World Class Manufacturing

World class manufacturing (WCM) is a management ideology for producing the

greatest and most cost-effective products or services in a timely manner.
In today’s ever-changing market, industry leaders must do more than just develop
high-quality products. They must also consistently deliver goods on time and at an
affordable price.
That’s where WCM comes in. It’s about ensuring quality, delivery, and cost to keep
an organization competitive — whether your marketplace is local, national, or
global. Essentially, WCM is a set of guiding principles for successfully operating and
managing a manufacturing company. It revolves around the continuous
improvement of production processes and systems to achieve excellence in
efficiency, quality, and customer satisfaction.
WCM focuses on eliminating waste and reducing costs by optimizing production
processes and minimizing defects and errors. It also emphasizes the importance of
employee involvement and empowerment, promoting a culture of continuous
improvement and innovation.
Learn more about WCM and how to become a world class manufacturer by exploring
the following sections:
World class manufacturing main principles
Regardless of where you are in the production process, producing waste free,
efficient, and reasonably priced products should be at the top of your list. World
class manufacturing is guided by three main principles:
1. Implementing lean manufacturing and just-in-time principles to reduce
production waste and cost. Just-in-time and lean manufacturing principles go hand
in hand in making sure that the items produced will meet customer demand rather
than be in excess or ahead of need. This can be accomplished by removing any
manufacturing process that doesn’t bring value to the customer.
Examples of wasteful processes include:
 Surplus inventory and lack of product demand
 Correcting expensive defects
 Unneeded transportation
  Overproduction
 Idle equipment or downtime
 Adding useless product features

 2. Applying total quality management to decrease the number of defects and improve
customer experience. Total quality management is based on the idea that every worker,
from management to frontline staff, is dedicated to continuously improving production
processes and creating high-quality products.
 3. Executing total productive maintenance to help catch operational failures that can
lead to defective machinery and equipment. Total productive maintenance
(TPM) principle is made up of eight pillars that focus on preventative strategies to
improve equipment reliability.

There are several pillars that form the foundation of World Class Manufacturing
(WCM). While the specific pillars may vary depending on the organization and
industry, the following are some of the most recognized pillars of WCM:
1. Safety: Providing a safe working environment for all employees is a key pillar
of WCM. This involves establishing and enforcing safety policies and
procedures, as well as providing training and resources to ensure employee
safety.
2. Cost Deployment: Cost deployment is a systematic approach to identifying
and reducing costs throughout the production process. This involves
 analyzing and understanding the cost structure of the organization, setting
cost reduction targets, and implementing strategies to achieve those targets.
3. Continuous Improvement: WCM is based on the philosophy of continuous
improvement, where every aspect of the production process is continuously
evaluated and improved. This includes not only processes, but also the tools,
equipment, and technology used in the production process.
4. Autonomous Maintenance: Autonomous maintenance involves
empowering employees to take ownership of the maintenance of equipment
and machinery, which helps to minimize downtime and reduce the cost of
maintenance.
5. Professional Maintenance: Maintenance is a critical aspect of WCM, and it
involves ensuring that all equipment is operating at optimal levels to
minimize downtime and reduce costs.
6. Quality Control: Delivering high-quality products and services is critical to
achieving customer satisfaction and maintaining a competitive edge. This
pillar involves establishing quality standards, implementing quality control
measures, and continuously improving quality through feedback and data
analysis.
7. Logistics and Material Flow: Efficient logistics and material flow are critical
to achieving high levels of productivity and minimizing waste in the
production process.
8. Early Equipment Management: Early Equipment Management (EEM)
involves optimizing the performance of equipment from the design phase to
reduce downtime and improve efficiency.
9. People Development: Developing skills and empowering employees is a
critical pillar of WCM. This involves providing training and development
opportunities, promoting a culture of continuous improvement, and
empowering employees to identify and solve problems.
[Link]: WCM recognizes the importance of environmental
sustainability and encourages organizations to implement environmentally
responsible practices in their production processes.
By focusing on these ten pillars, organizations can achieve high levels of
efficiency, quality, and customer satisfaction, while also reducing costs and
minimizing waste in the production process.
WCM or World Class Manufacturing is a concept based on operational
excellence program in manufacturing or production facilities.
In today’s fast growing and competitive world, it is very important for an
organization to have cost effective, waste free (Lean), efficient, flexible and
innovative manufacturing practices. World Class Manufacturing (WCM) is structured
and integrates itself to production or operations that is under all manufacturing
processes across organization.
More details on WCM or World Class Manufacturing:
 World class manufacturers tend to implement best practices, focus on
operational efficiency, reducing wastage and creating cost efficient methods and
also invent new practices as to stay above the rest in the competition.
Some of the methods and its requirements to start working on world class
manufacturing.
 Implement 5S to keeping workplace organized and efficient.
 Implement Just in time and achieve best results towards zero inventory
across organization.
 Implementing visual management to create visual and highlighted
information system.
 Implement Lean Methodology and achieve best results towards zero waste
across organization.
 Implement Total Productive Maintenance and have OEE more than 80%
 Implement Total Quality Management and achieve best results towards 100%
customer satisfaction organization.
 Higher employee involvement by making Quality Circles, Multi skill
employees with-in the organization etc.
Principle of WCM:
World Class Manufacturing Principle can describe as Follows:
Zero:
 Zero Accidents
 Zero Breakdown
 Zero Defects
 Zero Scrap
 Zero Waste
100%:
 100% Customer Delight
 100% Employee Motivation
 100% Visible anomaly
 100% Employee participation
 100% OEE
Structural Representation of World Class Manufacturing:
World class manufacturing is expressed graphically with the form of a Greek
temple whose elements are explained as follows:
Baseline (The base of the temple):
 Measurements
 Visual Management
 5S
 Everyone’s involvement.
Ceiling (The Roof of the temple):
 Needs of the Client
 Analysis of the Flows
 Analysis of the Losses
 Strategy
Strength Pillars (The 10 Pillars):
1. Distribution of the Costs
2. Continuous Improvement
3. Autonomous Maintenance
4. Professional Maintenance
5. Quality
6. Logistics
7. Management of the facilities at the beginning
8. Management of the team
9. Hygiene, Safety and work conditions
[Link], ecology
 World Class Manufacturing (WCM) integrates Operational Excellence
methodologies. With 10 managerial and 10 technical pillars, WCM provides a
roadmap for leadership, people development, safety, cost reduction, delivery, and
quality. Besides, it can be adapted to suit diverse industry needs.
This article will unpack WCM for you. As you go through it, look out for and
explore any of the links in green text to understand other related resources.

What is WCM?
WCM represents a comprehensive methodology
integrating Lean principles, Total Productive Maintenance pillar concepts, and
Total Quality Management. It aims to create an environment of continuous
improvement, efficiency, and waste elimination across all operational facets within
an organization.

Where did WCM come from?

 Developed through a collaboration between Japanese and Italian
professionals and professors in the 1990s to 2000s, it's rooted in lean
thinking but tailored for a context our of Japan.
 It differs from other methodologies (such as Lean and TPM) due to its
cultural adaptation and boasts successful cases in companies like Fiat,
Chrysler, Unilever, among others, featuring 10 managerial pillars and 10
technical ones.
Who has been successful with it?
 Companies such as Unilever, Fiat, Chrysler, Whirlpool (Brastemp), and Klabin
have employed WCM to drive operational excellence and productivity
improvements.
 Its application spans various industries, including automotive, manufacturing,
consumer goods, and beyond, tailored to suit industry-specific needs.
How does it relate to other CI/OpEx methodologies?
 Cultural Change: WCM (World Class Manufacturing) is not a project but a
way of working. It focuses on eliminating waste and implementing
standardized methods within a company's organizational culture.
 Foundation in Lean and TPM: WCM is similar to methodologies like Lean
and TPM (Total Productive Maintenance). The key difference lies in its
organizational structure, making the method clearer and more structured, like
a recipe.
 Pillars and Steps: WCM consists of 13 technical pillars and 10 managerial
pillars, each with 7 steps that cover reactive, preventive, and proactive
phases. Literature may vary, but the structure adapts with industrial
evolution.

Structural Framework of WCM:

 Top Management Involvement: Effective WCM implementation requires
the commitment and involvement of top management. The philosophy is
implemented from the top down, with managerial leadership playing a crucial
role.

Managerial Pillars (10):

1. Management Commitment: Involves visible support and active
participation from top management, setting the tone for the entire
organization to embrace WCM principles.
2. Clarity of Objectives: Setting SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable,
Relevant, Time-bound) goals aligned with the company's vision and strategy.
3. Route Map (Development Plan) Crafting a step-by-step plan outlining the
implementation stages, key milestones, and responsible stakeholders.
4. Allocation of Highly Qualified People: Ensuring the right talent
acquisition strategy to bring in individuals with both technical expertise and a
mindset aligned with WCM principles.
5. Competence of the Organization: Fostering a culture of continuous
learning through targeted training programs to equip employees with
necessary WCM skills.
6. Time and Budget: Allocating resources strategically to support WCM
initiatives, recognizing it as an investment for future gains.
7. Level of Expansion: Scaling WCM implementation gradually across
departments and facilities, ensuring consistent standards.
8. Motivation of Associates: Implementing systems to acknowledge and
reward individuals or teams demonstrating exemplary WCM practices.
9. Level of Detail: achieving depth and advance into more complex
opportunities and proactive approaches.
[Link] of the Organization: ongoing commitment to the journey
across all levels of the organization.

Technical Pillars (10):

1. Safety: Incorporating safety protocols and practices to ensure a secure
working environment for employees.
2. Cost Deployment: Analyzing operational costs meticulously and
implementing strategies to reduce unnecessary expenditures.
3. Autonomous Maintenance: Establishing autonomous maintenance
practices empowering operators to maintain equipment, preventing
breakdowns and ensuring optimal functionality.
4. Quality Control: Utilizing various quality management tools to maintain and
enhance product quality, minimizing defects and errors.
5. Logistics and Customer Service: Streamlining supply chain operations,
inventory management, and distribution processes for efficiency.
6. Environmental: Integrating environmentally sustainable practices,
minimizing waste generation and resource consumption.
7. People Development: Focusing on employee skill development and talent
retention strategies.
8. Professional Maintenance: Implementing proactive measures to prevent
breakdowns, defects, or inefficiencies.
9. Early Equipment Management: Setting and maintaining high product
standards to meet customer expectations consistently.
[Link] Improvement: Optimizing resource usage to maximize efficiency
and minimize waste in production processes.

Impact and Outcomes:

 Focus on Waste Elimination: The primary goal of WCM is to enhance
efficiency by eliminating waste throughout the logistical and production
processes. Continuous improvement and smarter work practices naturally
lead to better efficiency and results over time.
 Enhanced Efficiency: Resulting in streamlined processes, reduced lead
times, and increased productivity.
 Quality Improvements: Consistently delivering products or services that
meet or exceed customer expectations.
 Cost Savings: Reduction in operational costs and resource utilization,
leading to increased profitability.
 Employee Development: Empowering employees through skill
enhancement and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
 Sustainable Practices: Contributing to environmental sustainability by
reducing the ecological footprint of operations.

Structure and Audit System:

 Challenging but Feasible: Implementing WCM is not difficult but requires
significant effort and discipline. The structured approach (recipe-like
methodology) makes it manageable, but it demands cultural change and
consistent application.
 Regular Audits and Evaluations: WCM involves regular audits and
evaluations every six months to assess the implementation's effectiveness.
These audits are conducted by trained leaders and managers from within the
organization or from other companies in the group.
 WCM undergoes audits every six months, aiming for 50 points across
technical and managerial pillars, focusing on continuous improvement,
although achieving perfection is an objective but rarely accomplished.
 Structured around three technical pillars (reactive, preventive, and
predictive), each comprising seven steps, WCM is highly visual and taught
through detailed classes or online training programs with mentoring for
practical application.
 Although there are benefits of chasing audit scores, there are also major
risks and shortcomings.
Organizational Structure of WCM:
Implementation and Standard Model:
 Companies follow a basic model when initiating their WCM journey.
 This process involves structuring the team to match or closely resemble the
presented standard.
 Model Areas: Each WCM pillar has its model area tailored to specific
needs, such as logistics or machine breakdowns. This focused approach
ensures targeted improvements rather than applying the same model area
across all pillars.

Team Composition:
 Each team consists of leaders, co-leaders, and members for each technical
pillar.
 Leadership as an Assignment: Being a pillar leader in WCM is an
assignment rather than a formal job title. It typically doesn't change your job
 description or appear in your job title, although some companies
hire dedicated WCM specialists.
 Distribution varies based on company size and structure, potentially with a
manager overseeing multiple pillars.

Responsibilities and Qualifications:

 Leaders must have expertise in the area they oversee within the company.
 Emphasis on aligning leaders' roles with their specific activities within the
realm of WCM.

WCM Support and Connection:

 WCM support serves to assist technical pillars by connecting them with the
methodology.
 Focuses on bringing external knowledge to complement and support the
pillars in their activities.
 Employee Knowledge Varies: Not everyone in a company implementing
WCM will master the method. Knowledge and understanding of WCM
grow as the company progresses through different levels of implementation,
such as bronze, silver, and gold.

Focus on Cultural Change:

 The objective is not to add extra work but to drive cultural change within the
company.
 This shift is crucial for individuals to perceive WCM as an integral part of their
roles.

Table of Contents
 World Class Manufacturing Defined
 WCM Techniques and Standards
 The World Class Manufacturing Way
 The 10 World Class Manufacturing Pillars
Schedule Demo
There are various lean programs, one of them being world class manufacturing
(WCM), and that is what we’ll be focusing on here today.
World Class Manufacturing Defined
 Fiat, an Italian automobile manufacturer, and the best European and Japanese
experts came together with the goal of enhancing production standards to a
recognized world standard. As a result, that is how world class manufacturing came
to be.
WCM is a systematic approach based on the minimization of the seven types
of wastes with the help of everyone in an organization and the proactive
application of various techniques and standards.
Moreover, WCM applies its concepts to all aspects of the manufacturing plant
(or factory) organization, in terms of continuous improvement. That is to say, it
aims to continuously improve areas such as safety, quality, maintenance, and
logistics.
WCM Techniques and Standards
WCM uses various techniques and standards in one combination or another to
continuously improve products, processes, and services. For example, some of the
techniques and standards include:
 Doing it right the first time
 Total preventive maintenance (TPM)
 Zero defects
 Just-in-time
 Quick replacement
 Streamlined flow
 Higher employee contribution
1. 5S, to keep the workplace clean, organized, and safe
2. Just-in-time, to work towards zero inventory throughout the organization
3. Lean methodology, to work towards minimizing and eliminating waste
throughout the organization
4. Total preventive maintenance (TPM), to achieve an OEE value that is greater
than 80%
5. Total quality management, to work towards 100% customer satisfaction
6. Higher employee contribution through quality circles
7. Visual management, to create a easily understandable visual information
system
Streamline processes and achieve operational efficiency

The 10 World Class Manufacturing Pillars

 World class manufacturing foresees 10 pillars that represent the “Temple of
WCM”. Moreover, its purpose is to visually teach users that to achieve the standard
of excellence, a parallel development of all 10 pillars is essential. Additionally, each
pillar represents and focuses on a specific area of the production process and uses
relevant tools to achieve global operational excellence. Essentially, the 10 WCM
pillars focuses on “Zero” — what this means is:
1. Safety and Health — zero accidents
2. Cost Deployment — identify where the problems are based on cost
3. Focused Improvement — leverage Kaizen, 5S, and workforce contribution to
reduce costs and attain zero wastes
4. Autonomous Activities — maintain the basic conditions of machines and
equipment to attain zero breakdowns and maintain the basic conditions of
the shop-floor
5. Professional Maintenance — attain zero breakdowns with maintenance team
6. Quality Control — attain zero defects based on total quality control (TQC)
7. Logistics — ensure customers are satisfied through continuous flow of
materials and attaining zero shortages
8. Early Equipment Management — attain zero new product, tooling, and/or
equipment losses by implementing new products, tools, and/or equipment
smoothly into production
9. People Development — train and teach employees to materialize WCM, as
whether one achieves WCM or not depends on the people
Environment — attain zero energy waste by continuously respecting the
community’s environment