Productivity People

What Productivity People does

Productivity People Limited is a privately-held New Zealand consulting firm founded in April 2019 that delivers Lean and Continuous Improvement services to manufacturing, supply chain, local government, and SME clients across New Zealand. The firm's core offering is the Productivity Programme, an integrated framework combining Kaizen, Toyota Production System, and Lean practices adapted for the New Zealand context, supported by its proprietary Wheel Assessments© diagnostic tool and a portfolio of methodology services including Daily Management Systems, Leader Standard Work, DMAIC-structured problem solving, Value Stream Mapping, and Sales and Operations Planning.

The firm operates a field-sales consulting model with regional offices and consultants in Whakatāne (headquarters), Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch, providing hands-on coaching, workshops, and applied improvement engagements. Revenue is generated entirely through professional services fees; pricing is not publicly disclosed but engagements begin with free initial consultations, and the firm is a preferred provider for Callaghan Innovation's subsidised Lean Coaching program (up to 40% government funding for eligible clients). The team comprises roughly 12-15 senior consultants and support staff, virtually all with 20+ years of operational experience in sectors such as food and beverage, chemicals, ports, and government services.

Notable enterprise clients include Ballance Agri-Nutrients (company-wide Ballance Production System implementation), the New Zealand Ministry of Education (98% payment accuracy and rework reduction from 30% to under 1% in ECE funding), Patchell Group, Port Taranaki, Sequal Lumber, and Huntly Doors. Leadership is anchored by Managing Directors Geerten Lengkeek and Liddy Bakker, with General Manager Nigel Beasley joining in July 2024 to professionalise operations. The firm has no disclosed external funding, parent company, or international expansion.

Name

Productivity People

Legal name

Productivity People Limited

Website

https://productivitypeople.co.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Productivity People is a privately-held New Zealand consulting firm, founded in 2019, that delivers Lean and Continuous Improvement services, including its proprietary Productivity Programme and Wheel Assessments©, to manufacturing, supply chain, local government, and SME clients across New Zealand.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Operational Excellence Consulting

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAHAGAL

Performance Management & Productivity Consulting

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Human Capital & Organizational Consulting

SECONDARYBPAHACAE

Human Capital & Workforce Transformation Consulting

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Management Consulting

SECONDARYBPAHAGAI

Culture, Engagement & Employee Experience (EX) Consulting

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Human Capital & Organizational Consulting

Keywords

• Lean consulting services
• Continuous improvement
• Operational excellence
• Process optimization
• Productivity coaching

Headquarters

HQ city

New Zealand

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Consulting and Professional Services: Direct consulting engagements providing hands-on support and coaching for organisations implementing Lean and Continuous Improvement practices. Services include workshops, applied improvement services, and the Productivity Programme delivered by experienced consultants with 20+ years of industry experience.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Productivity People is a New Zealand consulting firm that delivers Lean and Continuous Improvement services to organisations. Their core offering is the Productivity Programme, an integrated framework combining Kaizen, Toyota Production System, and Lean practices, supplemented by the proprietary Wheel Assessments© maturity benchmarking tool. They provide hands-on consulting, applied improvement services, and skills workshops across manufacturing, local government, supply chain, and SME sectors throughout New Zealand.

Product overview

Productivity People is a New Zealand-based consulting firm providing productivity improvement services. Their core offering is the Productivity Programme, an integrated Continuous Improvement and Lean management system combining methodologies from Kaizen, Toyota Production System, and Lean practices. The portfolio includes Wheel Assessments© for operational maturity evaluation, various Workshops for skills development (5S, DMAIC, Beer Game, Productivity Growth), Applied Improvement Services for hands-on consulting, and specific methodology services including Daily Management System, Leader Standard Work, Process & Value Stream Mapping, Standard Work, Manufacturing Basic Care, High Performing Teams, Structured Problem Solving, Visual Management, and Sales and Operations Planning. The company operates across New Zealand with regional consultants providing tailored support to manufacturing, local government, food and primary industries, supply chain, engineering, and operational improvement sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Productivity Programme

Quantifiable outcome

• Throughput improved by 200%
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Callaghan InnovationcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 20 November 2023Productivity People is one of Callaghan Innovation's preferred providers for their subsidised Lean Coaching program. This partnership enables medium to large high-value manufacturing or supply chain companies to access up to 40% funding for Lean implementation. The program helps identify customer value-adding activities, inefficiencies, improve planning, staff engagement, and create a continuous improvement culture.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Kepner-Tregoe: Consulting and training firm specialising in structured problem solving and decision-making methodologies — directly comparable to Productivity People's DMAIC/Structured Problem Solving offering and similar capability-building, hands-on consulting model.

Direct peers

• TBM Consulting Group: Global Lean and operational excellence consultancy that delivers Lean transformations, production system rollouts, and continuous improvement programs to manufacturers — closely aligned with Productivity People's Productivity Programme, Daily Management System and Lean methodology stack.
• Kaizen Institute: Global Kaizen/Lean consulting and training firm that runs Kaizen events, Lean transformations, and operational improvement programs for manufacturers and service organisations — directly comparable methodology stack to Productivity People's Kaizen and Toyota Production System-based approach.
• Strategos: Boutique management consulting firm focused on Lean strategy, value stream design and operational transformation — comparable niche positioning and methodology stack for clients seeking dedicated Lean expertise rather than a generalist consultancy.
• Gemba Research: Boutique Lean / operational excellence consultancy publishing operational improvement research and delivering transformation engagements — comparable niche consulting model and 'gemba'-rooted continuous improvement focus.

Others

• Lean Enterprise Institute: Non-profit that educates and disseminates Lean thinking and runs Lean transformation work — overlaps on methodology (5S, Lean, Daily Management) and shapes buyer expectations that Productivity People must then meet; not a direct competitor but an ecosystem shaper.

Broad incumbents

• Bain & Company: Global management consultancy with an Operations and Performance practice that delivers large-enterprise operational improvement and continuous transformation programs — competes at the higher end of the same client base that Productivity People serves.
• McKinsey & Company: Global management consultancy with a large Operations Practice that delivers end-to-end performance transformations and lean/operational improvement programs to large enterprises — competes for the same operational excellence budgets as Productivity People, but at much larger scale.
• Boston Consulting Group: Global strategy and operations consultancy with deep manufacturing and operations transformation capabilities; competes in the same enterprise operations-improvement category, though it operates as part of a broader portfolio rather than as a Lean specialist.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/productivity-people-limited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Productivity People