HEADLINES ADDED: May 16, 2009

Improving Construction Productivity

 |  from Construction Equipment Owner's Blog  |  Read the Full Article

If there’s one thing I’ve heard from everyone in the industry is for contractors to stay competitive they need to find ways to be more efficient. There are many suggestions, tips and ideas out there and here is another one - in a form of a webinar - if you are still searching for a solution to increase efficiencies throughout your operations. Time is Money: Technological Tools in “Productivity Tool Box” to Improve Construction Performance and Efficiency Tuesday, May 19, 2009 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Eastern Time Zone... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: March 19, 2009

Productivity in the construction industry

 |  from Construction Equipment Owner's Blog  |  Read the Full Article

I recently read an article that reported on a speech by Doug Pruitt, president of the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), at the group’s national convention this month. In it he made reference to aBureau of Labor Statistics numberI found staggering: that in the last 40 years, the construction industry has seen zero productivity growth. With the rise of computers, advancements in laser and surveying equipment, GPS grading, job costing software, and countless other technological advancements for the construction industry you would think construction productivity numbers would have... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: February 19, 2009

Mandelson set for construction productivity review

 |  from Contract Journal - Construction Law  |  Read the Full Article

Business secretary Lord Mandelson is set to announce a review of how the country's engineering and construction industry can achieve higher productivity to beat off foreign competitors today.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: February 18, 2009

Mandelson set for construction productivity review

 |  from Contract Journal - News  |  Read the Full Article

Business secretary Lord Mandelson is set to announce a review of how the country's engineering and construction industry can achieve higher productivity to beat off foreign competitors today.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: November 18, 2008

Why Pump Concrete?

 |  from Associated Construction Publications Top Headlines  |  Read the Full Article

How do you determine when concrete pumping is right for your project? What makes this method of concrete placement a more efficient ...... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: September 15, 2008

HEADLINES ADDED: August 22, 2008

Housebuilders to share low carbon building lessons

 |  from Contract Journal - News  |  Read the Full Article

A green housebuilding group has joined with academics to produce a road map for builders on how to meet zero carbon building targets.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: July 22, 2008

Can Construction Be Carbon Neutral?

 |  from From the Top  |  Read the Full Article

In an environment where “global warming” and “climate change” are words appearing in almost every newspaper, magazine and television ad, the question becomes whether construction can become carbon neutral. Despite recent emphasis on China and India, the U.S. construction industry is still the largest  in the world. Moreover future construction in the U.S. is enormous. The American Society of Civil Engineers estimates close to $2 trillion needed for America’s Infrastructure. The industry is faced with other issues: increasing material costs, labor shortages, sustainability and carbon emissions. It is still uncertain... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: June 14, 2008

Labor Productivity in Construction

 |  from House Beat  |  Read the Full Article

Last week, I attended a 1-day conference by Hyphen Solutions in Irvine, Calif. The focus of the conference was to look at ways builders could impro...... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: June 02, 2008

New Technique Improves Road Maintenance

 |  from Associated Construction Publications Top Headlines  |  Read the Full Article

Maintaining roads has become easier, thanks to a process called micro-surfacing that originally began in Europe and has made its way to the Upper Midwest during the last three years. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, German scientists experimented with conventional slurry to find a way to use it in a thicker form that could be applied in narrow courses for wheel ruts, but they didn't want to d...... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: May 26, 2008

Dewatering By Wellpointing

 |  from Associated Construction Publications Top Headlines  |  Read the Full Article

If you're working anywhere near water, and especially near the coast, dewatering a site prior to construction tends to be an integral part of the project. In the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, where the water table can be less than three feet below the surface, wellpointing is often used to control the ground water at construction sites.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: May 16, 2008

Optimal Trench Protection

 |  from Associated Construction Publications Top Headlines  |  Read the Full Article

The best possible trench protective solutions are critical to the success of underground construction projects and offer contractors a competitive edge they cannot afford to overlook. The path to this objective is easy to follow and makes greater sense than ever before. New technologies have expanded choices for excavation support systems and have added a financial incentive for using them.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: April 26, 2008

Recycle When You Remodel

 |  from HousingZone Headline News  |  Read the Full Article

When remodeling a home, there is often a large amount of construction waste. NARI’s Green Remodeling program offers remodeling contractors across the country a unique opportunity to incorporate cost-saving and earth-sustaining green concepts into their clients’ homes. Here's how.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: April 11, 2008

Managing Your Business in a Down Market

 |  from Expert Business Source - Construction News  |  Read the Full Article

In economic downturns, great business owners and managers don't panic but instead use the time to take a hard look at how to make the business even better.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: April 09, 2008

Cheap and Easy Employee Recruitment Idea

 |  from Construction Equipment Owner's Blog  |  Read the Full Article

A news story came across the wire this morning that I found very interesting and wanted to share with the readers of this blog. General contractor, R.W. Allen, headquartered in Augusta, Georgia took advantage of its recent project - the construction of a high school - to showcase opportunities graduating high schoolers have available to them in the construction industry. 16 high-school students toured the jobsite of the new school to get a better understanding of what is involved in commercial construction and find out the possibilities of joining... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: April 07, 2008

Industry advised on how best to profit from contaminated land

 |  from NBS Green Construction  |  Read the Full Article

Tips on how to count the cost of cleaning contaminated land and bringing derelict brownfield sites back into use have been published by English Partnerships.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: April 05, 2008

Cost-Effective Solutions for a Beautiful, Affordable Home

 |  from HousingZone Headline News  |  Read the Full Article

Are you, homebuilders, packing the most punch in the affordable homes you build?... Read More

Mistakes to avoid when running a homebuilding company

 |  from HousingZone Headline News  |  Read the Full Article

Experts to weigh in on the most common business mistakes home builders make.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: April 02, 2008

Is Your Home Business Prepared for a Disaster?

 |  from Construction Industry News & Articles  |  Read the Full Article

If you're like most people, you probably started with wonderful ideas of fulfilling your dreams, to be successful and to take charge of your own destiny.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: April 01, 2008

Is Your Home Business Prepared for a Disaster?

 |  from Construction Industry News & Articles  |  Read the Full Article

If you're like most people, you probably started with wonderful ideas of fulfilling your dreams, to be successful and to take charge of your own destiny.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: March 27, 2008

How to Expand a Builder-based Business

 |  from CE Pro Recently Filed  |  Read the Full Article

When marketing to builders, you don’t always need the level of brand identification and marketing materials that you need to establish trust and credibility with end-users.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: March 26, 2008

Next Saturday with Michael

 |  from Markup and Profit Blog  |  Read the Full Article

Last Saturday morning, Dan Baumann and I hosted a free online discussion on the topic of “It’s Not All Doom and Gloom”, looking at what is actually occurring in the construction industry and what you can do to help your business survive. We had over 80 contractors attend. Next Saturday, March 29, we will be hosting a follow-up discussion. Topics include: Overview of construction industry trends Polling questions & discussion Cost cutting measures you can make right now Some hot marketing tips you can use in your company Interview... Read More

Metal Roof and Wall Panels

 |  from Building Team Forecast Top Headlines  |  Read the Full Article

Today’s building owners are looking for ways to reduce energy costs, manage maintenance and life-cycle costs, and increase the value of their properties. Metal roof and wall systems are becoming an important part of each of these goals.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: March 24, 2008

New Contractor Tool Trailers Make a Better Alternative to the Average Truck Body

 |  from Construction Industry News & Articles  |  Read the Full Article

All Pro's new line of Tool Trailers are designed to increase Contractors efficiency and productivity by becoming a professional rolling work shop.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: March 23, 2008

New Contractor Tool Trailers Make a Better Alternative to the Average Truck Body

 |  from Construction Industry News & Articles  |  Read the Full Article

All Pro's new line of Tool Trailers are designed to increase Contractors efficiency and productivity by becoming a professional rolling work shop.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: March 18, 2008

Lean & 5S's in Construction - Jan 07, #30

 |  from Lean & 5's  |  Read the Full Article

This e-newsletter is written by Dennis Sowards to share ideas on the 5S’s and Lean practices especially as they are applied in construction. If you have ideas or lessons learned to share please contact me. Lean Leaders read more... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: January 14, 2008

Construction Resource Management

 |  from Associated Construction Publications Top Headlines  |  Read the Full Article

It's no secret that the construction industry is facing tough economic challenges. Interest rates are up, fuel costs are skyrocketing, the national economy is in a downturn, and productivity is on the decline. Add to those external forces the internal pressures of tool and equipment loss, theft, maintenance, and replacement — and the attendant costs of project delays and lost productivity...... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: December 19, 2007

Rework Ruins JobSite Morale

 |  from Changing Construction  |  Read the Full Article

There are few management decision that can crush the morale on a job site more than excessive major rework orders. I’ve sat in too many management meetings where major demo/rebuild changes were discussed without any consideration given to communicating the reasons for the change to the responsible work crews. In these instances management focuses on the economic and design considerations of the finished product without sharing that information with the workers. The folks on the ground are left to interpret their own reasons for the change: Management doesn’t value... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: November 29, 2007

LePatner’s Book Hit’s the Nail on the Head

 |  from Changing Construction  |  Read the Full Article

As an attorney with 30 years experience, Barry LePatner has had a front row seat in observing the inefficiencies of the construction industry. In his new book, LePatner shares his observations and makes some recommendations on how the industry might improve. LePatner discusses his book here. Based on the interviews I’ve read and heard I can see that LePatner shares many of our beliefs. We at CDS, have considered many of the issues that LePatner raises when creating our business model. Though his solutions are legal in nature (switching... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: November 26, 2007

What the Top 25% of Construction Foreman Do

 |  from The Construction Contractor's Digest  |  Read the Full Article

The field is where a contractor makes or loses money. The cost of the project is mostly at the site. Making those costs result in a finished installation within the budget is the basic task of the construction foreman. Learn from our data and our experience what the top foreman consistently do and how they do it. For the rest of the article, email us at mstevens@stevensci.com. with the title of the article. Limit 1 article per month... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: October 22, 2007

Dehumidifiers Keep Projects On Schedule

 |  from Associated Construction Publications Top Headlines  |  Read the Full Article

Nothing can be as frustrating for a building contractor as watching building materials such as concrete and wallboard slowly dry when the clock is ticking against the project's deadline. Such was the situation faced by Birmingham, Alabama-based Robins & Morton, one of the largest healthcare contractors in the nation.... Read More

Site Dumpers Boost Jobsite Productivity

 |  from Associated Construction Publications Top Headlines  |  Read the Full Article

North American contractors are always looking for tools to help them do their jobs more efficiently, because speed and ease can translate into greater profitability. Often that quest leads them to look across the pond. Because of narrow streets and limited space between buildings, European contractors are continually developing smaller machines that can handle big projects.... Read More

Construction Productivity

 |  from The Construction Contractor's Digest  |  Read the Full Article

Construction Productivity continues to be flat. From government data on Employment and Put-In-Place Construction, our industry's trailing 10 year trend has risen little and in the last two years has reversed itself. All other major sectors of the United States business community have increased their productive output in constant dollar terms. It is a frustrating business fact that needs to be addressed. Smart contractors have ignored this national problem and focused on their individual company productivity. As a result, competitive gains have been made by contractors and the reward... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: May 14, 2007

The Difference Between ROI and Marketing Accountability

 |  from B2B Lead Generation Blog  |  Read the Full Article

What's the difference difference between ROI and marketing accountability? My post a few weeks ago, "On B2B Demand Generation tools and Lead Generation Dashboards," started an email exchange between me and Jeffrey Eisenberg on the subject. Our exchange spawned an article by Bryan Eisenberg over at ClickZ. He writes, "Measuring the ROI of lead generation isn't the same thing as full accountability. If marketing is a profitable activity, it still doesn't mean that what it is communicating to the universe of buyers is building the business. I've seen lots... Read More

Construction Bid Tracking Form

 |  from The Construction Contractor's Digest  |  Read the Full Article

It is critical that construction contractors track competitor's bid prices. They must know what the trends and characteristics for each peer if they are beat them and at the same time "leaving less money on the table".We have a Bid Tracking Form for your review and use. It is free for the asking. Just send to us an email re: Bid Tracking Form and we will send it to you within 3 working days. Our contact email is clientservices@stevensci.com... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: May 01, 2007

Cable bundler

 |  from Electrical Construction & Maintenance  |  Read the Full Article

The Cable Comb consists of a blue inner hub and a yellow outer collar that enables users to straighten, organize, and lash single cables into a neat cable bundle... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: April 24, 2007

Better Sales Lead Generation

 |  from ManageSmarter.com - Sales Top Stories  |  Read the Full Article

8 powerful B2B sales lead generation techniques to help you reach your sales prospects... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: April 23, 2007

3 Critical Rules for Avoiding a Customer Service Meltdown

 |  from ManageSmarter.com - Marketing Top Stories  |  Read the Full Article

If anyone ever doubted that a customer service crisis can suck the life out of your brand in a heartbeat, examine the Presidents Day Jet Blue fiasco.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: April 17, 2007

The "NO Effort" Effect

 |  from FC Experts  |  Read the Full Article

Given all the reports and articles published on negative experiences, I am puzzled at the lack of effort from companies. This week I took a detour on my way to work to drop off my car for some repairs needed after I got into a bit of a scrape on the road. Nothing major, although the costs will be there. I had made all the required calls to follow though on paper work, made sure the dealer had the parts in, and got the car rental lined up. Of... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: April 16, 2007

Failure Doesn't Suck

 |  from FastCompany.com > All Topics  |  Read the Full Article

Sir James Dyson on getting it right after 5,126 tries--and how to move air at 400 mph.... Read More

Lean & 5S' in Construction #20 March 2007

 |  from Quality Support Services -  |  Read the Full Article

Lean & 5S's in Construction Newsletter #20 March, 2007 This e-newsletter is written by Dennis Sowards to share ideas on the 5S’s and Lean practices especially as applied in construction. If you have ideas or lessons learned to share - please contact me. Keep it Simple Some suggestions on the how to do the 5S’s and keep it simple: “Whatever you do, don't seal it in the concrete, as you have to improve it as soon as you've implemented it! Better stick tapes than paint lines, Better use movable... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: April 06, 2007

High-Performing Contractor - NEWSLETTER January 2007

 |  from Quality Support Services -  |  Read the Full Article

Assessment Model **************** Leadership Keith Harrison, the global product supply office for Proctor & Gamble Co. (P&G), list his thoughts on leadership: “In today’s global, rapidly changing world, one of the most important qualities of leadership is the ability to define and organize around moments of truth in your business.  In our business there are two moments of truth – when the customer stands at the store shelf and chooses our brand and when she uses our product at home and decides whether it lives up to he expectations.” ... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: April 04, 2007

Lean & 5S' in Construction #2 January 2005

 |  from Quality Support Services -  |  Read the Full Article

5S’s in Construction Newsletter #2 January 2005 ************** Is it time to ‘Reshine?” General Dynamics reports that periodically it is a good idea to revisit your 5S’s areas and reshine them. Sometimes, especially if one does not have a good self-discipline system aka audit process, things will drift back to where they were prior to doing the 5S’s.  If this is the case for you, don’t give up or pull out all of your hair (some of us have so little anyway). Start again – do a Reshine Week and... Read More

Lean & 5S' in Construction #8 February 2006

 |  from Quality Support Services -  |  Read the Full Article

***************** Inventory - Why? Why? Why? Inventory is waste so why do we have so much of it in construction? When I talk about ‘inventory,’ I am not just including inventory of materials in the shop and on the accounting books, but the stashes and materials that are ‘job costed’ and not usually called inventory.  I consider inventory to be any material not being installed regardless of where it is physically stored.  Jim Womack (Lean Thinking) recently wrote about the three types of inventory: read more... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: April 03, 2007

How Much Redundancy Is There In The Construction Process?

 |  from The Construction Contractor's Digest  |  Read the Full Article

Cost continues to be a major concern to all construction professionals. New sources of escalation have surfaced in the last 10 years. Direct cost items such as material and non-directs such as insurance. All these are difficult to control. What is controllable is the amount of redundancy in the design and construction process. Take our 30 second survey about these wasteful work steps. Let us know your opinion about the percentage amount. Results are immediate. http://www.zoomerang.com/survey.zgi?p=WEB225PBGFCKXW... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: April 02, 2007

High Performers Know The Score

 |  from Quality Support Services -  |  Read the Full Article

Newsmagazine of Mechanical Contracting SOWARDS ON QUALITY BY DENNIS SOWARDS , Quality Authority High Performers Know the Score QUALITY GURU Philip Crosby once told a story about a football team that lost its first two games in the season, both by a score of 14-13. The coach reasoned that the problem was that other teams had blocked one extra point attempt, while his team had blocked none. He figured that if his team had blocked two attempts he would have won 13-12. The coach set out to make this... Read More

Lean & 5S' in Construction #9 March 2006

 |  from Quality Support Services -  |  Read the Full Article

***************** Inventory – Solutions to Causes In our last newsletter we discussed causes of waste by keeping inventory.  This and the next few issues will share some answers: Cause: Poor quality work in the shop and in the field Solution: This is an age-old challenge in construction. The solution is straightforward but not easy. To improve quality it starts with a clear definition of what is and is not quality work. It can’t be wishy – washy such as “I know it when I see it!”  Once defined all... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: March 30, 2007

Lean Works in Construction – Salt Lake CIty, UT

 |  from Quality Support Services -  |  Read the Full Article

Start: Apr 27 2007 - 1:00pm End: Apr 27 2007 - 5:00pm April 25, 2007 – Lean Works in Construction – Salt Lake City, UT Sponsor: Utah Sheet Metal Contractors Association Contact James Paull at (801) 486-8449.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: March 27, 2007

Waste is everywhere but isn't inevitable, part 2

 |  from Quality Support Services -  |  Read the Full Article

BY DENNIS SOWARDS , Quality Authority Waste is everywhere but isn't inevitable, part 2 THE SEVEN TYPES of waste, which we identified last month (pg. 50), are: Defects This is a product or service that contains errors, requires rework or does not function as designed. Over-production of goods We create waste when we produce more than the customer needs or is needed at that time. Transportation This is the waste of moving materials or goods. Waiting When people, equipment or product wait for other processes or workers to finish... Read More

Waste is everywhere but isn't inevitable, part 1

 |  from Quality Support Services -  |  Read the Full Article

Newsmagazine of Mechanical Contracting SOWARDS ON QUALITY BY DENNIS SOWARDS , Quality Authority Waste is everywhere but isn't inevitable WASTE IS NOT desirable, especially in construction. To be more competitive we need to drive waste out of our operations. Most of us recognize waste in the form of defects and scrap. But this is just the tip of the iceberg! In Lean Thinking, value and waste are opposites. "Value" is what the customer is actually willing to pay for the product or service. Economists define value as the ratio... Read More

Excel: as Good as It Gets for Preconstruction Management?

 |  from The Late Majority: Don Fornes' Blog on ENR.com  |  Read the Full Article

I just finished a report on preconstruction management software and decided to share some of my finding in a post here at ENR.com. When I say "preconstruction management software" I am referring to software for quantity takeoff and cost estimating, as well as RFI and bid management solutions.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: March 26, 2007

High-Performing Contractor - NEWSLETTER July 2006

 |  from Quality Support Services -  |  Read the Full Article

**************** Leadership When I visit contracting companies, I try to engage the employees in conversation about their commitment to the company. Very few seem to really know why the company exists and how his/her work contributes to the company’s vision. Joanne G. Sujansky, President, KeyGroup, talks about creating a goal-oriented culture. A question for CEOs: Are your employees working toward clearly defined goals that advance your corporate vision? You may assume the answer is yes. But if you gather your top managers together to develop key initiatives and goals... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: March 24, 2007

The Genius of the Five Why's

 |  from D. Brown Online - Project Management Productivity & Construction Operations  |  Read the Full Article

Such a simple concept.... So sad that it is not used more widely... I wonder if it is because construction is dominated by type 'A' personalities and asking a questions is seen as a sign of weakness... If asking one question is a sign of weakness then asking five questions must be utter incompetence... I wonder if this is why we routinely see the people with LESS experience actually achieving better production once they are shown the basics of a Production Tracking system... Perhaps it is because they are... Read More

Lean & 5S' in Construction #11 May 2006

 |  from Quality Support Services -  |  Read the Full Article

***************** GM wants it Lean At the SMWIA/SMACNA 2006 Partners in Progress Conference held this past March, Jack Hallman, Director, Manufacturing Construction Management Worldwide Facilities Group, Capital Projects for General Motors and Richard Cramer, Chairman of the Board for of Dee Cramer Inc. presented on a project done for GM using lean techniques.  Part of the presentation included these points of interest: read more... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: March 19, 2007

Building Information Modeling (BIM) Update

 |  from D. Brown Online - Project Management Productivity & Construction Operations  |  Read the Full Article

This morning I just saw two great articles in Building Design+Construction magazine talking about developments in Building Information Modeling (BIM) which will have a huge impact on the entire construction process. BIM Software Integrates RSMeans for Project Costing - imagine that - designers actually being able to figure out how much things cost while they are designing! Steel Teams Lead The Way Toward 3-D Integration - great article that points to actual dollars saved on a project through planning - Saved $400,000! Pre-planning construction projects will always save you... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: March 18, 2007

Lean & 5S' in Construction #3 February 2005

 |  from Quality Support Services -  |  Read the Full Article

5S’s in Construction Newsletter #3 February 2005 It’s out! I just received word that the New Horizons Foundation book Lean Production Principles is now published. This is a research paper on how Lean is being applied to construction. You can obtain a copy by contacting them at (703) 222-9001 or www.newhorizonsfoundation.org. read more... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: March 17, 2007

Lean Works in Construction – Iselin, NJ

 |  from Quality Support Services -  |  Read the Full Article

Start: Mar 28 2007 - 1:00pm End: Mar 28 2007 - 5:00pm Lean Works in Construction - Iselin, NJMarch 28, 2007Sheet Metal Contractors Association of Northern New Jersey Contact Donna Valentine at (973) 890-0890 smacna-northnj.org... Read More

Innovative Tools Help Companies Cut the Data Beast Down to Size

 |  from Top Stories from ENR.com  |  Read the Full Article

Suffering high costs and deep frustration used to be a rite of passage when growing companies decided it was time to integrate data systems to improve enterprise operations.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: March 16, 2007

Lean & 5S' in Construction #5 July 2005

 |  from Quality Support Services -  |  Read the Full Article

5S’s in Construction Newsletter #5  July 2005 ***************** 5S’s in Hospitals Before making the improvements, Shadyside ran a workshop for department staff members that simulated how to apply lean concepts in an industrial environment. “It was a nice way to mimic a manufacturing setting and to get people thinking of how the concepts apply to their work,” said Condel. The workshop was followed by a 5S exercise to better organize the department and clear counter space so equipment could be rearranged into a cell containing embedding, cutting, heating, and staining... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: March 14, 2007

Lean & 5S' in Construction #6 September 2005

 |  from Quality Support Services -  |  Read the Full Article

Lean & 5S' in Construction #6 September 2005 ***************** Making 5S’s work Hal Macomber shares his ideas about visual management…. “Visual management of a workplace is foundational to lean. The intention is to be able to see at a glance that everything is going well or see what needs attention. When visual management is done well anyone visiting the location can make sense of what is going on. When I work in fabrication operations I routinely start with the 5S. It results in more space, easy-to-see workflow, and an... Read More

lean & 5S' in Construction #10 April 2006

 |  from Quality Support Services -  |  Read the Full Article

***************** Inventory – Solutions to Causes In the last newsletter we discussed some causes of inventory waste and possible solutions.  Here are some causes and solutions: Cause: The farmer just-in-case thinking.  We hold on to returned parts and material just in case we might need it again. After all, it is already paid for!  Since we have the room we feel storing it is not a cost. read more... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: March 11, 2007

Lean & 5S' in Construction #19 Feb 2007

 |  from Quality Support Services -  |  Read the Full Article

Lean & 5S's in Construction Newsletter #19 February 2007 Attack the Waste of Motion MOTION: Employees moving around do not add value and is waste. These ‘treasure hunts’ happen when we store material away from the job or when workers must go looking for tools, material or information. Treasure hunts happen in the office, when we are looking for files, reports, reference books, current drawings, contracts or vendor catalogues. Poor planning and organization often cause this waste. It happens because we don’t have a designated place for everything. A... Read More