Have you ever had a project in your business that was stalled? I’ve seen this happen with projects that require the engagement and alignment of multiple departments. In an effort to get the requisite collaboration, the project leader tries to cajole all of the...
Many companies want or need to embrace automation to address chronic labor shortages, improve quality and safety, and reduce labor costs. If your company is seriously considering automation or are in the midst of implementing an automation project of any type, this...
After just one poor experience, nearly 80% of customers opt to purchase from or work with a competitor. Since you never get a second chance to make a first impression, it’s critical to deliver a fast, seamless and positive experience customers demand — and deserve....
I consider sales & operations planning (S&OP) to be a core discipline for manufacturers. When done correctly, the S&OP creates a shared perspective of the sales forecast, production capacity, customer lead times, and the projected financial performance of...
The Supervisor’s job has grown over the years. It used to be mostly about meeting the production schedule and making sure all the machines are running. Now they also need to work on scheduling issues, attend multiple meetings, support Lean and Continuous Improvement...
One reason that automation has yet to be widely embraced by many small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) is project failure or the perceived risk of automating. If an investment fails to produce results, who can blame owners and executives for shying away from...
The Problem Sales and operations have crossed swords since the dawn of manufacturing. Lately, however, I’ve noticed a consistent theme: With unexpectedly strong sales, the manufacturing group has fallen behind, which has led to long lead times and missed deliveries....
In December’s newsletter, the topic of practical supply chain automation presented the concept of gravity flow racking to automate the movement and transfer of stored materials. Another practical and affordable method of material transfer small manufacturers can...
Lean and Continuous Improvement initiatives often have a predictable and disappointing start. Tools are implemented like Gemba walks, tier boards, and 5S, and there appears to be positive change, but 12 months later the changes are not reading out in meaningful ways....
One of the best things about the time I spent in my early career, working at a mid-sized manufacturing plant, was how simple it was to get things done. Once plant leadership and the operators were on board with a plan, the only thing holding me back was having enough...