The idea that a lean operation -one that continually identifies and eliminates wasteful activities to reduce internal costs -can be a more profitable one has long been accepted by manufacturers. Distributors are now starting to apply that idea to their operations. Dr. Perry Daneshgari, president of MCA Inc. and co-author of Lean Operations in Wholesale Distribution, now available from the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (www.nawpubs.org), recently spoke with MDM about how the distributor mindset is changing.
MDM: Is lean is something that you’re seeing a lot more of in distribution?
Perry Daneshgari: I see more sparks of interest, but is it being applied more? Not yet, but there …
