Juan is a member of the Paintshop Team at Mainline Auto Body and as part of the Two Second Lean process, Juan, came up with an idea to create a painter’s apron. Juan was able to share with Gavin how this idea came about and the improvements in productivity that came because of this.
Check out the video below or read on to find out more.
The Two Second Lean process really opened their eyes to saving every little bit of time, whether it was walking back and forth from the car to the prep cart to get abrasives, masking tape, razor blades to just fix minor things. They created the vest to carry a lot of the stuff that they use throughout the day when they are prepping to alleviate that back and forth.
The Apron hold items that are quick carry such as, scotch-brite, razor blades, quick putty, small sanding pads and anything that they might need for last minute repairs. If they are in the Spray booth or sanding and they notice something they can fix it then and there. They also carry markers and pens in case they need to circle something on the car and a notebook if they need to write anything down for mixing. It is all about streamlining, saving two seconds here and two seconds there. The apron is comfortable to wear and they have the option of a half or full length. Full length gives them the bonus of keeping themselves clean when they are prepping or in the occasional need for water sanding.
Joe Hinkens, Director at Mainline Auto Body has previously spoken to us about the fact the that whole business has been put through the Toyota Way which was conceptualized through Toyota and it is all about lean processing. The Two Second Lean is just taking that to the next level.
All these processes have been beneficial as Juan has said, if you are saving motion you are saving time. Any little thing that can be done to save two seconds really adds up, even if you think they are only two seconds, they save you so much more time than two seconds. Everybody benefits, they do not have to work as hard physically but they are more productive, and the customers get their cars back sooner. It is better for everyone.
Juan stated it is difficult to explain the type of mentality that they have at Mainline Auto Body. The programs that Joe Hinkens instils in his team, such as the Toyota Way and the Two Second Lean are just so beneficial. It does take a bit of effort on everyone’s behalf, but nobody wants to stop making these improvements.
Mainline has a big focus on team culture. One of the catchphrases is “One Mainline”. Everyone looks out for each other and Juan thinks this has a lot do to with Joe picking the right people. It doesn’t matter what systems and programs you have going on; you need to have the right people working together and whom enjoy coming up with new ideas to keep the shop pushing forward and trying new things.
The paint shop works as a team and Juan said it is fun when they get busy and look at the cars and think we are going to blow through these. Their goal is to be one team and to depend on each other, knowing that everything is going to get done, there is always room for improvement but as far as teamwork and camaraderie, Juan has never worked in a shop where it has been so tight.
You can sit in the office and or you could be upstairs in the training conference room or board room and talk about all these things but when you go to the floor and you hear it from the guys that are doing it, that’s where it really matters.