Lean Academy
We develop and organize open & in-House training programs, some of which include certification through our Lean Academy.
In-house implementation
We assist businesses in implementing Lean/TPS as a business strategy, as well as developing and coaching executives and team members to put this into practice in order to achieve operational excellence.
Supporting Products
We provide tools to help you increase productivity and further develop your people.
Two Decades of Lean Learning – Shaping the Future of Operational Excellence.
In 2025, Lean Academy by Van Goubergen P&M marked two decades of advancing Lean thinking and practice in Europe. What began as a small initiative to share Toyota Production System (TPS) insights has evolved into a leading reference for Lean training, coaching, and leadership development — trusted by organizations across manufacturing, services, and healthcare.
To celebrate this milestone, we gathered over a hundred Lean practitioners, managers, and (ex-)Toyota veterans at the symposium “HRD within Lean/TPS: The Missing Link.” Together, we explored one essential question: How do we ensure people remain at the heart of Lean?
The discussions made one thing clear: true operational excellence requires both process improvement and human development. That conviction continues to guide everything we do — helping organizations not just implement Lean, but live it, by building capability, culture, and continuous learning that lasts.
ROOTED in INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING
P&M van Goubergen has a longstanding academical background in industrial engineering and effectively applies fundamental principles such as process optimization, systems thinking, and data analysis. By integrating techniques like time studies and value stream design, we can tailor training programs that foster a culture of continuous improvement within organizations.
Furthermore, with a PhD in time studies, the company offers additional specialized expertise at the core of industrial engineering in analyzing workflows and identifying bottlenecks to maximize effectiveness and efficiency.
INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING ACROSS INDUSTRIES
Prof. dr.ir. D. van Goubergen teaches Industrial Engineering at the Vrije Universiteit of Amsterdam. Previously, he held the chair of Industrial Engineering in Ghent Belgium. Industrial engineering is a branch of engineering that focuses on optimizing complex systems and processes in various industries. It combines principles from engineering, management, mathematics, and science to improve efficiency, productivity, and quality in manufacturing, service, and other operational environments.
Industrial engineers work to streamline operations by analyzing workflows, designing production systems, managing supply chains, ensuring quality control, and reducing waste. They apply tools like Lean, Six Sigma, and simulation models to find solutions that improve the overall performance of organizations. Their goal is to ensure that resources—such as time, materials, labor, and energy—are used effectively and sustainably.
Industrial engineers often work in sectors such as manufacturing, healthcare, logistics, consulting, and even government. Their skills are applicable across many industries because they focus on improving the performance of any system.
SETTING THE STANDARD IN INDUSTRY, OFFICES AND HOSPITALS
Prof. dr.ir. D. van Goubergen is a thought-provoking leader and a sought-after guest at conferences and companies. He inspires audiences to pause, think critically, and apply practical common sense to both everyday and complex challenges. His insightful approach empowers individuals and organizations to see the bigger picture and make decisions that drive meaningful impact.
Dirk has educated and coached hundreds of students as well as PhDs in the fields of industrial engineering (Time and Motion Study, SMED), operations management, lean/operational excellence, and value stream design. With his team he has trained and coached many alumni from companies and hospitals.
That’s the power of lean
Lean as a business strategy leads, among other things, to shortening the lead time, reducing costs, increasing customer satisfaction, increasing quality and improving employee engagement. All this in line with its own strategy and its own objectives. The big advantage of Lean is that once you have the theory well under control, you can roll out the practice in your own company. At their own pace, in their own working environment or office, adapted to their own customers or patients and resulting from their own production or service. Then the Lean methodology will develop in your own working environment and no external persons will be required.
OUR CONNECTION TO THE ORIGINS OF LEAN AND TPS
Van Goubergen P&M has a long history of working with organisations that apply the original principles of Lean and the Toyota Production System. Decades of collaboration with experts who were trained inside Toyota’s way of thinking have shaped our approach and ensure that our methods stay close to the authentic roots of Lean.
This connection allows our team to teach Lean in the way it was intended. We focus not only on tools but on the underlying mindset, discipline and problem-solving behaviour that have made Lean and TPS world-renowned. Our trainers draw on extensive practical experience across manufacturing, logistics, healthcare and service organisations, giving them the ability to translate these principles into real, applicable improvements.
By staying close to the source, Van Goubergen P&M helps organisations build genuine operational excellence. We support teams in developing strong problem-solving skills, improving processes and establishing a culture of continuous improvement that lasts.
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We believe our personal approach elevates employees, enabling them to identify improvement opportunities themselves and take ownership of the change process. This ensures that changes are more effectively embedded within the organization. In addition, we offer theoretical courses combined with optional on-site coaching, with a strong preference for face-to-face interaction to ensure effective knowledge transfer and understanding.
VAN GOUBERGEN IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Source: Kanaal Z
Leading companies trust our VAN GOUBERGEN P&M for their expertise
With over 30 years of experience across various sectors, we’ve worked with businesses of all sizes worldwide. This hands-on expertise keeps us closely connected to real-world business needs, helping us refine our methods and assess their impact. Our in-house simulations and case studies provide advanced solutions for complex challenges, far surpassing standard textbook examples.
LEAN IN THE SMALL & MEDIUM ENTERPRISE
The vast majority of large companies have already started with Lean, often resulting in breakthrough results. However, it is the SMEs that have similar problems and challenges, but so far have not received a customized solution to introduce Lean in their business. Smaller and medium-sized enterprises are also asking to increase efficiency in their company, thereby reducing costs and being more competitive in the market. To meet this demand, we offer a very concrete solution through short effective training sessions combined with in-house coaching.
Grants and SUBSIDIES
In Flanders, we are recognised as a service provider for the SME portfolio for the Advice and Training pillars. As a result, as an SME, you can make use of subsidies of up to 30% of the price of training.
Our Green and Black Belt in Lean training courses are also included in the “Training Database Flemish Training Incentives” and are eligible for training vouchers and Flemish Training Leave.
LIFE LONG SHARING & LEARNING
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