is willing to pay for, and is done correctly the first time.
Non-Value Add Non-value add activities consume resources but do not directly contribute to the product or service for the customer.They can be further described as Waste.These should be eliminated wherever possible.
Business Value Add Business value add activities are non-negotiable business needs that are required to operate the business.Government and/or regulatory compliance activities fall into this category.These should be automated wherever possible.

Organize For Efficiency With MSC and 6S

What is 6S?

A lean tool that focuses on creating and sustaining a clean, organized, high-performing and safe work environment.

6S and Lean

6S is the foundation used to help organizations implement Lean operations.Each of the 6S categories provides a framework for eliminating non-value add activities by ensuring that all materials and tools needed are available, close by and replaced in their proper location when not in use.

Implementing a 6S System Offers Many Benefits

Creates a proper environment for standard operations
Serves as a prerequisite to perfect quality
Encourages visual controls
Simplifies the work environment
Helps to identify waste
Places a high value on safety
Promotes Associate satisfaction and pride in their workplace

6S Principles at a Glance

Sort
Survey the area for unnecessary items and remove them. Ensure all "needed" items remain in the work area. By removing items that are not required, we free up space that can be put to more valuable use and improve efficiency since workers no longer need to search through a cluttered and disorganized workspace to locate materials.
Set
Identify "a place for everything and put everything in its place." All the necessary items identified by the sort principle are organized for easy and efficient access. Locations are clearly labeled, allowing users to immediately recognize when an item is in use.
Shine
Identify cleaning activities and develop standard operations for keeping the area clean and organized. Establishing a "who and when" cleaning plan helps to make sure that the area stays clutter-free.
Standardize
Eliminate the non-value add work associated with maintaining a clean, organized and safe workspace. Establish clearly defined standards and responsibilities, then document and display for sharing best practices. Conduct weekly audits and implement countermeasures.
Sustain
The fifth principle is the most difficult to consistently achieve. The goal is to have the newly cleaned and organized area become a way of life. Everyone involved has the discipline and commitment to maintain the 6S principles.
Safety
Safety ties all five S's together by identifying possible hazards during each step of the process and developing methods to eliminate the hazards and keep workers safe – and productive.