Industries

Operational Excellence for Apparel, Footwear and Leather

Faster delivery, fewer defects and flexible production for small runs. For apparel, footwear and leather companies in Greece, Cyprus and Europe.

  • Small runs
  • Line balancing
  • Quality at source
Request a diagnosticSee the training
Worker operating textile machinery

Why operational excellence matters

The market wants more styles, smaller quantities and faster delivery. Sewing and assembly lines with unbalanced workload, waiting between stations and defects found at the end cost time and margin.

Greece Lean Six Sigma helps companies balance lines, reduce work in progress and catch defects where they are created.

Where we help

Line balancing

Operation times, takt time, workload allocation and bottlenecks.

Style changes

Preparation, SMED, patterns and machine settings.

Quality at source

Checks at the station, defects, rework and returns.

Cutting and material yield

Fabric and leather utilisation, markers and losses.

Flow and work in progress

Batch size, waiting and order to delivery lead time.

Team skills

Skills matrix, cross-training and visual instructions.

Common operational challenges

  • Long delivery lead time
  • Unbalanced lines
  • High work in progress
  • Defects found at the end
  • Material lost in cutting
  • Slow style changes
  • Dependence on a few experts
  • Customer returns
  • Supplier delays
  • Low output per hour

Our approach starts from the process, not from an off-the-shelf training course. We find where performance is lost, quantify the opportunity and choose the method that fits the problem.

From diagnosis to improvement

  1. Understand the processWe review flow, roles, data and controls.
  2. Set the baselineWe quantify performance with the right indicators.
  3. Find the dominant lossesWe focus on the problems with the biggest impact.
  4. Choose the right methodQuick win, Kaizen, root cause analysis, DMAIC or redesign.
  5. Sustain the resultWe build ownership, control, capability and daily management.

Typical performance indicators

  • Lead time
  • First Pass Yield
  • Defects per 100 units
  • Material yield
  • Output per hour
  • Work in progress
  • Changeover time
  • OTIF
  • Returns %
  • Line balance %

Choose your starting point

Operational Excellence Diagnostic

Assessment of one process or value stream, with a prioritised map of improvement opportunities.

In-company training

A programme tailored to your sector, in a classroom or Live Online, with examples from your own operation.

Targeted improvement project

Lean Six Sigma applied to one specific problem, with a measurable result.

Related training

5S ChampionWorkplace organisation, 24 hours.Root Cause AnalysisStructured problem solving, 16 hours.Kaizen Workshop FacilitationRapid improvement with the team, 8 hours.Lean Six Sigma Yellow BeltThe first step in improvement, 32 hours.

Frequently asked questions

Does Lean suit small production runs?

Yes. That is exactly where it pays off, because it cuts changeover time and work in progress and makes the line flexible.

How do we reduce dependence on a few experienced operators?

With a skills matrix, visual work instructions and a cross-training plan, so knowledge moves to the whole team.

Do you always start with training?

No. We start from the process. First we find where time, quality or cost is lost and what it costs. Then we choose a quick win, Kaizen, a DMAIC project or team training.

Can the training run in-house?

Yes. Programmes run in-company, in a classroom or Live Online, with examples from your own operation.

Where do you work?

We work with organisations in Greece, Cyprus and Europe, in Greek or English.