"Genchi, genbutsu gennin" (現地・現物・現認) translates as "go to the Gemba" but means going to the 'real place' where value is created, where interactions are happening between process and material, and engaging with the people....

On 29 & 30 September 2022, 16 senior engineers from across Europe met in Vilnius for the first Lean in Europe visit since 2019. The host company was PakMarkas – a Lithuanian manufacturer producing labelling and flexible packaging, industrial packaging engineering and automation solutions.

Resources from the 27th Lean in Europe visit

  2-minute highlights video

Article in the 10/2022 edition of EU Japan News (edition #79) - PDF version here, webpage version here

Agenda

A detailed agenda for the visit can be found here.

First evening - Thursday, 29 September 2022

Pre-visit lean group exercise - applying lean tools to improve a facemask production line

Networking dinner

Day two - Friday, 30 September 2022

Introduction to PakMarkas and how it uses lean

Gemba walk #1 – visual introduction

Presentation of the problems to address

• Changeover process of flexo-printing machine - The issue – too long changeover times currently averaging around 25 to 30 minutes (depending on the complexity). PakMarkas would like to optimise and shrink changeover times further.
   
• Group B: Observe packaging process of finished product - The packaging process has not been properly analysed yet and there could be considerable potential for improvements.

Gemba walk #2 – observe the processes

Practical problem-solving session and suggestions (in groups)

Feedback and reactions from PakMarkas

Future visits

Other visits will be arranged for later in the year. Please contact lean@eu-japan.eu if you would like to get details of future visits when they are arranged, or think your company/organisation might be willing to host a Lean in Europe visit for us. Please also see the main Lean in Europe webpage where information on future visits will be published.