Those words, or similar ones, are most frequently attributed to Heraclitus, an ancient Greek philosopher who very likely wasn’t looking at a factory floor when he made this observation. Nevertheless, it is a fitting comment on the state of manufacturing. Successful manufacturing enterprises don’t stand still. By definition, neither do their production floors.
Toyota, for example, has introduced its Toyota New Global Architecture. While it is a comprehensive approach to developing new vehicles, TNGA has a strong plant-floor component. Flexibility is the key, with elements including compact equipment, smaller paint booths and production lines that can be easily lengthened or shortened as needs dictate.
