Agile manufacturing [management]

For many companies, ´lean´ production during the recession has meant a relentless drive to reduce cost, as opposed to its original concept of adopting best ´lean´ practice and seeing costs fall. The result has been that the companies are more starved than ´lean´ and are poorly placed to take advantage of the recovery due to reductions in skilled staff in general and design and development capability in particular. Here, the author argues that in order to become agile, companies have to concentrate on the other, forgotten, aspects of ´lean´ production, aim for flexibility and speed of response, and also ensure they are adaptable to future changes in the market.