Unlocking Throughput at the Bottleneck
How disciplined observation and targeted process changes increased finishing output by 11%
In most custom cabinet shops, finishing is where everything slows down. It is labor-intensive, detail-heavy, and highly sensitive to small disruptions in flow. When finishing falters, the entire operation feels it.
This case study began with a simple request: spend time in the Finish department, observe what was happening, and offer perspective. I did not come in as a finishing expert. That was known by the client. What I brought instead was a disciplined approach to observation, a bias toward facts over assumptions, and a willingness to learn quickly.
What followed was a focused effort to understand how work actually moved through finishing, where time was being lost, and which changes would matter most. Within two weeks of implementing a handful of targeted, no-capital improvements, finishing throughput increased by 11 percent, establishing a new practical ceiling for the plant.
This is the story of how that happened—and why, in constrained systems, clarity and discipline often outperform experience alone.
Call to Action
If you’re facing a bottleneck that limits everything downstream, the answer may not be more effort—but clearer flow, ownership, and discipline. I help teams see and solve these problems early Let’s talk about
Example: Process improvement in complex operations click here
Learn more about Hancock Consulting
