PIA/GATF Center for Lean Practices Assists Printers

Pittsburgh-based Printing Industries of America/Graphic Arts Technical Foundation (PIA/GATF) formed the Center for Lean Practices to assist the graphic communications industry with the implementation of Lean Manufacturing. Since its inception, the Center for Lean Practices has received rave reviews from those who have taken advantage of the Center’s products and services. One such printer reduced spoilage from 2.5 percent to 1.09 percent over the last year.

Ken Rizzo, PIA/GATF’s director of consulting, oversees the Center’s activities. He has been involved with Lean Practices for more than 20 years. Previously, Rizzo served as a process engineer for offset printing, where he led numerous lean manufacturing projects, including Kaizen events, 5S, setup reduction and total production maintenance.

PIA/GATF’s Center for Lean Practices offers a host of products and services, including:

• Consulting services and onsite training, such as lean and productivity assessments, value stream mapping, 5S, quick response makeready, total production maintenance and FSC and SFI certification assistance

• Lean manufacturing for print managers workshop

• Lean tools for optimizing print production workshop

• Continuous improvement conference

• “Lean Printing: Pathway to success” and “Total Production Maintenance,” published by PIA/GATF Press

• “Hot Topics: Center for Lean Practices-Lean manufacturing 2,” by PIA/GATF Press

For more information, visit www.gain.net or call (800) 910-4283.