While nearly every manufacturer has employed audits to identify issues with staff output and process compliance, an LPA is distinctive in that it focuses on driving cultural change throughout an organization to improve quality and reduce failure rates. LPAs are part of a formalized system for providing constant attention to an organization’s core, high-risk processes and controls to ensure minimal variation.
Created by the Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG) nearly a decade ago, LPAs were first applied in Daimler Chrysler and Toyota plants, and since have become required practice for most auto manufacturers. Over time the practice has spread to other manufacturing industries, but with only varying degrees of success.
