“My company needs to implement kanban to control inventory and cut cost. What do I do?”
The decision has been made: “We are implementing kanban.” Now it is your job to make it work — and you have probably heard stories of kanban systems that collapsed within months.
Request a Situation ReviewWhat you're facing
- You are not sure kanban fits every part, or which parts to start with.
- Nobody knows how many cards or bins you need, or how big they should be.
- Suppliers will have to respond to the signal, and they have not been asked yet.
- Leadership expects savings, and wants to know how much and how fast.
What this is costing you
- Excess stock if loops are oversized, stockouts if they are undersized.
- Wasted effort if the system collapses and everyone goes back to the spreadsheet.
- Supplier friction if the replenishment rules are not agreed up front.
- Credibility for the next improvement effort if this one fizzles.
The questions you're probably asking
- What exactly is kanban, and is it right for us?
- Which parts do we start with?
- How many cards and bins, and how big?
- How do we get suppliers to respond to the signal?
- How do I keep this from becoming another initiative that fizzles?
- What savings can I promise leadership, and how fast?
Before you print a single card
- 1Confirm you have the part data (PFEP) for the parts you plan to put on kanban.
- 2Check readiness: steady demand, reliable lead times, and willing suppliers.
- 3Pick one pilot area with steady, high-volume parts.
- 4Calculate loop sizes from demand, lead time, safety factor, and container quantity.
- 5Agree replenishment rules with two or three suppliers before launch, and set a weekly loop audit.
What best practice says
Kanban is not step one. It runs on part data — your PFEP. Without it, loops get sized by guesswork and collapse. Kanban works where demand is steady, supplier lead times are reliable, the data exists, and suppliers are willing; everything else stays on MRP. Pilot first in one area with steady high-volume parts and two or three cooperative suppliers. Size each loop with math, not gut feel: (daily demand × replenishment lead time × (1 + safety factor)) ÷ container quantity. Write the replenishment rules into POs and supplier agreements so the signal is contractual, not a courtesy. Then audit the loops every week: lost cards, missed signals, and resizing as demand shifts. That is what keeps it from fizzling.
The Exceleor Path
- 01
Discovery
Understand the problem, measure where things stand today, and agree on what success looks like.
- 02
Define the engagement path
Most organizations don't know the path. We do. A proven method, tailored to your situation.
- 03
Training
Bring your people to a clear understanding of the requirements.
- 04
Implement and engage
Carry out the work jointly, with your people involved from day one.
- 05
Verify
Confirm the work was done and meets the requirement.
- 06
Validate
Confirm the original problem is actually solved, measured against the success measures from Discovery.
- 07
Transfer ownership
We collaborate throughout, so your team can run it without us.
- 08
Sustain and grow
We stay close, check in, and catch the next need early. We're here to make sure you succeed.
What you'll have at the end
- Kanban loops running in a pilot area.
- Loop sizes backed by the math, and a rule for resizing them.
- Written replenishment rules in your POs and supplier agreements.
- Suppliers responding to the signal.
- A weekly loop audit routine, and measured reductions in inventory and expedites.
- A plan to expand to the next area.
Why SupplySourceSync
- 30+ years of VP-level supply chain and quality leadership, including $1.85B in supply chain assets managed.
- Certified ISO auditor experience across aerospace, defense, automotive, medical device, and electronics.
- Work with organizations such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin, NASA, Toyota, and Ford.
- We do the work with your people, prove the problem is solved, and hand you the keys.
SupplySourceSync is an Exceleor LLC company.
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