Knowledge is Key for NZ'sFirst Kaizen College

Knowledge is Key for New Zealand’s First Kaizen College

Kaizen practice to bring new standard of training in ‘Lean’ management practices to foster short-term survival and long-term success for local organisations during the global economic crisis

AUCKLAND, Thursday 12 February, 2009– Consulting company KAIZEN® Institute New Zealand (KINZ), will next week officially launch the KAIZEN College, to offer a range of professional development seminars in areas of continuous improvement to help local organisations steer through the current economic downturn and work towards sustained long term success.

In 2006, Directors Danie Vermeulen and Richard Steel brought the KAIZEN Institute’s innovative methods and philosophies for refining and developing business processes from its home in Switzerland to New Zealand. KINZ offers consulting support to local companies and international companies in service, professional development and manufacturing across various industry sectors such as retail, banking insurance, government, tertiary education, distribution, logistics, food processing, construction, energy and utilities.

Vermeulen and Steel felt that the time was ripe to bring the European model of KAIZEN College to New Zealand. “Service industries in New Zealand and the rest of the world desperately need to improve its efficiency and productivity,” said Vermeulen. “The same applies to the ‘back office’ support processes of any other businesses.”

“KAIZEN College brings a world class standard of training in ‘Lean’ management practices to the local organisations, “continues Vermeulen.  “We found that ‘Lean’ training available in New Zealand did not cover the full gamut of techniques and tools available to Lean practitioners especially in the current business conditions.”

KAIZEN College teaches in a practice-related way how an organisation can initiate and then sustain improvement processes in any area for themselves.  Businesses learn valuable skills needed to eliminate waste, meet demand, understand and deliver customer value and motivate everyone in the business to “do something” positive about improving the business they work in.

“We also intend to make ‘Lean’ training more holistic: to be constantly considering how the culture and philosophy of organisations affect the way participants work, and to provide financial measurement," continues Vermeulen. “Along the way the focus is on personal development: learning skills that can be put into practice everyday and continuing on a path of life-long learning.

Local Directors…international presenters and trainers

In this difficult economic environment New Zealand companies stand to gain from the international expertise and experience Vermeulen and Steel bring to KAIZEN College. 

Both directors are in demand internationally as presenters of KINZ’s expertise and locally developed seminars. In 2008 they presented at 3 international seminars and in 2009 that number is expected to be 12. The first half of 2009 they will present Kaizen Institute seminars in countries as diverse as Malaysia, US, China, Italy, Germany, Sweden and Singapore.

Lean management professional development

The range of seminars offered covers all industries, ranging from manufacturing to service and all ‘Lean’ applications, including Total Service Management, Lean Supply Chain, Lean Measurement (Accounting) and Executive Sales and Operations Planning. The seminars are targeted at a wide range of industry professionals, from those in technical, administrative, sales and management roles to those involved in HR and in the finance, retail, FMCG and manufacturing industries.

Programmes can also be tailored to suit individual companies, and KAIZEN offers one, two, and three day seminars to enable businesses to make affordable investment steps.

Upcoming seminar on Total Service Management

On March 10-12 KAIZEN College will hold a Total Service Management seminar in Auckland which will amongst other things increase awareness of wastage in the office and service (types of loss), space savings, reduced operating costs, increased product availability, reduced search and response times, improved motivation and staff satisfaction and retention.

The industries currently adopting Total Service Management include:

Banking

Insurance

Logistics & Distribution

Utilities

Healthcare

Education

Telecommunications

Government

Local Authorities

Hospitality

For more info see http://nz.kaizen.com/kaizen-college.html

About KAIZEN Institute NZ

Established in 2006, KINZ focuses on the key areas of quality, costs, logistic, staff motivation, safety, technology and environment within an organisation to make it more streamlined and efficient by eliminating waste and providing a business process improvement framework.

For more information see http://nz.kaizen.com/

ENDS

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