Logistics costs have become a concern for the Indonesian government, and in 2024, they accounted for 14% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Transportation costs are one of the elements of logistics costs. This condition has compelled leaders and teams in the apparel industry to allocate resources efficiently, effectively, and productively, with minimal waste. Based on this reason, the organization sought to identify the root causes of waste and implement improvements in transportation. These wastes of road transportation were identified and reduced by DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) method and lean tools, including Value Stream Map (VSM), Lean Metrics, Five Whys (5Ws), Transportation Overall Vehicle Effectiveness (TOVE) – Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), transport software, and SmartSheet. Data collection and observations were conducted in 2024 and 2025, resulting in improvements across various aspects, including a 75.75% reduction in parking time, a 4.67% decrease in distance traveled, an 82.66% decrease in vehicle utilization, and a 16.66% reduction in transportation costs. The Lean concept remains an effective tool for reducing waste.

The manufacturing industry in Nigeria has been the so-called cornerstone of economic development since the sector has continuously played a major role in providing jobs and industrial capital. However, there remain issues that impede its progress, including inefficient resource use, unstable regulatory systems, and the need to comply with international market requirements. Specifically, it examined the effect of employee engagement, process efficiency, and resource allocation on Nigeria’s manufacturing sector. A survey research design was adopted, with a total population of 117 employees across five manufacturing firms. A total of 91 participants were administered a structured questionnaire. Data collected was analyzed using PLS-SEM. Findings revealed that employee engagement has the strongest effect on sustainable production (β = 0.412, t = 6.250, p < 0.000), followed by resource allocation (β = 0.237, t = 3.610, p < 0.000), and process efficiency (β = 0.174, t = 2.877, p = 0.004). It concluded that continuous improvement is significantly vital for sustainable production in the five sugar manufacturing firms studied in Nigeria. It is therefore recommended that management of these selected firms focus on developing unique resource allocation strategies, employee engagement, and process efficiency to ensure sustained workforce improvement, thereby achieving sustainable production outcomes.

In recent years, the use of high-strength steels in hardfacing process has become increasingly common. One typical industrial example is the case of hydraulic shears used in building demolition operations, where the components are exposed not only to significant abrasive wear but also to intense dynamic loading. The use of quenched and tempered high-strength steel grade S690QL has become particularly widespread in this field, primarily as the base material for the hardfacing applied to the most heavily loaded regions of demolition shears. However, quenched and tempered high-strength steels are highly sensitive to the effects of the welding thermal cycle, which typically cause detrimental changes in the microstructure and mechanical properties of the heat-affected zone. The thermal cycles occurring during hardfacing differ from those typical of fusion welding, and consequently, the structure and mechanical properties of the resulting heat-affected zone may also vary. In addition, the penetration depth of the hardface layer can differ, which may significantly alter the load-bearing cross-section of the high-strength steel and, thus, the in-service behavior of the component. In the experimental work, hardfaced samples were performed on S690QL base material using different levels of heat input, thereby producing varying penetration depths. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of penetration depth on the resistance of the hardfaced component to dynamic loading. The tests were carried out at both +20 °C and –40 °C. The results clearly demonstrated that samples with deeper penetration exhibited reduced toughness at both investigated temperatures.