Kaizen Assembly LLC, a Bellingham, Wash.-based lean-manufacturing consulting, training, and engineering firm, says it plans to expand in Spokane this year.

The company's services include assessments to identify potential applications of lean-manufacturing concepts, strategic planning, supply-chain efficiency, and facility startups, says Chris Ortiz, president of Kaizen Assembly.

"We're in the middle of discussing acquiring new clients there. Interest is growing, and it's looking promising," Ortiz says. "There is a very strong and positive manufacturing sector there, and we look forward to contributing to the economic development of the area."

The company hopes to have its Spokane operation in place this summer or fall, but it hasn't decided on a location yet, Ortiz says.

The operation here likely would start up with one or two employees and would be augmented by West Side staff members who would travel here frequently, he says.

"The ideal number for a team there would be three or four," Ortiz says. "The team in Spokane would also be responsible for supporting customers across the country as well."

Kaizen Assembly currently has four Bellingham-based employees who support customers nationwide, he says.

The lean-manufacturing concept focuses on reducing waste throughout the production and delivery processes and improving products through team efforts involving employees at all levels of a company, he says.

Kaizen Assembly offers formal training, online courses, and onsite implementation of lean practices. The seven-year-old company named for the Japanese word meaning "continuous improvement," serves a diverse industry base, which includes manufacturing and assembly, warehousing, auto-collision repair, and processing.

Kaizen Assembly's clients include Dri-Eaz Products Inc., an Arlington, Wash., manufacturer of dehumidifiers and drying systems; Engineered Solutions, a Sunnyvale, Calif., contract manufacturer; and Absolute Manufacturing Inc., a Burlington, Wash., maker of stone-fired cooking ovens.