Statement of Purpose.
The TWI Network, Inc. is a network of individuals, companies, and organizations who provide support in understanding and implementing Lean Manufacturing.  TWI views Lean Manufacturing to be the new manufacturing paradigm as identified in the books The Machine That Changed The World and Lean Thinking, the model for which is the Toyota Production System.  TWI supports companies that wish to adopt or adapt the Toyota Production System, develop their own Lean system, or otherwise improve in a Lean direction.

Structure of TWI.
TWI is a network, in contrast with a conventional consulting firm.  TWI Network members are committed to providing truly expert services to support Lean Manufacturing initiatives through value-added services with a minimum of waste and of incidental, overhead costs.  Most TWI Network members are professionals with many years of experience; most run their own company in addition to being members of the Network.  Since there is very little formal "organization" of TWI to "oversee" the daily activities of members, only individuals whose work is well known to the other members and who are unquestionably trustworthy are accepted as members.  It's not that we are necessarily so arrogantly selective; it's just that we are so "lean" that we can't really operate any other way.

Approach of TWI.
Our approach is plan-based, yet action-oriented.  We work with client staff to develop a plan, based on mapping current and future state value streams at plant and other operations.  Our approach owes much to Toyota, especially the Toyota Supplier Support Center, but we also bring our own, individually developed approaches and experience.  We strive first and foremost to ensure the transfer of both understanding and implementation skill from us to client staff.   In contrast with other methodologies, we do not demand that clients commit to placing our consultants in their facilities on a full-time basis: we have found that actually inhibits the transfer of the know-how.   Nor do we emphasize the easy, quick-hit but short-term successes of the Five-Day Kaizen Workshop.  We desire quick change, but we also demand change that is long-lasting and therefore insist on taking a step-by-step approach to ensure that the knowledge is transferred and the systems in place.

TWI is committed to implementing lean systems in manufacturing operations, in each function, and among senior management ranks.  TWI may make resources available to support implementation in each function and, if necessary, provide training for key groups within the organization.  Each function, major management committees, and business teams must be involved in the transformation to Lean.  Lean "manufacturing" means lean "enterprise."

We often concentrate first on several lead plants, and progress from there to other operations.  Each plant project ordinarily has an "Intense Phase" in the beginning (though sometimes there is a gradual ramp-up process in which the plant learns to utilize us as a resource), followed by a "Steady Progress Phase", and finally a "Gaining Independence Phase".

In the same way, each function is integrated into the process as appropriate.  Manufacturing engineering and production control are especially integral to the process; other functions can join later, allowing specific implementation need to dictate timing.  We like to be able to "complete" major projects within three years, while seeing visible changes within a few weeks.  Of course, the word "complete" is awkward since no lean project is ever truly finished.   But, we hope enough learning takes place to form a critical mass of knowledge and experience for the initiative to become sustainable within about three years or less. 

Expected Results.
TWI Senior Lean Consultants have led numerous projects with great success.  However, we do not wish to "take credit" for the improvements -- the real credit in each case belongs with the implementation team at the client operation.  We serve as advisors and part-time members of those teams.  The actual measures may vary from project to project, but typical improvements include reductions in lead time and inventory of 50 - 90 % and productivity improvements of 20 - 60%.  To cite a more specific example, one large manufacturing facility TWI supported realized documented annualized savings of $14 million from 70 specific lean projects over a period of about 18 months.

 TWI Network Consultants.
TWI works in partnership with numerous consultants and organizations as needs may dictate.  All TWI consultants have extensive experience and could be better viewed as "practitioners" rather than consultants.  Some members of the TWI network participate in the activities of the foremost lean promotion organizations: The Lean Enterprise Institute and the University of Michigan.  By developing teaching materials and conducting se0minars at these institutions, TWI consultants advance cutting-edge methodologies for understanding and implementing Lean Manufacturing and Lean Enterprise.