Kiyoshi Suzaki

Suzaki san is one of the earliest authors of Lean books in English. Available for limited consulting and training events. (Inquiries)

As an author, his lean classics are as valuable today as when they were first released.

As a consultant, Kiyoshi Suzaki has helped scores of Fortune 500 clients improve manufacturing operations and get the job done faster, cheaper, better, and safer. Now, in this detailed “operating manual” – full of more step-by-step applications than any other book available – Suzaki spells out new operations in production and employee resources that help American industry regain the cutting edge in price, quality, and delivery of products. A well known expert in the field, Suzaki begins with the premise that “if it doesn’t add value, it’s a waste” – a concept devised by Henry Ford and later used by Toyota. He recaps what Toyota identifies as the seven most prominent forms of waste in factories. Most importantly, he meticulously details steps individuals can take to “simplify, combine, and eliminate operations” – thereby reducing waste, improving quality, and saving money.

In this comprehensive departure from the time-and-motion dictums of Frederick Taylor’s Shop Floor Management that have influenced management practices for most of this century, Kiyoshi Suzaki offers a framework for successfully conducting business at its most crucial point – the shop floor. Drawing on the principles of holistic management, where organizational boundaries are smashed and co-destiny is created, Suzaki demonstrates how modern shop floor management techniques – focusing maximum energy on the front line – can lead to dramatic improvements in productivity and value-added-to-services.