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| • Manufacturing In Sync With Demand Reconciling the values of efficiency and flexibility. More • Plant Design and Layout Making logistics work for you in-house. More • Supplier/Manufacturer Integration Taking technology and process improvements to the next level. More • Creative Inventory Analysis Making your inventory work for you (not the other way around). More • Integrated Manufacturing Logistics Planning Using “the long view” to identify process improvements. More |
• Manufacturing In Sync With Demand Reconciling the values of efficiency and flexibility. |
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How can you balance the competing values of “economies of scale” and “just-in-time” distribution? Is it really possible to run an efficient manufacturing operation AND respond appropriately to the ever-changing wants and needs of your customers and their customers? Opponents of the just-in-time concept deride the ideal of lot-size-one, cycle-time-zero. But the opposite extreme doesn’t work, either: in our era of variety and customization, inflexible upstream mass production processes feeding large inventories to downstream distribution is a thing of the past. And as if this conundrum weren’t complicated enough, about the time you think you have it all figured out, something changes – a new technology, a shifting cost structure, etc. So, what’s the answer? The Progress Group recommends a regular re-synching of demand and supply values, including changing opportunities and cost variables. Advances in technology, improvements in changeover capability, and new levels of process reliability all mean that closer synchronization between demand and supply is more possible every day. We can help you consider all sides of each issue objectively and take the steps that will be most productive for your operation. For more information, contact: Bruce Strahan, 770-804-9920, bstrahan@theprogressgroup.com |
| • Plant Design and Layout Making logistics work for you in-house. |
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If you consider plant layout a function of construction engineering, here’s a new way of looking at it that may help you improve your efficiency: plant layout as logistics. While we recognize that manufacturing technology is fundamental, keeping your eye on the logistics ball is a close second. A thorough evaluation of your in-plant logistics can reveal opportunities to improve your operating effectiveness dependent on material and product flows to and through the facility. And the integration of flows out of the plant and into the distribution network is a critical interface, with enormous time, cost, space, and service implications. The Progress group can help you extend the power of your manufacturing technology with more effective process design and layouts, balancing the importance of manufacturing efficiency with the needs for downstream inventory and product flow requirements. For more information, contact: Bruce Strahan, 770-804-9920, bstrahan@theprogressgroup.com |
| • Supplier/Manufacturer Integration Taking technology and process improvements to the next level. |
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As supply chain management becomes more sophisticated, the complex integration of two “links” in the chain is becoming commonplace. Some companies, particularly in fast-moving consumer goods areas, have been linking supplier and manufacturing functions since the late ’80’s and early ’90’s in response to customer demand – without major investments in technology. Yet the next wave – the integration of three or more links – will be much more difficult to navigate without significant improvements in technology. And that wave is here. The Progress Group knows the issues and pitfalls inherent in upgrading technology and processes for supplier/manufacturing integration. We can help you finesse the integration technology issues facing this next step in your supply chain upgrade. For more information, contact: Bruce Strahan, 770-804-9920, bstrahan@theprogressgroup.com |
| • Creative Inventory Analysis Making your inventory work for you (not the other way around) |
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Some say inventory is a business asset. Some say maintaining a broad inventory is the price you pay for giving good service. Others chalk it up to the cost of doing business. We say it’s a liability that diminishes in value over time, diverts capital, and prematurely consumes labor and material. So how can you get your inventory down? Creative inventory analysis, within a supply chain perspective, can save huge amounts of capital and expense while raising service levels to where they ought to be. The Progress Group can help you get the most out of your inventory investment, with outside-the-box analysis and solution designs. We begin with customer demand and look back at the infrastructure and decision points that affect inventory levels – lead times, variability, supplier interfaces, manufacturing scheduling, supply chain networks, information systems. We then develop analytical models you can use to make key adjustments that can improve your cost vs. service performance. For more information, contact: Bruce Strahan, 770-804-9920, bstrahan@theprogressgroup.com |
| • Integrated Manufacturing Logistics Planning Using “the long view” to identify process improvements. |
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Take a look through The Progress Group’s “glasses” at the logistics of the manufacturing link in your supply chain. You may see opportunities to reduce costs and increase profitability that aren’t readily apparent (this will be particularly true if your manufacturing processes have evolved over time). For instance: what’s not under your wing? Do your suppliers manage inbound transportation, and does that limit your opportunities for optimizing your inbound/outbound transportation costs? On the other hand, if you’re managing transportation as a cost center, are you sure that’s still the best solution? While it may promote full truckload shipments, does it constrict your flexibility to choose smaller shipments when appropriate? Further, if your transportation costs are buried in COGS, you may be missing opportunities to improve the interfaces with downstream distribution. The Progress Group can help you take a broader, more integrated view of the links between manufacturing functions and supply and distribution functions from the perspective of improving supply chain performance. This integrated logistics planning will collectively consider manufacturing scheduling, inventory management and inbound and outbound transportation, all in the context of customer service. For more information, contact: Bruce Strahan, 770-804-9920, bstrahan@theprogressgroup.com |
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Copyright © 2004 The Progress Group, LLC. All rights reserved.
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