Post by SAIIE WITS

The moment we walked onto the shop floor, we all looked at each other and said, “Wow… 5S!” The response from the team? “Not quite. This is 6S. Safety comes first.” That single moment perfectly captured why Gemba visits are irreplaceable. At university, we learn the foundations of Industrial Engineering. In industry, those foundations are constantly being challenged, refined and improved. The discipline never stands still and neither should we. Our SAIIE Wits Chapter had the privilege of visiting Barloworld Equipment Rebuild Centre (BRC), hosted by the incredible Continuous Improvement team, Justice Prince Sibambo (MEng Candidate) and Ntokozo “TK”. Thank you for opening your doors and sharing not only your operations, but also your culture of continuous improvement. From joining the team’s morning operational planning meeting to following the complete rebuild process: from Disassembly to Inspection (Reuse, Repair, Replace) to Assembly to Testing & Final Quality Assurance, every stage reflected Lean thinking in action. What stood out most wasn’t only the impressive facility; it was the people and the culture. At BRC: • Safety isn’t an addition to Lean, it’s embedded into it through 6S. • Daily wellbeing and competency checks create a compassionate, people-first workplace. • Continuous facility layout optimisation ensures operations evolve alongside demand. • Green Training equips every employee with Lean fundamentals. • Problem Solving Events (PSEs) empower everyone, not just managers or engineers, but everyone to identify and solve problems within their own work areas. • Lean tools such as the 5 Whys, A3 Thinking, Pareto Analysis, Fishbone Diagrams, Pull Systems, and waste elimination through TIMWOODS aren’t concepts on posters, they’re part of everyday decision-making. • An in-house salvage business maximises value recovery while maintaining quality control and reducing unnecessary outsourcing. The Barloworld Rebuild Centre is, without question, an Industrial Engineer’s dream. A place where operational excellence, continuous improvement, and people development work hand in hand. This wasn’t simply a facility tour, it was a reminder that Industrial Engineering is a profession of lifelong learning. The principles we study in lecture halls continue to evolve because engineers continue to innovate. A sincere thank you to Justice Prince Sibambo (MEng Candidate), TK, and the entire BRC team for one of the most insightful and inspiring Gemba experiences we’ve had. #IndustrialEngineering #Gemba #LeanManufacturing #ContinuousImprovement #Kaizen #6S #ProblemSolving #OperationalExcellence #SAIIE #WitsUniversity #Barloworld #FutureEngineers SAIIE