CREATION

近日，《常州日报》以《4000万元货值库存，误差仅488美元——一家美资工厂的精益突围》为题，深度报道了常州科瑞森科技有限公司在精益管理与数字化运营上的实践成果。

文章聚焦我们在全流程数字化管控、无人化物流搬运等领域的突破，展现了企业以技术与管理创新，在全球市场竞争中实现高效、精准运营的核心竞争力。

现将全文转载，分享常州科瑞森的精益之路。

Recently, Changzhou Daily published an in-depth feature titled “Inventory Valued at 40 Million Yuan with a Discrepancy of Only US$488 — The Lean Breakthrough of a U.S.-Owned Factory”, highlighting the achievements of Changzhou Creation Technologies  in lean management and digital operations.

The report focuses on our breakthroughs in end-to-end digital control and automated material handling, demonstrating our core competitiveness in achieving efficient and precise operations amid global market competition through technological and management innovation.

The full article is republished below to share Changzhou Creation Technologies’ journey of lean excellence.

4000 万元货值库存，误差仅 488 美元 —— 一家美资工厂的精益突围

本报记者 宋婧 高岷

3 月 2 日，室外春寒料峭，常州科瑞森智能化车间内却热浪扑面。走进这里，最直观的感受并非机器的轰鸣，而是一种极致的 “有序”。每一颗元器件的流转，都折射出企业对高效管理的极致追求。

2026 年开春，这家扎根常州 20 余年的美资企业迎来 “开门红”：春节后首批订单被迅速发往北美、欧洲及国内头部客户，序与高端工业需求稳健，全年订单量预计增长超 15%。面对行业挑战，科瑞森凭借一套务实的 “精益组合拳”，成功将管理效能转化为发展动能。

4000 万元货值被 “抠” 至毫厘：误差仅 488 美元

在电子制造行业，库存管理素来以繁杂著称。科瑞森仓储中心的一组数据令人咋舌：公司管理的电子料种类超 4000 种，零件总数达 3700 多万颗，总货值逾 4000 万元。这些大多只有指甲盖大小的元器件，管理难度极高。

然而，去年度盘点的结果令集团总部振奋，最终的差额仅为 488 美元，这一数据刷新了科瑞森全球集团的纪录。“库存精度直接关乎现金流与交付信誉。” 科瑞森供应链总监胡仕伟介绍，极致数据的背后是全流程数字化管控的严密逻辑。

科瑞森以丰田制造系统 “将库存变成流动” 为核心理念，仓储侧，所有物料 “入驻” 1800mm 高的统一货架与标准容器，做到 “一箱一物、一层一类” 井然有序；1.5 万个储位被贴上唯一的 12 位编码 “数字身份证”，让 “数据坐标” 与 “物理坐标” 无缝重合。在产线端，公司打破 “固定工位、批量传递” 的僵化格局，构建 “柔性单元、单件拉动” 动态模式，随配送脉络的同步打通，物料告别了静止的状态，如同血液般在产线间精准、实时地循环流动。

5 人团队的 “魔法”：全流程无人搬运引爆效率革命

如果说精准库存是基石，那么生产线上的 “精益工作” 则是撬动效率革命的杠杆。科瑞森的精益部门由 5 人组成，不靠重金购买进口设备，而是化身 “顺手医生”，专门捕捉工序中那些 “不顺畅、不便捷、不科学” 的细节，用巧思实现 “低成本自动化”。

在冰水水泵控制器组装产线，持续改善总监刘雪芬演示了他们的 “魔法”：对每个工序设定成品限额，员工完工后，物料小车借助重力滑轨自动流向下一站；总装换料时，信号灯一亮，AGV 小车精准送达工位，彻底取代了人工搬运；可根据重力调节高度的物料架，让员工全程坐姿作业，无须弯腰起立。

“看似细微的‘小巧思’，汇聚起来就是巨大的效能。” 刘雪芬说。经过两轮改良，这条产线日产能从 175 台飙升至 500 台，装配周期从 24 小时骤减至 2 小时，效率提升近 3 倍。以此为出发点，带动全局：依托高速智能贴片线与 3D AOI 检测，2025 年新授用的自动化设备全面发力，科瑞森整体生产效率提升约 25%，贴片类产品制造周期压缩至 1.1 天，成品组装仅需 3.5 天。

双向赋能的 “棋局”：从 “世界工厂” 到 “全球枢纽”

精益管理的内功，最终转化为开拓市场的利剑。面对国际贸易形势的风云变幻，科瑞森早已完成了从 “依赖外贸” 到 “内外双循环” 的转身。过去，出口占比高达九成，如今国内业务显著增强，已优化为三七开，抗风险能力显著增强。

“产能充足，还有 5000 平方米空间可随时扩容。” 胡仕伟信心满满。2026 年，科瑞森将目光锁定医疗与高端工业两大赛道。继 2025 年拿下医疗器械生产许可证后，企业迅速切入手术机器人力反馈传感器、内窥镜成像系统等高精尖领域，凭借快速打样能力，践行 “更快、更好、更便宜” 的承诺。

更值得关注的是其 “双向赋能” 的全球布局：一方面，利用海外网络协助外资企业在中国落地国产化；另一方面，助力中国本土企业借船出海，以技术积淀和精益管理，打造高端电子制造的中国标杆。

记者手记

走进科瑞森车间门前，记者脑海中预设的是机器轰鸣、流水线飞速运转的 “热闹” 场景。然而，真正震撼记者的，却是这里近乎 “静止” 的没有堆积的半成品，只有 AGV 小车沿着既定轨迹无声穿梭，物料如血液般精准流淌。

这种 “静”，实则是极致管理下的 “动”。3700 多万颗零件、4000 多万元货值，库存误差被控制在仅有 488 美元。这看似是数据的奇迹，实则是企业对管理的极致追求。在电子制造这个以 “快” 著称的行业里，科瑞森选择了一条更难的路 —— 向 “慢” 功夫要效率，向 “毫厘” 之间要效益。那个由 5 人组成的精益团队，用巧思代替重金，用 “土办法” 解决 “洋难题”，恰恰印证了中国制造业正在发生的蜕变：从依赖人口红利转向依靠管理红利，从简单的代工组装转向输出智慧方案。

2026 年的春天，外贸形势依然复杂多变，但科瑞森车间里热火朝天。在这里，记者读懂了一个朴素的道理：外贸留下的理由，不再仅仅是成本，更是中国工人把每一个细节 “抠” 到极致的能力。无论风云如何变幻，唯有把基本功练到极致，方能从容应对万变。

Inventory Valued at 40 Million Yuan with a Discrepancy of Only US$488 — The Lean Breakthrough of a U.S.-Owned Factory

By Song Jing, Gao Min (Changzhou Daily)

On March 2, while the chill of early spring lingered outside, the smart manufacturing workshop of Changzhou Creation Technologies Co., Ltd. hummed with focused energy. Step inside, and the most striking impression is not the roar of machinery, but an extreme sense of order. The flow of every component reflects the company’s relentless pursuit of efficient management.

In early 2026, this U.S.-owned enterprise, rooted in Changzhou for over 20 years, got off to a strong start: the first batch of post-Spring Festival orders was quickly shipped to North America, Europe, and leading domestic clients. Amid steady demand from high-end industrial sectors and a projected 15% year-over-year increase in order volume, Changzhou Creation Technologies leveraged a pragmatic “lean management playbook” to translate operational efficiency into sustainable growth momentum.

Precision Down to the Last Cent: 40 Million Yuan Inventory with a US$488 Discrepancy

Inventory management is notoriously complex in the electronics manufacturing industry. A set of data from Changzhou Creation Technologies’ warehouse is staggering: it manages over 4,000 types of electronic components, totaling more than 37 million pieces with a combined value exceeding 40 million yuan. Managing these tiny components, most no larger than a fingernail, presents immense challenges.

Yet the results of last year’s annual inventory audit stunned the group’s headquarters: the final discrepancy was a mere US$488, setting a new record across Creation Technologies’ global network. “Inventory accuracy directly impacts cash flow and delivery realiability,” said Hu Shiwei, Director of Supply Chain at Changzhou Creation Technologies. Behind this precise figure lies a rigorous logic of end-to-end digital control.

Drawing on the Toyota Production System’s core principle of “making inventory flow,” the warehouse organizes all materials into 1,800mm-high standardized racks and containers, ensuring “one item per box, one category per level.” Each of the 15,000 storage locations is assigned a unique 12-digit “digital ID,” creating seamless alignment between data coordinates and physical locations. On the production line, the company abandoned rigid fixed-station and batch-transfer workflows, adopting a flexible, single-piece flow model. With synchronized material delivery, components circulate between workstations with precision and timeliness, much like blood flowing through the human body.

The Magic of a 5-Person Team: Fully Automated Material Handling Drives an Efficiency Revolution

If precise inventory management is the foundation, lean practices on the production line are the lever for efficiency gains. Changzhou Creation Technologies’ lean team consists of just 5 members. Rather than investing heavily in imported equipment, they act as “process doctors,” identifying inefficiencies and implementing low-cost automation solutions.

At the water pump controller assembly line, Liu Xuefen, Director of Continuous Improvement, demonstrated their “magic”: each workstation is limited to a fixed number of finished goods; once completed, material carts flow to the next station via gravity rails; during material changeovers, an AGV is triggered by a signal light to deliver supplies directly to the line, eliminating manual handling entirely; and height-adjustable material racks allow operators to work seated, avoiding unnecessary bending and fatigue.

“Seemingly small ‘smart tweaks’ add up to massive gains,” said Liu Xuefen. After two rounds of improvements, daily output on this line surged from 175 to 500 units, cutting assembly time from 24 hours to just 2 hours—a nearly 3x efficiency boost. Scaling this success across the plant, Changzhou Creation Technologies increased overall production efficiency by approximately 25% in 2025, leveraging high-speed smart SMT lines and 3D AOI inspection. The lead time for surface-mount components was reduced to 1.1 days, and finished product assembly now takes only 3.5 days.

A Two-Way Empowerment Strategy: From “World Factory” to “Global Hub”

The discipline of lean management has translated directly into stronger market competitiveness. Facing shifting international trade dynamics, Changzhou Creation Technologies has evolved from a pure export-focused model to a “dual circulation” strategy. While exports once accounted for 90% of revenue, the domestic business now makes up 30%, significantly enhancing resilience against external risks.

“With ample production capacity and 5,000 square meters of expandable space, we are well-positioned for growth,” said Hu Shiwei. In 2026, the company will target two high-growth sectors: medical devices and high-end industrial equipment. Following the acquisition of medical device production licenses in 2025, it has expanded into surgical robot force feedback sensors and endoscopic imaging systems, delivering on its promise of “faster, better, and more cost-effective” solutions through rapid prototyping capabilities.

A key differentiator is its “two-way empowerment” global strategy: leveraging overseas networks to help foreign enterprises localize production in China, while supporting Chinese manufacturers to go global. Drawing on its technical expertise and lean management, Changzhou Creation Technologies is establishing a benchmark for high-end electronics manufacturing in China.

Reporter’s Notes

Before entering Changzhou Creation Technologies’ workshop, I expected the typical scene of clattering machines and fast-moving assembly lines. Instead, I was struck by a profound sense of calm: no piles of work-in-progress, just AGVs silently navigating pre-defined routes, and materials flowing with the precision of blood through veins.

This “calm” is, in fact, the result of extreme management in action. Managing over 37 million components and 40 million yuan in inventory with a discrepancy of just US$488 is not a statistical fluke—it is a testament to the company’s obsession with operational excellence. In an industry defined by speed, Changzhou Creation Technologies has chosen a harder path: prioritizing deliberate, meticulous process improvement over rapid growth, and extracting value from every last detail.

The 5-person lean team, solving complex “foreign problems” with practical “local solutions,” embodies a broader transformation in Chinese manufacturing: moving from labor cost advantages to management expertise, and from contract manufacturing to delivering intelligent, value-added solutions.

As spring 2026 unfolds, global trade uncertainties persist, but Changzhou Creation Technologies’ workshop remains a hub of activity. Here, a simple truth becomes clear: the reason to choose China for manufacturing is no longer just cost—it is the ability of Chinese workers to refine every detail to perfection. Only by mastering the fundamentals can one navigate the winds of change with confidence.