Kanban tidbits

Here are some tidbits

• "Kanban", the Japanese word translates to "signboard"
• Taiichi Ohno developed Kanban
• Toyota management were looking at ways to reduce/eliminate waste. One of the ways that they discovered to eliminate waste is by reducing the inventory, and to build the product "Just in Time". They were inspired by the supermarket system because supermarkets stocks only what is needed for their customers and this is based on buying patterns.Customers can walk in with confidence that the product is available, and choose whatever they want. The items are replenished as and when the stock goes down and everything happens "Just in Time"
• JIT manufacturing was the brain child of Kiichero Toyoda, founder of the Toyota Motor Company
• Kanban is a means through which JIT is achieved
• Kanban is more of an implementation process rather than a planning process