The Toyota Production System is our Foundation

About EHIIP Consulting

EHIIP Consulting is a consulting firm that utilizes the Lean production system that was developed originally by Toyota Manufacturing.  Toyota has developed the Toyota Production System (TPS) over many years to become the basis for Toyota’s success.  EHIIP Consulting utilizes the TPS approach to continuously improve client companies.  Services include Lean Consulting, Lean Training, Lean Strategy Development, Operational Due-Diligence, Remote Lean Consulting, and Temporary Lean Leadership. These services all follow the Toyota Lean Manufacturing Approach. 

TPS – The Toyota Production System

What is the Toyota Production System? – The TPS system is a manufacturing philosophy that strives for the “elimination of waste”.  The elimination of waste inherently leads to more efficient processes.  Toyota has taken the concept of waste elimination and used it to develop employees.  Toyota engages all employees in problem solving activities to drive continuous improvement and learning throughout the company.  The combination of the TPS Tools, TPS Philosophies, and the TPS Management System create the culture of the Toyota Production System.

Toyota Production System History – The TPS system was originally conceived by Kiichiro Toyoda, who was the founder of Toyota Motors.  Kiichiro initially developed the concept of Just-in-time manufacturing, which is one of the pillars of the Toyota Production system and a key TPS Tools.  Toyota engineers worked through many of the concepts of the Toyota Production System between 1948 and 1975.  Eventually in 1992, Toyota published a document describing the Toyota Production System for the first time.  Toyota continuously adjust the system based on learning and needs within the company while maintaining the base philosophies.

Core principles of the Toyota Production System – Toyota shared the Toyota Production System with many companies and individuals around the world over the years.  In the book, The Toyota Way, 14 principles of the Toyota Production System are described and categorized into four key categories.

1) Long-Term Philosophy (1 Principle)

2) The Right Process will Produce the Right Results (7 Principles)

3) Add Value to the Organization by Developing Your People (3 Principles)

4) Continuously Solving Root Problems drives Organizational Learning (3 Principles)

Taiichi Ohno – Taiichi Ohno was an industrial engineer at Toyota Motors.  He is often thought of as the man who invented the Toyota Production System, or who invented Lean Manufacturing.  Taiichi Ohno used Kiichiro Toyoda’s Just-in-Time thinking and developed many foundational

Toyota Production System concepts.  The 7 wastes and the ten precepts are both widely known in the Toyota Production System.

TPS vs. Lean – The Toyota Production System developed over many years dating back to the late 40’s.  The term Lean Manufacturing did not arrive until an article in 1988 describing the Toyota Way as a Lean Production System.  The term Lean Manufacturing became common in the 1990’s and is used as alternative terminology to the Toyota Production System.  Many individuals that have learned directly from Toyota believe that there is a clear difference between the manufacturing systems, but the two approaches have become very aligned in the last couple years.  EHIIP Consulting does use the two terminologies interchangeably depending on the discussion or context.  

Lean Consultant Profiles

Jason Burt – Owner

Jason Burt is a Lean Manufacturing Consultant with an extensive diverse background.  His manufacturing career has been filled with leading and coaching organizations to increased levels of efficiency.  Using the Toyota Production System (TPS) approach has allowed him to positively change cultures for sustainable improvements

Herman Miller Lean Transformation – Jason was intimately involved in the extensive Lean Journey of Herman Miller from 1995-2011.  During his time with the company, he held roles of direct operational responsibilities as well as Corporate TPS coaching roles.  Jason was able lead the TPS implementation across manufacturing plants, throughout the supply chain, the dealership network, and other functional areas.

Direct TPS Coaching from Toyota – During his time at Herman Miller, Jason spent 18 months learning the TPS system directly from Toyota as a Toyota Lean Consultant.  Toyota and Herman Miller were in a partnership during his time with the company which allowed him direct coaching from Toyota Sensei’s for the entire 16 years.   

Lean Consultant since 2011 – Jason started his own Lean Consulting practice based on the Toyota Production System principles in 2011.  Jason’s primary clients are private business owners along with strong relationships in the private equity market.  His approach to helping companies leverages the Toyota Production System, or what is more commonly called lean Manufacturing, to drive new levels of capabilities in his clients.

Practical and Entrepreneurial – Clients appreciate Jason’s very practical approach to teaching and developing their organizations.  His strong entrepreneurial mindset combined with many years of running and leading organizations brings a practical perspective to daily business struggles.  This understanding creates an easy approach that helps clients through the difficulties of Lean Culture Change.

Eric VanDam – Consultant

Eric VanDam is a Lean Manufacturing Consultant with 30 years of experience leading operations from a diverse range of positions.  Eric has worked for over 20 years at companies holding a direct coaching relationship with Toyota implementing the Toyota Production System (TPS) within the furniture, automotive, and agriculture industries.

Herman Miller Lean Culture Development – Eric joined Herman Miller in 2000, shortly after the company’s organizational commitment to the Lean journey with Toyota.  Building from his TPS experience in the automotive industry, Eric was developed through the companies Executive Leadership programs to lead operations across multiple sites during his 16 years with the company.  In 2008, Eric assumed the leadership of the Greenhouse Seating Operations and guided the development of the Operational site as the company’s model for Lean.  It became the premier development space for the company’s leadership, including outside organizations such as General Electric and the Lean Enterprise Institute (LEI).

ExxonMobil Lean Project – Eric was requested by the CEO of Herman Miller to oversee the company’s largest single customer project in its history.  The project was $115M of installed furniture, not yet designed/developed, on a campus in Houston Texas over a 3-year period of time.  It involved creating a customer focused value stream from new product development, through multiple facilities, returnable packaging, logistics, and installation through an underground tunnel system.  The team exceeded every target and received high praise from the customer.  Eric’s development utilizing Lean throughout the entire value stream, in every aspect of the business, was a tremendous breakthrough in his ability to coach and lead an organization through Lean culture transformation.

Lean Consultant since 2018 – Eric began his own consulting practice after working for a period in Private Equity (PE) and wanting to expand his reach to more business owners.  In 2021, Eric joined the EHIIP Consulting team and is excited to bring his complementary talent and experience.