Lean manufacturing, or simply "lean," is a systematic philosophy for reducing waste in a manufacturing system while maintaining productivity. Lean manufacturing, which originates from the Toyota Production System (TPS), aims to minimize waste in the production process by clearly identifying what adds value for the customer and removing what does not add value. When your company begins to think about lean manufacturing, it's important to keep in mind that the lean process takes time – like turning a massive cruise ship, carefully but surely.