Lean means green

by Clair D. Urbain

I knew I was in for an interesting interview when I met with Owen Matthews, CEO of Westbrook, a mechanical construction and service contractor in Orlando, Florida.

I had heard a bit about the company’s involvement with a consortium made up of a designer and contractors who, instead of working under a general contractor, formed Integrated Project Delivery (IPD), working together as partners on select design-build projects.

IPD has completed five projects where it acts as a single contact for the owner on all design and construction issues. By banding together, the contractors rethink the jobs from the ground up to identify areas where waste and cross purposes subtract value – and profit – from the job.

IPD’s most recent project is featured starting on page 14. Titled, Good-bye “Us” vs. “Them,” it outlines some of the major job savings brought about by thinking and acting Lean.

Lean construction concepts are getting quite a bit of attention from our readers. Few topics have moved our readers to contact us for more information, and it has inspired us to first learn more and then develop ways to share that helpful information with you.

Lean construction topics will continue to be covered in future issues, but we are also launching a series of seminars that provide contractors like you a forum to learn more about Lean concepts and the opportunity to rub elbows with contractors who are successfully experimenting with Lean concepts and have incorporated them.

On October 24, 2006, we will present our first Lean University – Construction seminar at the Hilton Garden Inn near Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. We’ll be featuring a Lean expert who will share how Lean techniques that are growing tremendously in popularity in manufacturing can be easily applied to the construction business.

Plus, we are tapping into the expertise of three contractors who have adapted facets of Lean into their operation. They will share how they started, adopted and benefited from their efforts. It’s sure to be a stimulating seminar that can help your company learn how Lean principles can play in the competitive world of commercial construction.

The bad news is that seats are limited at this seminar, so if you want to attend, jump on your Web browser and reserve your spot at www.leaninstruction.com by clicking on the Lean University – Construction tab.

The cost of the seminar is only $490, and even if you bring home only one idea, it will likely pay your company back hundreds of times that amount. Lean instructors report that Lean adopters can see ROI increase by 1,500 percent and net profits generally improve 250 percent. Isn’t that promise reason enough to see if you can adopt Lean practices in your business?

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Published in the May/June 2006 issue of Contractor Tools and Supplies magazine.

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