In manufacturing, many use the terms 6 Sigma and Lean Manufacturing interchangeably. However, they are two different sets of tools and processes that manufacturers can implement. PCI Group’s Director of Business Process and Improvement, Tim Lackey, provided the answer to what makes them different in this episode of Ask the Experts.
“Lean manufacturing focuses on removing waste and reducing cycle time. 6 Sigma is prioritizing the voice of the customer and what’s important to them because if something isn’t, it shouldn’t be to us. 6 Sigma also uses data to determine projects to drive savings and consistency,” Tim explained.
By obtaining 6 Sigma, a company reaches 99.9997% quality, which means there’s a possibility for defects 3.4 times in one million. “If you think about what we do at PC Group of envelope to mail, there are hundreds of steps in that product, and the opportunities for error are great. With how few we end up with, we’re well beyond 6 Sigma,” Tim said.
In fact, PCI Group boasts an industry-leading accuracy rating of 99.9999%! “We’re in the no room for error business of transactional mail. We’re dealing with healthcare, debut collection, and billing. It’s critical that every customer gets their document and no one else’s,” Tim noted.
By implementing Lean Manufacturing and 6 Sigma, PCI Group can deliver the highest quality for transactional mail. Through standardized processes and leveraging data, customers can feel confident in outsourcing with us.
