Euclides Coimbra latest book recently made it to the top of my reading list.

Kaizen in Logistics & Supply Chains is a well considered application of lean and blitz to the fields of logistics and supply chain management.  Here you will find detailed advice on flow, takt, cell design, kanban, internal and external logistics, standard work, supermarket design, water spiders, etc.  This book is a must read for any lean or six sigma practitioner interested in applying lean.  Well done Euclides!

Various supply loops are detailed. Mizusumashi Water Spider system is thoroughly and clearly described from the mechanical to behavioral.  Different types of kaizen workshops are also described:

• Kobetsu Gemba Kaizen – focused improvement typically on Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)
• Line Design Workshop – for value stream design and implementation (supermarkets, leveling, milk runs, right sizing containers)

Some of the vocabulary may take a little getting used to – ‘border-of-line’ seems to be what I know of as ‘point-of-use’, or line-side stock.  ‘Total Flow Management’ or TFM is just another way of saying Lean Supply Chain.  Don’t let the Japanese words distract you; Coimbra is being very precise, for example – ‘junjo’ is sequenced supply, ‘kanban’ is continuous supply.

If you are working on improving your materials management, then you need to read this book, and apply it!