H Energy
At H Energy’s high-voltage bushing manufacturing plant in Khotkovo, a continuous management practice is being implemented — daily operations are now managed directly fr om the shop floor.
Every Wednesday, plant managers and leading specialists leave their offices and head into the production, applying the Gemba principle — a core element of Lean manufacturing based on direct observation and engagement at the place wh ere value is created. The initiative is organised by the Quality Department.
The walk involves 15 managers and key specialists fr om all departments, along with 6 shop floor foremen. They walk through all production areas, observe workflows in real time, identify bottlenecks on their own, and immediately discuss ways to resolve them. Identified issues are documented on special forms, clearly assigning responsible persons and deadlines for resolution.
Employees see that their concerns are not ignored: at the next Gemba walk, progress on every issue is reviewed and officially marked in the form. As Valentina Martyanova, Head of Quality and Continuous Improvement, notes:
“Continuous improvement starts with recognising a problem. We’re already halfway to success just by knowing it exists.”
Gemba walks have become an integral part of the plant’s continuous improvement strategy and the development of Lean production. In the future, the team plans to analyse accumulated data — specifically, to track the recurrence rate of issues and implement corrective actions.
But the most important thing is not the numbers — it’s the cultural shift. When a manager goes directly to the shop floor, they send a clear message:
“I am here. I see your work. I care about what happens.”
It is these simple, regular actions that transform production into a living, self-learning organism — one that continuously improves. The Gemba walks at the Khotkovo plant are no longer just an event. They are a new standard of operation.
And it’s already working.
About Gemba Walk:
A Gemba Walk is a management practice in Lean manufacturing wh ere leaders visit actual work areas (Gemba — Japanese for “the real place”) to observe processes firsthand, engage with employees, and identify opportunities for improving efficiency, safety, and quality.
Every Wednesday, plant managers and leading specialists leave their offices and head into the production, applying the Gemba principle — a core element of Lean manufacturing based on direct observation and engagement at the place wh ere value is created. The initiative is organised by the Quality Department.
The walk involves 15 managers and key specialists fr om all departments, along with 6 shop floor foremen. They walk through all production areas, observe workflows in real time, identify bottlenecks on their own, and immediately discuss ways to resolve them. Identified issues are documented on special forms, clearly assigning responsible persons and deadlines for resolution.
Employees see that their concerns are not ignored: at the next Gemba walk, progress on every issue is reviewed and officially marked in the form. As Valentina Martyanova, Head of Quality and Continuous Improvement, notes:
“Continuous improvement starts with recognising a problem. We’re already halfway to success just by knowing it exists.”
Gemba walks have become an integral part of the plant’s continuous improvement strategy and the development of Lean production. In the future, the team plans to analyse accumulated data — specifically, to track the recurrence rate of issues and implement corrective actions.
But the most important thing is not the numbers — it’s the cultural shift. When a manager goes directly to the shop floor, they send a clear message:
“I am here. I see your work. I care about what happens.”
It is these simple, regular actions that transform production into a living, self-learning organism — one that continuously improves. The Gemba walks at the Khotkovo plant are no longer just an event. They are a new standard of operation.
And it’s already working.
About Gemba Walk:
A Gemba Walk is a management practice in Lean manufacturing wh ere leaders visit actual work areas (Gemba — Japanese for “the real place”) to observe processes firsthand, engage with employees, and identify opportunities for improving efficiency, safety, and quality.
