The application of lean principles to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions in an automotive industry

Abstract

A common factor for industrial production is energy, and the level of energy consumed is typically used to measure the growth and economic development of countries. However, as the industrial sector expands and makes efforts to gain competitive advantage, there is a growing concern regarding energy consumption and the ecological burden related to energy use. Thus far, industry has relied on the Lean manufacturing paradigm to gain the contemporary benefits of profitability, flexibility, and increased efficiency. More recently, the association of Lean manufacturing and environmental impacts has grown in both the industrial and academic fields. The main aim of this research is to investigate the correlation between lean tools and their effect on Green House Gas emissions, ultimately measuring environmental performance. The research is quantitatively based and entails the study of a weld process production line at Toyota South Africa Motors. The environmental impacts of the production process were observed and measured before and after the implementation of three lean tools: Value Stream Mapping (VSM), Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) and Standardized Work. Comparing the outcomes, the study found significant differences in the pre-test and post-test of each lean technique applied. VSM allows one to visualize and magnify the environmental performance of the process, which allows for simple quantifying of environmental metrics. TPM brings to light that equipment that is regularly maintained to operate at optimum condition reduces non-value adding energy usage. However, in contrast, Standardized Work has shown minimal benefits within the context of this research. The findings of this research are beneficial as they contribute to gaining a better understanding of the way lean tools affect environmental performance. While the study contributes to the current body of knowledge, it can also enlighten Small to Medium Enterprises, practitioners and larger organizations to rethink current strategy and allow for simultaneous implementation of Lean Green operations.