One of those frequent and frustrating problems with growth can be space. Who has heard, "I've run out of space! What should we do?". Unfortunately it is not uncommon. The problem with this situation is that there are numerous causes and solutions - including this is exactly the problem [...]
Manufacturing and distributing product to meet customer demand can be like a puzzle unless you start using SIOP as a core process to run your business. SIOP (sales, inventory, & operations planning) taken to the best practice degree is often associated with integrated business planning. In some circles, they [...]
August 25, 2015 As I was debating about what to write about this week, two colleagues walked into my client's office for help in resolving an issue. Upon leaving, one said "It's not what you know; it's who you know". I thought this phrase rang true. Clearly, you have [...]
July 24, 2015 I've been working with a client recently on a SIOP (sales, inventory and operations planning) program. We are gaining access to powerful information that will help them hire at the "right" time (not too early - and, more importantly, not too late when considering growth & [...]
Businesses with growth ambitions have to gauge the current capacity of every facet of their facility to plan future productivity. Capacity is a critical element for any business – and especially those interested in growth! A good place to start is to understand your capacity, which can mean different [...]
June 22, 2015 If you are related to aerospace, you've probably heard the GREAT news that the world fleet will double in size over the next 20 years. Based on which news you read, the estimates are between 32,000 and 37,000 planes. Now that is growth! The same type [...]
June 15, 2015 According to a recent KPMG survey on the Global Manufacturing Outlook, executives are thinking about innovation. 81% are altering their business models to to encourage collaboration with customers, suppliers and other partners to "improve the value of their innovation investments". Speed is critical. Thus, a key [...]
It’s easy to feel lost when you have no direction from customers about their own sales projections. Get a clearer picture through demand planning. 80% of companies are not in front of their demand. How can you decide what to plan for if you don’t know where you are [...]
Believing you understand your customers’ needs can differ vastly from what they actually want. In the end though, the customer gets what the customer wants, whether from you or your competition. As I thought about an appropriate topic, I was reminded of the importance of starting with your customer. [...]
I've been thinking about the value of SIOP (sales, inventory and operations planning). Not only can it be a great way to gain bottom line results (capacity to support business growth, improved margins, accelerated cash flow), but it also can help align the functions of an organization. I've facilitated [...]
