Continuing from the previous success of Arsenal of Venice in the great tradition of manufacturing there are some early thoughts into the lean and lean manufacturing. There are some early thoughts on avoidance of waste which have contributed greatly in their times. These are some of the early glimpses in the history of lean thinking and lean manufacturing. Avoidance of waste has been the forefront of the thoughts of many leaders and gurus.

The Great American Author, Scientist, philosopher, Benjamin Franklin has recorded in his poor Richards Almanac, about wasted time.

Franklin mentioned about increasing profits by reducing costs He added that avoiding unnecessary costs could be more profitable than increasing sales: “A penny saved is two pence clear. A pin a-day is a groat a-year. Save and have.”. The same  thoughts continued in his book “The way to wealth”.

He attacks carrying unnecessary inventory. here is the text  “You call them goods; but, if you do not take care, they will prove evils to some of you. You expect they will be sold cheap, and, perhaps, they maybe bought  for less than they cost; but, if you have no occasion for them, they must be dear to you”. Another statement form the same book “remember that many have been ruined by buying good penny Worth’s.”  If you look at these statements clearly, these were preaching avoidance of waste and the resulting profitability.

The concept further studied by Franklin Gilberth, who saw that some movements which are waste in the job of a mason. Gilberth saw that the masons bend to pick the bricks and this takes considerable time.

Gilberth came up with the scaffold, which reduced the movement and made the bricks available at a waist height. This has resulted in the speed of work and avoidance of waste of both energy and also the time spent of transferring the bricks and other construction material.

These are some clear early thoughts on eliminating the waste. These became foundation for the lean journey today.

In fact, Henry Ford, who was one of the fore fathers of lean thinking got his inspiration form Benjamin Franklin.The history of lean manufacturing continues.

Next we will see the effect of industrial revolution which started around 1750 on the journey of lean. There are so many examples of simple innovations contributing to the great productivity boom