Value stream mapping (VSM) is a useful tool for describing the manufacturing state, especially for distinguishing
between those activities that add value and those that do not. It can help in eliminating
non-value activities and reducing the work in process (WIP) and thereby increase the service level. This
research follows the guidelines for designing future state VSM. These guidelines consist of five factors
which can be changed simply, without any investment. These five factors are (1) production unit; (2)
pacemaker process; (3) number of batches; (4) production sequence; and (5) supermarket size. The five
factors are applied to a fishing net manufacturing system. Using experimental design and a simulation
optimizing tool, the five factors are optimized. The results show that the future state maps can increase
service level and reduce WIP by at least 29.41% and 33.92% respectively. For the present study, the lean
principles are innovatively adopted in solving a fishing net manufacturing system which is not a welladdressed
problem in literature. In light of the promising empirical results, the proposed methodologies
are also readily applicable to similar industries.