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Read coverage in Hawke's Bay Today here.

Hawke’s Bay businesses are lining up to learn lean techniques to improve productivity, reduce waste and enhance the experience for their customers.

Many local businesses employ lean management strategies and the call is going out for others to learn how to review their business processes and management systems, and identify innovations to grow their bottom lines.

Better by Lean supported by Callaghan Innovation in partnership with the University of Auckland and locally by Business Hawke’s Bay (BHB), will run at the Hawke’s Bay Business Hub over May 24 and 25. It will be facilitated by Bryan Travers, a consultant specialising in performance excellence.

The two-day workshop and coaching programme applies “a lean thinking lens” to an entire operational system including development processes, workflows, supply chains, production lines, distribution channels and customer touchpoints – to boost competitiveness and performance.

“Some of the benefits identified by local businesses already employing lean principles include improved planning, production flow and reduced lead times. They’ve reduced their inventories, freed up capital and saved space,” says Susan White, BHB CEO.

“Importantly too, they say they’ve engaged their staff more effectively, developing their skills and generally created a culture of continuous improvement with innovative ideas coming from throughout their operations.

“Overall Lean is helping businesses improve productivity, profitability, and international competitiveness.”

After the May programme, participants will be invited to meet with a Better by Lean coach to get their lean implementation under way. There is co-funding available for qualifying businesses for eligible costs.

The programme is open to up to three people per business and priority is given to businesses new to Better by Lean programmes.

Participants can also apply to join a Hawke’s Bay cluster of fellow businesses that are applying lean strategies to gain support and share insights and ideas.

Facilitator Bryan Travers is the owner of his own consultancy practice, Quality Dynamics Ltd, and has 20 years’ CEO experience in Australasia with extensive benchmarking experience, and has spent nearly two decades coaching and consulting to leading businesses.