Lean Manufacturing Tools

Milk Run
A method to speed the flow of materials between facilities by routing vehicles to make multiple pick-ups and drop-offs at many facilities. By making frequent pick-ups and drop-offs with milk-run vehicles connecting a number of facilities rather than waiting to accumulate a truckload for direct shipment between two facilities, it is possible to reduce inventories and response times along a value stream. Milk runs between facilities are similar in concept to material handling routes within facilities (see illustration on p. 61).