What We Do

The Strategic Operations Focus Group was created to coordinate the activities of staff and students of the NMMU Business School in the study field of Operations, with a special focus on Lean in manufacturing and Services. The Group is based in Port Elizabeth.

The Group offers the following:

  • A variety of training courses on Lean, for industry and for services
  • Assistance with the implementation of Lean in organisations
  • Support for research on Lean
  • Diffusion of information through articles and newsletters
  • Conferences on Lean

Guesto Wheels Delegates

Some of the delegates from Guestro Wheels who successfully
completed the 10-day in-house Lean Specialist Programme

Guesto Wheels Delegates

A few of the more than 50 delegates who successfully completed
the 10-day public Lean Specialist programme in 2007


The Lean Development Group publishes a monthly newsletter detailing interesting perspectives and forthcoming lean events.

Contact us at lean@nmmu.ac.za.

Some of the companies where the Group has performed work or provided training:

Aberdare; Afripak; Aspen Pharmacare; Bagshaw footwear; Cadbury; Continental Tyres; Eberspaecher; Dorbyl Automotive; Guestro Forge; Guestro Wheels; General Motors; Hella; Illovo Sugar; Lancet Laboratories; Nampak; Parmalat; Rekara Mills (Woodoc); Saffil; SARS; Shatterprufe; Spicer Axle; Standard Bank; Tetrapack; Transwerk; Umicore; UTI; Volkswagen; Willards Batteries