Är Lean produktion en förutsättning för cirkulär ekonomi? : En studie av hur Lean och Cirkulär Ekonomi samverkar med varandra

Sammanfattning

As sustainability becomes an increasingly important factor in the manufacturing industry, this report examines how Lean production and Circular Economy (CE) relate to each other. Lean production has long been used as a strategy to streamline the manufacturing process and eliminate waste, while CE strives to create closed material flows where resources are used as efficiently as possible. The report is based on an extensive literature review and a case study with a docent student and aims to answer the question: Is Lean production a prerequisite for Circular Economy? The results show that this is not the case. Lean and CE are separate but compatible systems – Lean can support circular initiatives but is not necessarily a requirement for CE to be implemented. The two systems overlap in some goals, such as resource efficiency and reduced waste, and can be advantageously combined. Furthermore, the report's results show that the original question can be usefully reformulated to: Can Lean and Circular Economy complement each other in a manufacturing company? With this formulation, the conclusion becomes a clear yes; they can reinforce each other and contribute to both economic efficiency and increased sustainability.