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You are here: Home / Archives for lean

A meaningful foundation

By Jeff Stone — Posted November 29, 2022

The Pacific Northwest is rich in its history. It was the destination of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, but also developed a rugged trade that brought goods to the world. Look at the names of rivers, towns and natural features. The influence of indigenous cultures is part of what makes this area special. Travel this […]

Filed Under: Director's Desk Tagged With: Digger, Digger magazine, lean, OAN

Arranging for efficient greenhouse production

By Mitch Lies — Posted February 22, 2022

The intentional, strategic use of space can determine how efficiently a greenhouse functions and how profitable it is Nursery operators tend to fill greenhouses to capacity, so that enough product is available when sales come knocking. But according to Rick and Elizabeth Peters of Lean consultants The Peters Company (Wilsonville, Oregon), a packed greenhouse at […]

Filed Under: Nursery Operations Tagged With: Digger, Digger magazine, Efficiency, lean

Lean, but clean

By Rick and Elizabeth Peters — Posted April 21, 2021

Faced with a pandemic, Lean nurseries adapted to stay ahead of the curve Early last spring we sat in the office of an Oregon nursery client. As Lean consultants to this company, we were there as the owner faced a crisis. He worked through scenarios and pondered how to survive a possible massive interruption to […]

Filed Under: Nursery Operations Tagged With: Digger, Digger magazine, Efficiency, lean, The Peters Company

The Peters Company launches Lean foundations course

By Bill Goloski — Posted January 5, 2021

The Peters Company has released an online course, “Lean Foundations,” for industry professionals seeking to reduce waste and improve productivity. The project is the company’s first on-demand training course and is available on https://learn.petersco.net for individual subscribers. The interactive course introduces the critical principles of the Toyota Production System — or Lean — which has […]

Filed Under: Nursery News Tagged With: lean, Nursery News

Building your Lean team

By Curt Kipp — Posted April 26, 2019

These analytical tools can help nurseries reach the next level of efficiency Last May, Digger presented the Efficiency Issue. We examined ways in which Oregon nurseries are making their operations more efficient, and we showed examples. Each nursery is unique. Our goal was to show off the ingenuity of some growers and inspire others to […]

Filed Under: Nursery Operations Tagged With: Digger, Digger magazine, Efficiency, lean, Wholesale Nurseries

Identifying value and waste

By Curt Kipp — Posted April 26, 2019

The key is in knowing what the customer is actually willing to pay for The central concept of Lean is to identify process steps that add value and those that are wasteful, eliminating the latter to become more efficient. It sounds simple but isn’t. Rick and Elizabeth Peters own a Wilsonville, Oregon-based Lean consulting firm, […]

Filed Under: Nursery Operations Tagged With: Business, Digger, Digger magazine, Efficiency, lean, Wholesale Nurseries

Creating ‘standard work’

By Jon Bell — Posted April 26, 2019

Finding and reinforcing best work flows helps nurseries run a tighter ship Walk into JLPN Inc., a seeding operation and nursery in Salem, Oregon, and even if you’re not familiar with how to harvest or grade container seedlings, you’d soon be doing it like an experienced hand. How? Simply by looking at the laminated diagrams […]

Filed Under: Nursery Operations Tagged With: Business, Digger, Digger magazine, Efficiency, lean, Wholesale Nurseries

Organizing spaces with 5S

By Bill Goloski — Posted April 26, 2019

The 5S methodology for storage and arrangement makes waste reduction far easier Many nurseries deploying Lean to make their processes less wasteful have found that organizing work spaces is a crucial part of their approach. To do this, they are deploying a Lean methodology called “5S.” The letters stand for 1) sort, 2) set in […]

Filed Under: Nursery Operations Tagged With: Business, Digger, Digger magazine, Efficiency, lean, Operations, Wholesale Nurseries

Keeping things moving

By Jon Bell — Posted April 26, 2019

The Lean concept of continuous flow delivers big for Oregon’s nurseries Twenty people to five. A quarter-mile span to 20 feet. One week to 20 minutes. What do these all have in common? They are all some of the head-scratching efficiencies that individual nurseries across Oregon have realized since they’ve implemented one key Lean concept […]

Filed Under: Nursery Operations Tagged With: Business, Digger, Digger magazine, Efficiency, lean, Operations, Wholesale Nurseries

Knowing our customers

By Mike Hiller — Posted April 26, 2019

Last fall, I had the opportunity to meet Dr. Bridget Behe, a professor of horticulture at Michigan State University. She was giving a presentation on her research into the marketing of edible and ornamental horticultural crops, which is her area of expertise. If you are not familiar with Dr. Behe’s podcast, “Connect 2 Consumer,” I […]

Filed Under: Columns, President's Message Tagged With: Business, Digger, Digger magazine, Efficiency, lean, Wholesale Nurseries

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NURSERY NEWS

Fall Creek promotes Amelie Aust to executive board chair

Hall of Famers give gift towards horticultural industry advocacy

Verl Holden retires from Oregon Garden Foundation Board

Fall Creek promotes Dave Daniel to general manager for U.S. and Canada

NWFCS, Farm Credit West create new association

More Nursery News

FARWEST SHOW UPDATES

Secure your 2023 Farwest hotel room and save

Farwest Show to celebrate 50th anniversary in 2023

Nursery professionals connect at Farwest

These 12 products had buyers buzzing at Farwest

Nightfall Snowbell sweeps top honors in Farwest New Varieties Showcase

More Updates from Farwest

From the pages of Digger

April 2023: The Trees Issue

March 2023: Water Outlook 2023

February 2023: Greenhouse Issue ’23

January 2023: The Retail Issue

December 2022: Oregon is Nursery Country

More issues of Digger

The Value of Membership

Meet the Leader: Angela Bailey

OAN Member Profile: Oregon Flowers Inc. 

These 12 products had buyers buzzing at Farwest

More member stories

CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE

Virtual is the new reality – for now

Trade shows in the time of COVID

A demand ‘renaissance’ for nurseries

Western Nursery & Landscape Association falls victim to pandemic

MANTS 2021 to move online due to COVID-19

More articles

Nursery Guide LIVE

Nursery Guide LIVE clicks into place

Booth spaces still available for Nursery Guide LIVE March 17–18

Nursery Guide LIVE virtual marketplace postponed due to winter storm damage

Keynote presentations at Nursery Guide LIVE virtual marketplace provide insight on green industry trends in 2021 and beyond

More Posts from this Category

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