JMD goes KAIZEN – The team’s journey towards operational excellence

The pursuit of excellence is an ongoing journey, and JMD is well on track to achieving high standards. This ENL subsidiary was recently recognised as one of the group’s companies that actively applies lean management to enhance operational efficiency, and it also won a bronze award at the latest National Productivity and Quality Excellence Award (NPQEA) 2024 contest. In this context, the company hosted a delegation from Tanzania, accompanied by experts from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), as part of a knowledge-sharing initiative on KAIZEN and business development. The JMD team’s effort is increasingly being recognised on the international landscape.

At the heart of JMD’s success is its commitment to the Kaizen methodology, a structured approach to continuous improvement that has transformed the way the company operates. The company embraced this Japanese business philosophy, under the guidance and expertise of the Technology and Operational Excellence (TOPEX) department, to enhance its operations and foster a culture of continuous improvement. Examples of how this is applied includes a Kaizen board which allows employees to propose ideas during morning sessions, ensuring that innovation and problem-solving are part of daily routines, The key processes are mapped and maintain to provide stakeholders a detailed look of the current state of the process to quickly identify opportunity for improvements. To maintain momentum, managers receive regular updates on the progress of these initiatives, ensuring that improvements are effectively tracked and implemented.

JMD also nurtured the 5S principles within its ranks—Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardize, and Sustain. These 5 watchwords are fully integrated into JMD’s daily operations by each and every staff member in order to create a continuously organised, efficient, and safe work environment

Arnaud Albert, Head of Operational Excellence at ENL, shares his insights:

At JMD, our focus was on optimising processes, particularly in warehouse and stock management, to improve efficiency and organisation. We needed to instill greater awareness among employees about the impact of their daily actions and encourage a mindset of minimising waste. By implementing structured improvements, we aimed to create a more streamlined and sustainable workflow that benefits both the team and the business as a whole.

Recently, these efforts towards continuous improvement were recognised at the international level after JMD’s award at the NPQEA 2024 contest. The NPQEA encourages organisations to share their best operational practices, processes, systems, and initiatives and learn from the experience of others. JMD was selected by the NPCC to host a delegation from Tanzania and Japan to share how the philosophy was applied within the organisation. The delegation, which included nine representatives from the Tanzanian government and private sector, along with three JICA experts, learned how the company has successfully implemented the KAIZEN method and other initiatives to improve productivity and workplace efficiency.

Patrick Piat, General Manager of JMD, shares his thoughts:

This visit reinforced the importance of sharing experience and best practices. By showcasing our approach and the improvements we’ve made, we hope to inspire others on their own journey toward operational excellence.

JMD continues to focus on KAIZEN as a key part of its operations, ensuring that its processes remain efficient and aligned with best practices. The exchange with the Tanzanian delegation and JICA experts reinforced the importance of structured improvement methods in building sustainable and competitive businesses.

Through collaborations like this, JMD and ENL remain committed to fostering a culture of learning and excellence, both locally and beyond.