Lean Manufacturing Consultants – Brisbane & Regional Queensland
OE Partners helps Queensland manufacturers unlock productivity, improve process flow and achieve sustainable growth with lean consultants in Brisbane.
With growing competition and increasing customer demand, Queensland manufacturers are at a critical juncture in their business operations. Staying ahead means re-examining their processes and identifying areas for improvement.
This is where Lean manufacturing can be applicable.
At OE Partners, we work with manufacturers across Brisbane and regional Queensland to tackle performance challenges with practical, hands-on Lean solutions. With decades of experience working in multinational manufacturing companies, our consultants partner with Australian businesses to streamline operations, eliminate waste and build capabilities.
Whether your goal is to address capacity limits, high costs, inconsistent processes or warehouse inefficiencies, we help you identify and fix the root causes. Our Lean programs drive real results where they matter most — on the factory floor.
Why Queensland Manufacturers Are Turning to Lean Thinking
Brisbane is home to a diverse and growing manufacturing sector. This includes food and beverage manufacturers, steel fabrication, medical devices, rail and heavy industry. However, we see many businesses, both in the metro and regional areas, face hurdles such as:
- Rising labour and energy costs
- Supply chain disruptions caused by natural disasters
- Finding the right staff
- Customer pressure for faster lead times and lower prices
- High interest rates leading to declining consumer demand
- Geopolitical tensions that cause rising material costs
These uncertain conditions necessitate a more effective approach to working, which is where the Lean philosophy can be adopted. Lean manufacturing is a production approach that focuses on optimising manufacturing efficiency and reducing waste.
Lean manufacturing practices can be easily embedded into an organisation with a Lean consulting company, such as OE Partners. Our solutions have helped Queensland manufacturers:
- Improve throughput without increasing headcount
- Introduce structure, flow and daily performance management
- Cut lead times and reduce double-handling
- Upskill supervisors and team leaders to solve problems daily
How to Implement Lean Manufacturing Into Your Business
A common misconception is that adopting Lean manufacturing can be a lengthy process and disrupt the manufacturing workflow. This can be avoided with the right partner.
Our team works on-site with employees to implement efficient processes, combining Lean tools with change management and leadership coaching. We focus on practical improvements that your organisation can adopt in the long term, while working closely with employees to ensure they can continue to maintain production while we implement our changes.
Here is a step-by-step process on how we can work together:
Step 1 – Understanding Your Current State
We observe your processes, analyse current performance and run workshops with frontline staff to understand your key productivity and flow issues.
Step 2 – Designing Your Future State
We map out a Lean improvement plan that’s tailored to your organisation. This plan highlights our priorities within a specific timeframe and is aligned with your business goals.
Step 3 – Hands-On Implementation On-Site
Our consultants work closely with your team, providing coaching, implementing changes and fostering the habits necessary to improve your company sustainably.
Our Brisbane-based Lean Consulting Services
From visualising your manufacturing processes to implementing purpose-built solutions that can reduce downtime, our team is here to help. We offer the following services delivered by our Lean manufacturing consultants in Brisbane and Queensland:
- Value Stream Mapping (VSM) – See your end-to-end processes clearly and expose bottlenecks
- 5S & Visual Workplace Organisation – Save time, improve safety and utilise space effectively
- Standard Work & Work Instructions – Building systems that support consistent, repeatable outcomes
- Visual Management Systems – Empower teams with real-time visibility and accountability
- Maintenance & Downtime Reduction – Shift from firefighting to proactive uptime
- Frontline Leadership Development – Equip your leaders to do their job better with performance coaching
We Deliver Real Results Across Australia
OE Partners have managed multiple projects across Australia, working with various industries as Lean consultants. Here are some of our case studies:
Steel Manufacturing
A steel manufacturer was struggling to keep up with orders and meet their customers' expected delivery time of within 24 hours. The company was also managing changing order sizes, parts per order and seasonal variation in orders, making it difficult to see what needed to be addressed first.
Our team spent time looking at process data and understanding what processes were critical to address. We then identified the key areas to improve and implemented changes, which significantly enhanced their DIFOT (Delivery in Full on Time) performance, increasing it from 60% to over 90%.
Caravan Factory
A Caravan manufacturer was struggling to keep up with orders. Our team mapped out the process, collected data and discovered a short list of key manufacturing issues.
We also identified that there were too many production steps in one area and worked with the client on these issues. Our process changes increased the manufacturer's output by 15% with no extra staff.
Food Packaging
A food packaging client was struggling with output for several reasons, one of which was a lack of general organisation in the factory. We identified that time was wasted searching for tools instead of working and having multiple shifts in the plant made the manufacturing process more challenging.
We trained and coached all three shifts on 5S workplace organisation and worked side by side with the operations team to tidy and organise the workplace. With our help, the manufacturer reduced labour costs per unit of revenue by 20% and cut operator search time by 75%.
Fashion Warehouse
A fashion retailer was operating a large warehouse facility. Due to seasonality, there were significant fluctuations in demand and casual labour was employed from time to time. An inefficient layout and poor warehouse management system led to excessive movement of people and materials, resulting in picking errors.
We worked with the team to relayout the warehouse and implement a smarter Visual Management System (VMS) that made it easier and faster to operate.
Trusted by Leading Queensland-Based Industrial Brands
GroundProbe
GroundProbe is a unique and innovative Queensland-based company providing specialised capability to the global mining industry. We helped the business to better understand and execute its design and manufacturing operations.
Wabtec
Wabtec is a world-leading supplier of braking, signalling and digital solutions for rail and freight companies. With offices in Brisbane, we helped them assess and optimise their supply chain through workshops, mapping and data analysis, as well as implementation coaching.
ModnPods
ModnPods is an industry-leading modular builder based on the Gold Coast. We have advised and supported them on their ongoing Lean journey, including mapping out the current state of their manufacturing process and working with the operations teams to measure and improve their daily performance. Our team also redesigned the organisation’s factory layout and balanced out the workload across standard workstations.
Tom’s Pallets
Tom’s Pallets and Owner Dave Balfe are an innovative company in what can be seen as a “boring” industry. OE Partners have been consistently helping the team apply best-practice Lean manufacturing methods to their pallet recycling and manufacturing facility.
Why Queensland Businesses Choose OE Partners
- On-the-Ground Support in QLD – We service Brisbane and regional QLD, with consultants who understand their needs
- Real-World Manufacturing Expertise – Our team has hands-on experience working in the manufacturing industries we now consult
- Proven ROI – Our programs consistently deliver measurable results within weeks
- We Don’t Just Advise — We Implement – Instead of simply delivering a PowerPoint presentation, our team is with you on the floor, coaching teams and making change happen
We Work Across Queensland
We support clients throughout:
- Greater Brisbane and SEQ (including Logan, Yatala, Ipswich, Redlands)
- Toowoomba, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast
- Regional QLD: Bundaberg, Rockhampton, Mackay, Townsville, Cairns
FAQs
How do your Lean projects typically start?
It depends on the company's needs and requirements. Our team uses a low-risk, high-impact diagnostic to identify timeframes and prioritise opportunities before any major rollout.
Can you help our team learn Lean?
Yes. We offer structured training in Lean tools, daily management, problem solving and visual leadership systems.
Do you work with smaller businesses too?
Absolutely! We support both SMEs and large operations, adapting our approach to fit your capabilities and goals.
Talk to a Brisbane Lean Consultant
To understand more about our services and how we can help you improve capacity and reduce operating costs, speak to our Lean consultants in Brisbane.
Call us on 1800 874 167
Or book a consultation
