Using Lean Manufacturing to minimize packaging material waste

Abstract

The practice of lean manufacturing has proven to be a suitable approach to improve productivity and performance in enterprises through reduction of waste. The last decades a global concern for the environment emerged. Thus the reduction of packaging material waste in enterprises results in an enhancement of both operational efficiency and environmental performance. However, there exists a knowledge gap with regard to the usage of lean manufacturing to reduce packaging material waste. A framework was established based on available literature to provide a guideline for enterprises to realize comprehensive packaging material waste management through lean manufacturing implementation. The suitability of the lean manufacturing approach to minimize packaging material waste , as proposed by the framework, was assessed through execution of a case study performed at the Heineken Zoeterwoude brewery. The case study results show lean manufacturing is a suitable approach to minimize packaging material waste. However, as manufacturing enterprises achieve high efficiency levels the opportunities for further improvement though lean manufacturing are obstructed by several organisational and technological requirements. Conventional improvement methods and tools are left powerless due to this phenomenon. It can be concluded the lean manufacturing approach currently does not facilitate guidelines to tackle this problem. To ensure further development of lean manufacturing, future research is recommended with regard to implementation of the proposed framework in practice and packaging material waste management in other organisations.