Gary Vermeer had a philosophy of always finding “a better way” to develop, manufacture and deliver quality products to customers. That philosophy is still alive today and has taken on new meaning.

For more than a decade, Vermeer has been on a journey to integrate lean principles into every aspect of the business — quality, cost, delivery, safety and morale. Simply stated, lean is the pursuit and elimination of waste which results in improved production efficiency and enhanced product quality and reliability. It involves constantly evaluating how we go about daily tasks and looking for ways to complete them more efficiently.

Vermeer has implemented lean principles throughout its manufacturing plants, which has led to some dramatic outcomes. For example, a brush chipper once took 52 days to manufacture. Now, using standardized parts and streamlined processes, the same machine is ready to ship in just two-and-a-half days.

What does this mean to customers?

Products can be backfilled to the dealership faster, resulting in the right equipment getting to the right spot at the right time. In addition, the quality control process is integrated throughout the manufacturing process, leading to more opportunities to enhance the quality of our products. It can also mean shorter lead times for building and shipping replacements parts, which helps keep vital parts on the dealer's shelf when you need them most.

Lean principles aren’t only for manufacturers. Contractors and farmers can integrate lean principles into their everyday operations. Simple steps — like organizing tools and following service tasks in a specific order — can help reduce preventive maintenance time and costs.  

Vermeer dealers are also implementing lean principles to help streamline service work in the shop and field. Service trucks and shops are being updated for more efficient placement of tools and parts, ultimately providing better service to the customer.

Lean is about empowering every employee in the company to find a better way of doing business. For Vermeer, it’s resulted in greater efficiency — but more importantly, higher employee morale and enhanced product quality.