Kaizen Method: Cameroonian Firm Curbs Waste, Makes Profit

More than 600 Cameroonian Small and Medium-size Enterprises, SMEs in various sectors have so far tried the Japanese efficient management method known as Kaizen. One of them is Mako Industries, a Yaounde-based firm involved in the production of toilet tissue and multiple-purpose wiping paper.
During a media tour to the firm on March 4, 2022 organized by the Embassy of Japan in Cameroon, journalists listened to management explain the benefits of the method. For example, Mako Industries has been able to reduce toilet tissue damage by 3.38 per cent and 1.2 per cent for multiple-purpose wiping paper. As well making a profit of 1.4 million FCFA.  
Mako Industries’ experience shows that Kaizen rests on three main pillars - good management of physical space, resources and work tools. “If workers are not disciplined, it will be difficult to manufacture quality products.  On the other hand, waste (“muda” in Japanese), must be eliminated,” management stressed.
In this wise, Mako lays emphasis on improving quality and productivity by eliminating tasks that do not add value. Good practices have also been standardized. “Each time an easier and more practical way of carrying out a task without losing time and money is discovered, it becomes the company’s standard way of working,” it was explained.  
Kaizen is the Japanese word for “continuous improvements.” It is a philosophy and technique that uses a number of tools to reduce operations that do not add value. In order to boost quality and productivity. Kaizen entails improvements involving management and employees alike, at relatively little cost. As a philosophy and way of l...