For many manufacturers, customer service challenges begin long before products reach the shipping dock. Demand variability, production bottlenecks, capacity constraints, scheduling conflicts, and inaccurate forecasts can create a ripple effect throughout the organization. As complexity increases, companies often find themselves reacting to problems rather than proactively planning for success.
This was the situation facing Esterline Kirkhill. Leadership recognized the need to improve planning, scheduling, and operational execution to better support customer requirements while increasing throughput and improving overall performance. To address these challenges, the company partnered with LMA Consulting Group. Through improved SIOP (Sales Inventory Operations Planning) processes, demand planning, capacity management, and production scheduling, the company increased throughput, improved service performance, and created a more predictable operating environment.
Improving Visibility Through SIOP
One of the first priorities was improving visibility into future demand and operational requirements. LMA worked with Esterline Kirkhill to strengthen its SIOP process to create greater alignment between customer demand, production capabilities, and business objectives. The team focused on improving demand visibility through customer portals, strengthening collaboration with Customer Service, and creating more accurate demand signals that could be translated into actionable production plans. By improving communication across departments and creating a more structured planning process, leadership gained greater confidence in future demand requirements and operational readiness.
Enhancing Demand Planning and Forecast Accuracy
Accurate forecasting is critical to successful manufacturing operations. LMA partnered with the demand planning team to improve forecast quality, resolve consumption-related issues, and ensure that demand signals were properly integrated into the ERP system. The result was a stronger connection between customer demand, planning activities, and operational execution. Improved forecast accuracy helped reduce surprises, support proactive decision-making, and create greater predictability throughout the organization.
Aligning Capacity with Customer Demand
Understanding future demand is only valuable if organizations can determine whether they have the capacity to support it. LMA worked with Esterline Kirkhill to develop capacity reporting across key machine centers and production areas to identify constraints and improve planning decisions. The team evaluated staffing requirements, temporary labor needs, shift structures, and production resources to better align capacity with expected demand. These efforts allowed leadership to make more informed decisions while creating a more stable and responsive operating environment.
Improving Production Planning and Scheduling
Production planning and scheduling became another major focus area. LMA helped redesign scheduling processes using Kanban-style work order planning techniques to improve sequencing, increase flow, and maximize the utilization of multi-cavity tooling. By improving scheduling discipline and production flow, the company was able to increase throughput while reducing inefficiencies that previously limited performance. Better sequencing decisions allowed operations to take fuller advantage of available capacity and improve responsiveness to customer requirements.
Eliminating Bottlenecks and Improving Execution
In addition to planning improvements, the team examined operational processes that were slowing performance. Efforts included improving the flow of paperwork through the facility, strengthening communication between departments, and addressing bottlenecks within shipping operations. Customer scorecards were also incorporated into planning discussions, helping align operational priorities with customer expectations and performance requirements. These improvements created better visibility into performance while helping teams focus on the activities that had the greatest impact on customer service.
Building a More Predictable Operation
The combined impact of improved demand planning, SIOP processes, capacity management, scheduling discipline, and operational execution created meaningful business results. The company improved visibility into future demand and supply requirements, increased production throughput, enhanced customer service performance, strengthened planning capabilities, and created a more predictable operating environment. Rather than reacting to changing conditions, leadership gained the ability to proactively manage resources, anticipate constraints, and make better business decisions.
Turning Planning into Competitive Advantage
The most successful manufacturers understand that customer service begins with planning. Organizations that connect demand, supply, capacity, scheduling, and operational execution create the visibility and alignment needed to improve performance and support growth.
Through its partnership with LMA Consulting Group, Esterline Kirkhill strengthened its planning processes, increased throughput, improved service levels, and built a stronger operational foundation capable of supporting future success.
Watch the video to hear firsthand how improved planning, scheduling, capacity alignment, and operational execution helped Esterline Kirkhill enhance performance and better serve its customers.
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Published: March 15, 2018 | Updated: May 15, 2026