Our 5 Core Business Solutions

Optimization Consulting Experts

Onsite Masters of Execution

TPS/Lean takes PRACTICE, Not Just UNDERSTANDING". Utilizing our time-tested Optimization Engagement Methodologies based on the Toyota Production System, we consistently drive and influence real impactful change to any service or manufacturing business. Being “hands-on” and through a “structured approach”, affords us the unique opportunity to generate real business results with focused action activities that enhance the Customer Experience.

Digital Transformation Solutions

Focus Your Innovation, Gain Exceptional Returns

Driving a Strategic Imperative for any Digital Solution, means Getting it RIGHT! We purposefully apply the "TPS/Lean Thinking" philosophy from Toyota as the main guiding tool for our Digital Transformation Engagements beginning with a thorough Digital Maturity Assessment (DMA)! Doing so has ensured that our clients gain the most impactful ROI from their efforts to Digitalize.

Coaching the TPS/Lean Mindset

Focusing On The 2% of Leaders for Sustainability

Since TPS/Lean is a Full Business Strategy, it will require the Development of TPS/Lean Thinking Leaders that truly impact your business. Create clarity and a deeper appreciation for the application of the 12 TPS/Lean Leadership Behaviours, we’ve developed the 5D’s Coaching Model that ensures Business Growth through Better Execution.

Japan TPS/Lean Immersion Tours

Scaling Your Transformation

Step Into the Birthplace of TPS/Lean. Experience True Excellence and Benchmark some of the world's best companies here in Japan. Join us for a “Transformational 7-day Immersion Experience” that is truly "life-changing".

Ignite Your Talent

Hands-On Workshops that Inform, Engage & Inspire

Never Stop Learning, Because Life Never Stops Teaching! Experience the Difference from over 75+ Workshops & 4 Different Certifications tailored for every stage of your TPS/Lean journey. Our Teach-See-Do Methodology at the Gemba (workplace) ensures rapid knowledge retention & application of every concept taught resulting in immediate business gains.

DJ Duarte

Global Optimization Expert

36+ Years Experience47 Countries18 Industries69+ Partnerships

Transform your operations with proven TPS/Lean methodologies that frees up capacity, smooths flow of operations, generates transparency, reduces costs and builds sustainable excellence.

What I Do

Optimize Operations & Businesses- “Monozukuri” the art of making something. The implementation of global “best practices” that impact operating systems, deliver measurable hard savings, enhance the customer experience & gain stronger levels of commitment by leaders.

Develop TPS/Lean Leaders- “Hitozukuri” the art of developing people. Creating the right Structure enables “Leaders” to drive real changes in the business. Focusing on “what matters most”, building teams that are led by leaders with the right mindsets for lasting change & visualizing the journey, creates success.

Drive Transformation- “Henkaku” the art of transforming businesses. Blending traditional excellence with digital innovation creates a unique opportunity to “grow the business” in such a manner that your customers take notice and are delighted, while your competitors are challenged to keep up. People, Performance, Process & Innovation are intrinsically linked.

Industry Expertise

Manufacturing:Aerospace • Apparel • Automotive • Chemical • Construction • Electronics • Food • Industrial • Medical Devices

Services:Education • Entertainment • Hospitality • Insurance • Logistics • Casinos • Telecom • Retail

Specialized:Business Processing Outsourcing (BPO) • E-Commerce • Financial • Healthcare • Oil & Gas

My Approach

Focusing on the implementation of the Toyota Best Practices, we connect the Toyota Production System (TPS) + Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) + Total Quality Management (TQM) + Total People Development (TPD) in our approach that has consistently attained “unimaginable results”. From analysis to implementation and follow-up, we ensure companies around the world achieve sustainable business transformation results with direct impacts to the bottom-line and in the capabilities of their people.

Testimonial

What Our Clients Say

We provide a holistic suite of services designed to embed Lean thinking into the DNA of your operations, from leadership coaching to digital integration.

"I had the pleasure of learning leadership and Kaizen under DJ at Peterbilt Motors for months. His ability to reach out and stretch an individual to empty their cup from bad habits to his methods of continuous improvement was an incredible journey. His style of teaching is fun and challenging. DJ has a deep knowledge of the Kaizen methodology and is able to teach by example."

Senior Operations Auditor

Truck Manufacturer (USA)

"The JLIT experience is so valuable for your thought processes and your mindset to impact changes. DJ and his team know precisely how to bring TPS alive and how to help your understanding reach that next level of execution. In my opinion, JLIT is a necessity if you are a leader/manager by profession."

Interim COO

Netherlands

"To all those who would like to grow their knowledge of TPS, this is the best place to see it live. These guided tours of various facilities, you will experience TPS firsthand and during the classroom sessions, you will get a detailed overview of the facility and what they bring to the world of TPS."

Production Manager

"DJ, I really wanted to express my sincere thanks for an amazing JLIT week in Japan. The deep learnings from the visits/lectures our 'Top 1' discussions on the challenges ahead of me and the clear connections to changing the culture was fantastic! For sure, more of my team will be on our next tour!"

Operations Manager

Malaysia

"A fantastic week in Japan! I have never experienced such a well-prepared business trip. It was very impressive to see how the various companies we visited applied TPS. My most important insight from this week is that processes must be built around people in order to be successful, and not the other way around."

Head Of Transformation

USA

"I was introduced to DJ & Makoto when I was attending Lean Silver training at Jabil in Penang. The best thing that I liked about him is that he makes things very easy to understand & practical to implement. Most other consultants spend time only on classroom training, whereas with DJ, it's the perfect blend of classroom learning & practical application on the shopfloor."

Nishant Jain

Change Leader & Production Manager

It truly has been a pleasure getting to know DJ and learning from his deep experience in Lean / Continuous Improvement. His depth of understanding for the principles of kaizen are some of the most profound of anyone I've met to date."

CEO

Technology Firm (North America)

DJ's ability to carefully listen to client problems and strategically provide insightful and effective solutions by breaking down the issues into sequential phases shows the incredible power of his deep understanding and clinical analysis of any business situation."

General Manager

Global Manufacturer (Thailand/Hong Kong)

This OE Project workshop taught us information for sure but they didn't just give it to us, we had to live every bit of it and through that, we experienced the horrors of traditional leadership and the advantages of lean leadership."

Director of Engineering

Parts Supplier (USA/China)

Frequently Ask Questions

The Toyota Production System (TPS) is a comprehensive lean manufacturing system developed by Toyota to maximize efficiency by eliminating waste and optimizing processes. It is built on 4 distinct principles.
1) Just-in-Time(JIT) –Producing what is needed, when it is needed, and in the quantity needed. JIT begins with understanding Customer Demand that supports creating Takt operations.
2) Continuous Flow (CF) –If you produce to Takt, then any delay or stagnation in the flow impacts deliver times. Therefore, CF refers to processes where work or material moves steadily without interruption, seen in manufacturing via the likes of an assembly line. The ultimate goal is 1 Piece Flow, to minimize waiting and idle time, increasing efficiency, productivity, and throughput while reducing waste.
3) Small Batch Flow (BF) –If you are unable to meet demand with JIT or CF, then the next best option is to “make smaller batches” of items. What this involves is producing items or completing work in small, manageable quantities rather than large, monolithic batches. This approach and reduction of batch sizes by 50% aims to reduce waste, lower costs, improve quality and flexibility, and facilitate faster adaptation to feedback or changes in demand.
4) Pull System (Pull)– If you are unable to create flow, then Pull is the next best option where by the downstream processes "pull" materials and parts from upstream processes only when they are needed, as opposed to a "push" system that produces based on forecasts. This demand-driven approach, often visualized and controlled with “Kanban” signals, minimizes waste by reducing overproduction and holding inventory, resulting in a smooth, synchronized flow of production that matches real-time customer demand.

Now the real question is how does it help your business? Simply put, it’s a “Change Maker” to any business because it focuses on creating smooth flow of information and material. By doing so, your “operating or management system” generates either product or service in a timely manner. Common benefits or outcomes include but are not limited to:
‍High Quality: By addressing problems at the source and empowering employees, defects are minimized, leading to superior product and service quality.
‍Efficiency: Eliminating waste and streamlining processes reduces operating costs and shortens lead times, enabling faster delivery to customers.
‍Adaptability: The system allows for the production of a mix of models or in service the ability to be flexible in responding to customer orders and changing demands.
‍Employee Empowerment: TPS assigns well-defined responsibilities, with the right structure and encourages every team member to contribute to improving the entire system or business.

Transformation timelines vary based on organization size and complexity. Our coaching periods typically last 3-12 months, while our Operational Excellence Certification Program can be executed in 4-10 monGreat question and the truth is, “it depends”. Depending on the type of industry, the size of the business, the challenges ahead and what type of culture is already embedded, determines the duration. We recommend to our clients 4 different starting points in creating value.
1 – QUICK - Focused Activities: 1-5 Day efforts designed to deploy isolated activities like 6S in a Area, Executive Level Lean Immersion Experience, Lean 101 or Basics/Fundamental Management Training, Simple Practical Problem Solving, other core trainings, etc. (Create Model Areas & Thinking for others to visualize & inspire)
2 – EASY – Event-Based Activities: 5-45 Day efforts focused on improving specific processes and problems within the organization or department through a structured 5 day approach and 30-40 day follow-up of actions. (Isolated Impacts to Quality, Delivery and Cost, those key metrics that are always important to the Customer)
3 – LASTING – Project-Based Activities: 30-120 Day efforts designed around more complex elements like Organizational Wide Rollouts of programs, Creating Lean Leaders (behavior aligned to Standard Work), Influencing Change Overs (SMED), Deploying Just-In-Time Practices (JIT) tot create FLOW within operations, Jidoka practices that create smooth transitions between people & machines, etc. (Greater Impacts on Quality, Delivery and Cost in a specific focused area)
4 – CHALLENGING - Full or Focused Transformations: 120-365 Day or longer, designed to totally transform all aspects of the business from the shop floor to the board room starting with Strategy, Hoshin Kanri, Policy Deployments & Value Stream / Supply Chain Impact, etc. (Setting your new Lean/Continuous Improvement site into reality)

The natural outcomes of starting at any of these points is seeing the results every 30 or 60 days. Over the past 10 years, our clients have seen on average these kinds of returns:
     • 36% Reduction in Operating Costs
     • 42% Reduction in Supplier Costs
     • 68% Reduction in Inventory Costs
     • 70% Reduction in Change Over Times
     • 78% Reduction in Lead Times
     • 17% Increase in Sales Revenue
     • 30% Increase in Capacity Availability
     • 35% Increase in Productivity
     • 40% Increase in Inventory Turns
     • 55% Increase in On-Time-In-Full (OTIF)

Unlocking Potential to Maximize Performance