I have not wrote for a few weeks by now. Many things run across my mind, waiting for the readiness of my fingers to follow through the lead of my mind. Many filled into my mind waiting to be written before it explode. Anyway, back to the reality without going off too far, I have gone so long to my reflective side of me after I have witnessed things that I couldn’t imagine to be exist in my country.
In April, I accompanied colleagues students of my University to have a field trip to the automotive manufacturer plant which handle the assembly of medium and low trucks. I have had an experience for six months of internship in a quite famous automotive manufacturer overseas in Germany. Therefore, as my country is a developed country, I presumed that the plant that we were going to visit was not possible to have a better management and/or technology than in Germany.
By the time we got there, I verify my assumption with the fact. It turns out at the first sight this plant which located in my country have nothing extra worth to be compared to the technology with what the Germans have. It was a very conventional plant. We gathered together to a short briefing and quickly we were divided into several group and being arranged into route of travel around factory.
We make a start to the first process and go until the latest process in the plant. The tour guide which happens to be the supervisor and a foreman assisting us and generously share their experience about the working procedure, process, and experience. I was astonished after we have come to an end. It was amazing to be there that day and I felt very fortunate to be there.
I saw that the lean management in the factory. That it the moment when I believe that there is a factory runs smoothly by using no automation and high-tech and rely on the management of lean. They have many of lean concept. Besides of the Japanese auditor from Japan that always came to the factory to maintain the performance, many interesting facts have surprised me.
Previously I am very disappointed with labor from my country. It is because in my view, labor in my country is lazy and unproductive. However, what I saw that day at the factory could really make me realize the power of Lean. Lean could changed people behavior and culture to the desired one. I felt really happy to be there.
