GembaTalk S1 E4 – How a bang on the head sparked a Lean business with Pablo Scarpatti
In this episode, Tom Hughes sits down with Pablo Scarpatti, co-owner of Scarpatti Amoblamientos (Scarpatti Furnishings), a high-end woodworking company based in Córdoba, Argentina. Pablo shares his company’s incredible Lean journey, which began with a personal accident that led him to discover 2 Second Lean.
He discusses the challenges of standardizing processes in a business that produces custom, high-precision furniture for Global brands. The key to their success? A commitment to continuous training, standard work, and a culture of empowerment. By leveraging SOPs, QR codes, and an inspiring skills matrix (it inspired ours!), they’ve created a system where employees take ownership of their development – leading to rapid growth, increased efficiency, and a truly engaged workforce.
“Knowledge alone is not enough—if it’s not documented and shared, it doesn’t exist.” – Pablo Scarpatti
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“If a 10-year-old can follow our SOPs, then we know we’ve done it right.” – Pablo Scarpatti [talking with pride about his daughter knowing how to start and use their machines, and even get the factory up and running with the electricity generator!]
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Key Topics
How an accident led Pablo to discover Lean
The challenge of standardizing a business with no fixed products
Using QR codes to make SOPs accessible on the shop floor
Implementing a massive skills matrix for team development
Why creating opportunities for employees to grow, even if they leave, is key to success
“So teach them everything and releasing from them the fear. It’s a roof that many people have. They don’t want to do things because they’re frightened. And sometimes in the production culture, the owners, like myself, have the fear of holding people because you don’t want them to go because who else is going to do that task that only he can do. So yeah with the skills matrix, everybody can do it because everybody can learn. So you don’t have a specialist. Everybody can be a specialist.”
– Pablo Scarpatti
Takeaways
Identifying repeatable steps in unique processes creates consistency.
Training everyone in multiple tasks eliminates bottlenecks.
Developing employees, even if they leave, strengthens the business.
When employees own processes, efficiency skyrockets.
