Transportation

Where it comes from

One of the seven wastes (muda) named by Taiichi Ohno as he built the Toyota Production System in Japan between the late 1940s and the 1970s.

What it looks like

• Moving parts across a large plant between machines that could sit side by side.
• Double and triple handling of the same material into and out of storage.
• Forklifts shuttling work in process to a distant staging area and back.

Why it matters

Every extra move costs time, fuel, and handling, and each touch is a chance to damage or lose the product, none of which the customer will pay for.