Iowa state representative Phil Wise wants to spend $250,000 to set up a Lean Manufacturing Institute in the hopes of keeping manufacturing in the state, according to a February 26, 2006 article in The Hawk Eye. The government of Iowa has been progressive when it comes to Lean manufacturing in the past, so this sounds like good news.

Community colleges taught 7,425 people about Lean manufacturing in 2005, according to the article. What does the Lean Manufacturing Institute plan to teach? Hopefully not this, from the article:

Lean manufacturing is considered an amalgamation of various quality–control concepts that reduce inventory, downtime and defects to improve design, manufacturing and distribution.

It sounds like this definition was put together by a committee. I suppose the word "amalgamation" is better than "hodge-podge".

The Lean Manufacturing Institute aims to "provide executive level, in–depth training assistance to manufacturing entities in the state." My advice is to the Lean Manufacturing Institute is to go light on the "various quality-control concepts" and let the community colleges continue to train the thousands who will implement Lean manufacturing. Instead the institute should spend the valuable time of these executives on marketing, selling, accounting and managing for a Lean enterprise. I don't think that's asking too much for $250,000 of taxpayer money.

To keep jobs in Iowa, the Lean Manufacturing Institute will need to teach about a lot more than how to improve productivity and efficiency. To survive and thrive as a manufacturer competing with lower cost countries today you need not only Lean manufacturing but also products that customers want, and a marketing and sales strategy that makes sure you can connect customers with your products and services effectively.