ST. PAUL, MINN., Dec. 10, 2014—FenderBender is thrilled to announce the addition of Aaron Marshall, manager of Marshall Auto Body in Waukesha, Wis., as a monthly columnist.
Through his column, “Beyond Lean,” Marshall will explore the production processes and management philosophies that have made his operation a model of efficiency in the collision repair industry, and a destination for other shop operators interested in enhancing their operations. Marshall’s first column will appear in January. In it, he discusses how his shop has moved away from a “traditional” production model and implemented a “teaching production system” that makes many common issues facing shops obsolete.
“If some of the stuff I share with you this year contradicts what we have traditionally known and accepted, or sounds too theoretical to actually ‘work,’ or overtly challenges conventional collision industry wisdom to the point that it sounds weird, this is why,” Marshall writes.
Marshall Auto Body, a leader in innovation and shop sustainability, converted to a lean production system in 2006 and has since become highly regarded as an example of the impact lean—or waste-eliminating, “pull” production principles based on the Toyota Production System—can have on a collision operation.
