Lean Tools Implementation Model in Shipbuilding Processes Under Conditions of Predominantly Custom Production

The European shipbuilding industry is primarily active in the niches of building vessels with high added value characterized by individual demand or eventual orders in smaller series—the authors approach this research motivated by the desire to contribute to maintaining its competitiveness on the world market. To enhance business processes, shipyards have at their disposal, among others, digital technologies and Lean tools. However, the production of highly complex products in a business environment with complex inter-process relations among a large number of stakeholders also implies a highly demanding project of Lean methodology implementation. And according to the literature gap and available archival data, the outcome is very uncertain. Therefore, the authors conduct this research for the purpose of overcoming the risk of failure in completing the Lean implementation process with the aim of contributing to the transformation of the shipbuilding system into a smart and sustainable, or climate-neutral, one. As experts in the field of research and based on interviews with representatives of one of the European shipyards, the authors develop a Lean process management implementation model adapted not only to custom production in shipbuilding but also to other industries with similar characteristics. The model theoretically results not only in the successful closure of the Lean transformation process in an optimal time and at low costs but also in the simultaneous continuous improvement of shipbuilding processes during the implementation period. Moreover, the neutral influence of the business system’s organizational structure on the presented model adds originality to this study.