Describes how, in the face of severe competition from home and abroad, a new production improvement system was implemented which improved quality, reduced lead times and cut work‐in‐process by 40 per cent at Mitsubishi Aluminium′s Fuji Plant. Discusses the implementation of the programme over a two year period. Summarizes the results. Concludes that the MAF Production Improvement System has laid the groundwork for the continuous improvement of goods and services.