Lean Consultants:
Shinka Management is a global company of lean consultants supporting clients in over 70 countries through the transfer of Japanese management know-how. Our lean manufacturing consultants provide practical solutions for developing your people and improving your business through continuous improvement, resulting in increased productivity and competitiveness.
Looking for support in implementing and sustaining a lean culture within your organization? Talk to us about how our lean consultants can help with your unique needs. Read more +
- Diagnosis – Develop your lean deployment roadmap
- Implement – Practical support for your lean journey
- Toyota Sensei – The ultimate lean consultants
Our training services cover the most powerful lean methodologies developed by Japanese industry, and are designed to develop your people with the skills they need to excel. Read more +
- Lean Training – Japanese production management
- Scheduled Courses – View up-coming training dates
- Kaizen Training Programs – See full range of topics
New to the concept of lean, or searching for that next level of achievement? Our lean Japan tours will help you discover how lean can best be implemented within your business. Read more +
- Exclusive Access – Benchmark Japanese companies
- Training – Lean seminars and hands-on experiences
- Tour Leadership – Led by expert lean consultants
Lean / Kaizen ?
New to the concept of lean, or searching for that next level of achievement?… Our lean consultants will help you discover how lean can best be implemented within your business.
Contact us for a tailored solution
Speak to our lean consultants about customized support for your team’s lean journey.
Lean Manufacturing Consultants – Kaizen Method Experts
Shinka Management specializes in the transfer of Japanese management know-how to global industry. Our lean consultants provide access to Japan’s rich experience and knowledge in business process management and continuous improvement practices.
Our lean consultants are here to help you increase your productivity and competitiveness, providing lean consulting, lean training and our popular Lean Japan Tours. We integrate into your organization to achieve tangible and measurable solutions that strengthen your people and improve your bottom line.
Our lean consulting team supports industry-leading companies in over 70 countries. Our lean management consultants include veteran Toyota factory managers from Japan, and senior lean consultants that have developed their expertise in lean manufacturing directly through Japanese industry. With a thorough understanding of the language and culture in which lean was originally developed, and experience in applying lean practices to various corporate and national cultures around the world, our consultants are well placed to provide the right support for your team.
Our focus is on providing practical, implementable solutions for improving your business. Contact us to discuss how Shinka Management can help you and your team drive cultural change and achieve sustainable improvements across your organization.
- Safety
In implementing lean principles with our clients, safety is top priority for our lean consultants. Only once safety is maintained can a culture of continuous improvement flourish. - Quality
By building quality into the process and removing reliance on inspection, our clients move towards zero defect production, removing costly rework and damage to reputation. - Productivity
Waste elimination, process standardization and raising employee awareness, enable our clients to dramatically improve operational efficiency. - Staff Morale
Through removing unnecessary work, roadblocks and frustrations, staff are freed up to achieve a greater value-add for the customer. This ultimately leads to greater employee morale and retention. - Customer Satisfaction
Value, as perceived by the customer, is a key driver for all lean activities. Through reducing lead times and guaranteeing quality, customer satisfaction is increased, along with your reputation. - Profit
Our clients substantially improve profitability as they move towards an injury-free workplace with low staff turnover, higher operational productivity, zero defects and increased market share.
Lean Japan Tours – Immerse Yourself in the Origins of Kaizen
Jodie Hawkes, Director
Bowhill Engineering
A great mix of Japanese Business Etiquette, site visits show-casing lean principles, Japanese Culture and networking with the other members of the group. Both Ben & Paul were professional yet relaxed and friendly. Their relationships with key personnel in strategic lean businesses is impressive and their ability to translate quickly & accurately minimised the language…
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Martin Karlsson, Operations Manager
Volvo Buses
A great tour. Having spent over 20 years in manufacturing I now understand the true meaning of Kaizen.
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Lily Sayers, Founder/Owner
Resebel
This was my third visit to Japan with Shinka Management and it is difficult for me to find the right words to express my gratitude for such a well-organized tour and my appreciation for the high quality and on-target content. In my previous visits I received very valuable information related to continuous improvement principles and…
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Stuart Collins, Executive Director Tasmania
Housing Industry Association
Paul and Eri from Shinka Management clearly understood the brief and greatly assisted in transforming our industry tour into an enjoyable and exceptional experience immersed in Japanese culture. Without their support we would not have gained the same level of factory access, learnings and knowledge. Well done!
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Greg Curcio, Improvement Support Manager
Metro Trains Melbourne
I would highly recommend the tour to anyone who is in the business of improving people. The ideas stimulated through this tour have helped me reform our entire vision of what improvement means for our business.
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Ramon Kahrsch, Vice President Operational Excellence
Witzenmann
The Lean Japan Tour was the best lean management experience I have had. I wish I had done this earlier, so I could have done some things differently. One learns that some aspects of lean that one thought one knew, really have a different dimension to them. It helps to see lean management where it…
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New to the concept of lean, or searching for that next level of achievement? Our lean tours will help you discover how to best implement lean within your business.
The tour duration is 7 days and includes:
- Company Tours – a range of industries with discussion with senior management.
- Training – TPS, TPM, Kanban, VM, Just-in-time, 5S, Jidoka, SMED, Poka-yoke, TQM
- Seminars – learn to implement, lead and sustain a lean culture in your organization
- Culture – immerse yourself in a mix of cultural and sightseeing experiences
- Small Groups – quality, hands on study missions with like-minded people
- Led by Expert Lean Consultants – 16-year track record delivering lean tours
Tour Dates – Book early as places are limited.
Lean Healthcare Tour - May 2025
18 May 2025 - 24 May 2025
Lean Japan Tour - September 2025
31 Aug 2025 - 6 Sep 2025
Lean Japan Tour - November 2025
9 Nov 2025 - 15 Nov 2025
18 May 2025 - 24 May 2025
Lean Japan Tour - September 2025
31 Aug 2025 - 6 Sep 2025
Lean Japan Tour - November 2025
9 Nov 2025 - 15 Nov 2025
Belinda Clarke, Executive Manager
Build Up Tassie
Paul Smith and the team at Shinka Management, in particular Eri Dennis, did an incredible job planning and leading our tailored Japan Study Tour in March 2024. Our team of construction and training professionals learnt and more importantly experienced so much about lean management and Japanese construction, manufacturing and factory practices. Without the expertise and…
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Tamara Weary, Quality Manager
Independent
The Lean Japan Tour was one of the best quality training programs that I’ve attended. The information is provided in a good learning environment and the hands on activities along with in-plant tours to see the lean concepts in action helped reinforce the concepts. There is so much I learned on this trip that I…
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Andrew Marshall, Production Manager
Wineworks Marlborough
Personally and professionally I found the week extraordinarily rewarding – not only as a fantastic Lean Japan Tour but as a cultural experience not to be missed. Imagine if you will… taking a group of people you had never met before, under your wing, in one of the most crowded cities in the world. Plenty…
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Amitkumar Bramhane, Deputy General Manager – Operations
Duroshox
I recently had the opportunity to participate in the Lean Japan Tour by Shinka Management, and it was an exceptional experience. The tour is meticulously designed for a concise 7-day itinerary, providing deep and practical insights into Lean Manufacturing. The blend of informative sessions and real-world observations made the learning process both engaging and highly…
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Andy Bisset, Process Improvement Manager
Calder Stewart Construction
If you have embarked on a lean journey The Lean Study Tour should be on your bucket list! It was inspiring to see the Toyota Production System in action as a management system, as well as the small improvements made day in and day out by dedicated and motivated teams all striving to continuously improve.…
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Hanen Akrout, Performance Director
SOPAL
First of all, I want to express my sincere gratitude for this unforgettable trip. From the beginning, the level of organization and attention to detail was outstanding. The program was well thought out, providing a perfect balance between plant visits, theoretical training, and practical experiences. It’s evident that a lot of thought and effort went…
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Training – Lean Management Master Classes, Webinars, Japanese Business Etiquette
Lean Training
Shinka Management offers scheduled open-registration training courses and customized training services.
Run both on-site and online, the Lean Leadership Master Class is led by Hyodo Sensei, former factory manager and Director of the Toyota HiAce final assembly plant in Japan. The training covers the lean manufacturing theory and leadership principles.
The Lean Implementation Master Class complements the Lean Leadership Master Class, covering the key practices required to implement lean, and including a range of case studies and practical exercises.
#AskSensei Webinar Series
#AskSensei is a regularly-scheduled online event that provides the lean community with the opportunity to join a discussion with our very own former Toyota Factory Manager, Akinori Hyodo. During these webinars Hyodo Sensei fields questions on all things related to lean and the Toyota Production System.
For each event we choose a different theme related to lean manufacturing and invite Hyodo Sensei to provide opening commentary to kick-start the discussion.
Japanese Business Etiquette
Considering new business relationships with Japan or experiencing challenges with old ones? We deliver training programs and seminars on Japanese Business Etiquette and Doing Business with the Japanese to help bridge the cultural and communication divide with Japan for improved business outcomes.
- Local companies considering market entry to Japan
- Foreign Japanese subsidiaries and acquisitions
- Working within a Japanese company
- Japan trade mission support
Training and Webinar Dates
Lean Healthcare Tour - May 2025
18 May 2025 - 24 May 2025
Lean Japan Tour - September 2025
31 Aug 2025 - 6 Sep 2025
Lean Japan Tour - November 2025
9 Nov 2025 - 15 Nov 2025
Time and motion study software – OTRS10
Shinka Management provides sales and support for OTRS, a video-based time and motion study software designed to help you analyze and document standard work processes, and achieve productivity improvement within your operations. The software leverages Japanese industrial engineering and lean manufacturing principles to help your company achieve world-class performance.
OTRS is considered the gold standard in time study software and is trusted by the biggest names in Japanese and global industry. Developed in conjunction with Toyota Motor Corporation in Japan, OTRS10 is available for PC, and is complemented by the IOS app Mobile OTRS, and the Fujitsu AI engine-powered OTRS+AI.
- Eliminate waste and standardize processes
- Create video-based standard work manuals
- Train staff and transfer technical skills
- Kaizen and process improvement
Our Clients
