Title: A survey on the adoption of lean practices in the process sector of India with a comparison between continuous and batch process industries

Authors: Avinash Panwar; Rakesh Jain; A.P.S. Rathore

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Government R.C. Khaitan Polytechnic College, Jhalana Institutional Area, Jaipur-302004, India ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Malviya National Institute of Technology, Jaipur-302017, India ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Malviya National Institute of Technology, Jaipur-302017, India

Abstract: Abundance of literature is available about lean implementation in discrete manufacturing. However, for process industries it is still doubtful which lean practices are adoptable and useful. This paper aims to investigate the highly used and rarely used lean practices in Indian process industries. This exploratory study demonstrates the parts of the results of a comprehensive survey. The survey questionnaire was sent to 500 Indian process industries and 105 usable responses were received. Results illustrate an extensive use of 5S, work standardisation, new equipment and technology, TPM and quality management program in Indian process industries. However, use of lean tools such as Kanban, pull production and automatic line stoppage is not common in Indian process industries. Batch process industries have adopted lean practices more formally and comprehensively than continuous process industries. Finally, there is considerable distinction regarding use of lean practices among different types of process industries according to the product. The paper may help the academicians and practitioners from process industry by providing important implications about lean implementation.

Keywords: process industry; lean manufacturing; lean practices; batch process industries; continuous process industries; performance improvement; survey; India; lean implementation; 5S; work standardisation; new equipment; new technology; TPM; total productive maintenance; quality management; kanban; pull-based production; automatic line stoppage.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMTM.2015.071235

International Journal of Manufacturing Technology and Management, 2015 Vol.29 No.5/6, pp.381 - 401

Received: 17 Dec 2014
Accepted: 10 Jun 2015
Published online: 17 Aug 2015 *

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