SCM Group is helping bring the lean manufacturing message to its customers.

Jim Lewis and Brad Cairns of the Center for Lean Learning spoke at an SCM Group event recently on lean thinking’s effect on improving productivity with and without automation and technology.

Their presentation was intended to be an overview of lean methods, and was part of SCM Group’s 2016 open house.

Cairns suggested using video as a tool to learn and to record what a shop is doing. Videos are a powerful tool to get people to start thinking lean.

“Take a video and record what you’re doing,” he said. “The only person who knows what’s going on is the person doing it.”

Cairns also said that the Center for Lean Learning regularly posts videos on YouTube.

Lewis also talked about justifying the cost of a new machine, and he explained total productive maintenance.

SCM Group wants to be identified with lean, and is emphasizing both technology and lean thinking.

The occasion was SCM Group’s open house at its new West Coast location and showroom in Carson, California.

SCM Group has a number of large machines on display in Carson, including an SCM Accord 25 FX CNC router, Morbidelli Universal 3615 CNC manufacturing cell, Gabbiani Galaxy panel saw with flex cut, Stefani Solution HD CNC edgebander; SCM Olimpic K 560 edgebander with hot air system; DMC widebelt sander, and Omal MHD dowel inserter.

SCM’s new California location was opened last year and helps customers see new equipment, said Fabrizio La Volpicella, West Coast sales manager. The equipment on display in California saves them a trip to Georgia.

The collaboration with the Center for Lean Learning is also good for customers, La Volpicella said. “We need to be a consultant, not just a supplier,” he said. “We want to help them (use) lean manufacturing, and help them become more efficient and improve production flow.

“The relationship between manufacturer and customer has to go beyond equipment sales.”

La Volpicella can also identify woodworking companies that he sees as possible candidates for lean manufacturing.

Lewis said that the SCM Group-Center for Lean Learning collaboration is new, and will provide SCM with a better toolkit to deliver solutions to problems for customers. More in-depth training is planned including sessions for SCM Group dealers.