Bruce Hamilton

President, vice chair, teacher, change agent

Bruce Hamilton, president of the Greater Boston Manufacturing Partnership (GBMP), brings hands-on experience as a manager, teacher, and change agent. Prior to GBMP, Hamilton led efforts to transform United Electric Controls Co.’s production from a traditional batch factory to a single-piece-flow environment that has become an international showcase. Hamilton has spoken internationally on lean manufacturing, employee involvement, continuous improvement, and implementing change. Also, he has contributed to numerous texts ranging from visual control to variety reduction. Hamilton’s blog, Old Lean Dude, is an ongoing reflection on lean philosophy and practices, with an emphasis on keeping good jobs close to home.

Tue, 09/09/2025 - 12:03
Signs of SpringWhen an old guy's fancy turns to continuous improvement
Wed, 03/09/2022 - 12:02
Every February, there are welcome reminders that spring is on the way. The first for me is a witch hazel bush in my front yard that defies subfreezing weather to produce fragrant yellow flowers. Then, a few weeks later, crocuses and winter aconites…
Lean Lessons From CovidHere’s to resilience in 2022
Tue, 01/18/2022 - 12:02
You may recognize the following quote from Friedrich Nietzsche, or more recently from Kelly Clarkson: “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” I’ve thought about this often during the last 22 months in context of the horrible pandemic and, more…
The Power of CommitmentContinuous improvement means solving problems as they arise
Tue, 12/07/2021 - 12:03
In 1996, the TSSC (Toyota Production System Support Center) began working with my company to create one-by-one production capability in our product assembly. Previous to TSSC’s assistance, we’d moved the furniture and machines into cells, creating…
My First LessonHow a TPS teacher sees a shipping department
Wed, 09/29/2021 - 12:01
Just a little over a year ago we lost Hajime Oba, one of the great pioneers of Toyota Production System (TPS) learning in the United States. In 1992, he was the founding manager of the Toyota Production System Support Center (TSSC), a nonprofit…
When PDCA Meets SilosBoundaries between production, inspection, and engineering obscure opportunities for process improvement
Wed, 07/21/2021 - 12:02
PDCA—plan, do, check, act (or adjust)—is one of those acronymic concepts that regularly finds its way into lean discussions. Descended from Francis Bacon’s scientific method (hypothesis, experiment, confirmation), PDCA has become a ubiquitous…
Extra SpaceThe health of the stockroom says a lot about overall flow of value to the customer
Thu, 05/13/2021 - 12:02
This time of year the abundant ads for junk removal and cheap storage units remind us that it’s time for spring cleaning, an annual pastime that has perhaps been bolstered by the need to unlock extra space in the home during the pandemic. Businesses…
WonderfulA story of teacher and student
Wed, 02/24/2021 - 12:01
At the tender age of 21, living in a universe with far too many parallels to present day, I took a job—which turned out to be more than a job—to support myself in college by working as a caregiver, cook, driver, and constant companion to a man who…
Looking to the FutureSmall changes for the better
Tue, 02/02/2021 - 12:02
As we begin to take our approximately 4 1/2 billionth trip around the sun, I’m reflecting on the previous 525,600 minutes and looking ahead to the new decade. The decade (the ‘20s), by the way, began last month, not a year ago, a factoid noted in a…
Tribute to NormNorman Bodek, ‘Mr. Productivity,’ was among the first to bring lean to America
Tue, 12/22/2020 - 12:02
Norman Bodek, who sadly left us on Dec. 10, 2020, at the age of 88, will no doubt best be remembered for the amazing library he brought us more than 30 years ago from Japan: primary sources like Taiichi Ohno and Shigeo Shingo, as well as brilliant…
Us and ThemTake a they assessment
Tue, 10/20/2020 - 12:03
Over years of listening to people describe their work, one single word has surfaced repeatedly as a barometer of what is frequently called “culture.” The use of the word “they” in conversation gives me insight into an organization’s ability to…