When Lean and Six Sigma converge: a case study of a successful implementation of Lean Six Sigma at an aerospace company

Over the past decade, companies of all sizes have faced tremendous pressure to improve their manufacturing operations, productivity, and customer service in order to successfully compete in the global business arena As a result, companies have experimented with different strategies and techniques. The techniques that look the most promising appear to be Lean and Six Sigma. There are very limited studies that empirically document how these two techniques can be integrated into one strategy and how they can be leveraged to achieve world-class results. In this paper, by means of a detailed case analysis, we demonstrate how a major aircraft manufacturing company located in West Michigan successfully incorporated the LLS concept into its operations. We discuss the factors that facilitated the success of LLS and provide suggestions for managers who are considering implementing this improvement strategy.