Throughout the past few months, I have had the opportunity to write about Lean processes and Lean culture development for Iowa State University’s Center for Industrial Research and Service (CIRAS) newsletter. In an article that appears in the Fall 2013 CIRAS News, I spoke with Lean coordinators at three Iowa companies: ALMACO, Pella Corporation and Stellar Industries.

These companies have been on their Lean journeys for various lengths of time, but the commitment to the Lean process and culture remains important to each company’s operations. I think Gina Singer, one of Pella’s continuous improvement managers, summed up the Lean experience well: “In a sustained Lean journey, continuous improvement is driven by everyone, every day.”

For the full article on how CIRAS is helping these three Iowa companies develop and sustain Lean cultures, see the Fall 2013 CIRAS News (PDF, page 8).