Development of a Lean Manufacturing and SLP-based System for a Footwear Company

This research article addresses one of the main problems in the footwear industry, namely the high order non-fulfillment rate. The case study suggests that the main causes of this problem are the increasing rate of defective goods, delays in the production process, and excessive time consumption in the movement of staff and materials. To face this issue, a proposal focused on the use of Lean Manufacturing, such as Systematic Design Planning (SLP) and Andon, is developed to increase productivity, as well as optimize and streamline production processes, considering Covid-19-related safety protocols. To validate the effectiveness of the proposal, an ARENA simulation system was used to establish a new scenario where the defective product indicator decreases by 3.13% and productivity improves by about 38%. In turn, the resulting increase in the number of orders enhances company sales and profits, as well as the ability to meet the customer demand in a timely manner.