Continuous improvement at Vivochem: how LEAN creates structure, collaboration and added value
Working more efficiently, reducing waste and creating more time for what truly adds value: that’s what LEAN is all about. It’s a mindset and way of working that has become deeply embedded in Vivochem’s organisation. At Vivochem, LEAN represents a culture of continuous improvement aimed at making work easier for colleagues and delivering even better service to customers. Continuous Improvement Manager Ruben Gerhardus and Plant Manager Patrick Slaghekke explain how this works in practice.
What is LEAN?
LEAN is a method designed to make processes smarter and more efficient. Originating from the Japanese automotive industry, it can be applied in almost any organisation. At its core lies one central question: what adds value for the customer? Everything that doesn’t contribute to that value is gradually improved or removed. This can involve unnecessary actions, waiting times, double checks or unclear communication.
“LEAN helps us structure things that already make sense,” Ruben explains. “That way, we keep doing them – even when things get busy. Ultimately, it not only makes the work more efficient but also more enjoyable for the people doing it.”
The start of LEAN at Vivochem
When Patrick first encountered LEAN a few years ago, curiosity was his main driver. “I had read about it before, but only when I spoke to someone who provided LEAN training did I really become interested. I saw how much potential it could have for a company like ours.”
He suggested to the management team that they take a training course together, which marked the beginning of a larger journey. After the initial sessions, more colleagues followed, and step by step, LEAN became part of the company’s daily operations.
Before LEAN was introduced, much was based on common sense and experience. “We were already making improvements, but mostly based on gut feeling,” Patrick says. “LEAN brought structure to that. It helps us describe what’s actually happening. You start to look at processes differently and develop a shared language to discuss improvements. We’ve become much better at recognising, naming and eliminating waste in a targeted way.”
From individual ideas to a culture of improvement
Through the training sessions, colleagues learned to identify waste and tackle problems in small, manageable steps. Vivochem mainly applies the KPT method (Keep – Problem – Try): identifying a problem as a team, trying out solutions, and keeping what works. “It sounds simple,” Patrick says, “but it really helps solve issues in a sustainable way. You develop new routines that truly make a difference.”
Other tools, such as value stream mapping and the ‘5 Whys’, are also regularly used. “The 5 Whys technique is a simple yet powerful way to find the root cause of a problem,” Ruben explains. “By repeatedly asking ‘why’, you get to the underlying cause rather than just the symptom.”
More important than the tools themselves, however, is the mindset behind them. Ruben continues: “People know best where the bottlenecks are. By asking questions instead of telling them what to change, you build engagement more quickly. LEAN isn’t about imposing solutions – it’s about improving together.”
Learning and improving together
A visible part of LEAN at Vivochem is the daily start-up meeting: a short session where teams discuss the previous day. They reflect on what went well, what challenges they faced and what could be improved. “More and more departments are working this way,” Ruben says. “It may sound simple, but it’s a powerful tool to create structure. Small problems surface quickly, and we can act on them immediately. It enables colleagues to take ownership of their own processes.”
Patrick agrees that these meetings have a real impact. “They strengthen the connection between colleagues. You share a common goal and can address problems straight away. That creates team spirit and motivation.”
At the same time, it requires discipline. “Ironically, it’s on the busiest days that you should apply LEAN the most – but that’s when it’s easiest to skip,” Ruben admits. “The challenge is to make it such a natural part of your routine that it happens automatically.”
Resistance and breakthroughs
As with any change, there was some resistance in the early stages of LEAN. Some colleagues mainly saw it as something that would take extra time. “That’s understandable,” Patrick says. “At first, you mostly see the effort, not yet the reward. But once people experienced that it actually made their work easier, their mindset changed.”
Ruben adds, “Resistance isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It often means people have expectations or are uncertain about the outcome. When you acknowledge that and simply give it a try, their hesitation usually fades once they see the results.”
Patrick believes that management plays a crucial role in this. “Leadership means giving teams the space to improve. Not by providing all the answers, but by asking the right questions and celebrating successes. When people realise they can make a real difference themselves, motivation follows naturally.”
The results
The impact of LEAN is now visible throughout the organisation. Problems are identified and solved faster, errors have decreased, and collaboration between departments has improved. A good example is the quotation process, where sales and purchasing now use a standardised questionnaire instead of multiple emails. “It saves a lot of coordination and prevents mistakes,” Ruben explains. “It also helps us respond to customers more quickly.”
“Improvements have also been made in the order intake process,” Ruben continues. “Requests are now prioritised based on urgency, which means rush orders are handled faster and the workload is better distributed.”
Patrick especially notices the cultural shift: “We no longer talk problems away – we tackle them. That’s probably the biggest win. Acknowledging that problems exist is actually a sign of strength, because only then can you solve them.”
Ruben adds that customer focus has grown across the entire organisation. “We increasingly look at things from the customer’s perspective: what’s in it for them? LEAN helps us maintain that focus.”
The next step: becoming a learning organisation
At Vivochem, LEAN isn’t a temporary project but a lasting way of working. Over the coming years, Ruben aims to roll out the daily start-ups company-wide and further streamline cooperation between departments. “Ideally, I’ll be less and less involved in these sessions over time. The goal is for teams to be fully self-managing and for improvements to become second nature. Strengthening cross-departmental collaboration is also key: fewer silos, more connection. Ultimately, it all comes down to one shared goal – serving our customers in the best possible way.”
Patrick adds, “In five years, I hope every process step will be transparent to everyone. That we’ll know exactly what goes in, what comes out and what value it creates for the customer. We want to be an organisation where every team takes ownership of its own process, where people enjoy their work and know they matter. Because that’s what LEAN is really about: people working smarter together so that customers experience the difference.”
What started as an idea to ‘give it a try’ has become a fundamental part of how Vivochem operates. “LEAN isn’t a big project with a start and an end,” Ruben concludes. “It has become a habit. This way, we keep getting a little better every day – for our customers, and for ourselves.”
