Benefits of heijunka

Benefits of heijunka

Heijunka is a Japanese term for production leveling or smoothing. This is a’ production technique that promotes a more efficient process and results to less’ wastage in terms of materials, personnel, and/or labor cost. The basic concept of
heijunka is to level out the so-called variance of orders from customers. By means’ of analyzing customer behavior and production output, companies will be able get a’ better idea on how much of one thing should be produced in a given day rather than’ depend on how much is ordered on a daily basis. With this principle, heijunka can’ provide various benefits including:

1. Better personnel management

With a smoothened production process, each member of the production team will’ know what to do and how much to contribute for each and every day. This alone’ will make the heijunka technique give efficiency to all parts of production. This could’ also lead to lower labor costs as employees will not have to render overtime every’ now and then.

2. Better production efficiency

When the variance in order is determined and the production goal is set for each’ and every work day, every member of the production team will also be able to work’ more efficiently. Having the same goal and knowing how much effort is expected will’ make the production process more efficient. Production leveling will also result to a’ more balanced use of resources including machinery and people. And with a more’ efficient process, there will also be fewer wastage and unsold items.

3. Customer needs are met

With a controlled production environment provided by heijunka, customers’ needs’ are better met. Despite variances in the orders every single day, the production’ process will not be affected as enough goods are to be produced every single day’ with some goods designated as reserve stocks for days wherein the customer’ order is high. When supply is harmonious with demand, it only results to happier’ customers.

Productivity and efficiency are the two main benefits of heijunka or production’ leveling. And because of these, various other benefits will arise including less goods’ wastage, more satisfied employees, and customers.

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