Any manufacturing process can be broken down into a series of smaller processes.  Some of these sub-processes are core, they are tied directly to the part being manufactured itself.  Core processes define the innovative advantage that the plant enjoys, because core processes require specialized expertise, robust systems and focused execution based on KPI data.  By their very nature, core processes within a facility are continually improving as the in-house expertise and systems continue to improve and become more robust over time.  Core processes set you apart from your competition.  

Non-core processes at the other extreme are the necessary evils.  They are the processes that need to exist in order to support the primary objective of the manufacturing plant.  But because they lack systems, expertise or data driven execution, the processes are resulting in significant waste within a facility.  They create un-managed risk and in many cases they lead to expensive containment actions as the facility tries to minimize the direct impact on their core operations.