Inventory management may be a less exciting supply chain topic but it is the linchpin in a manufacturing or distribution business. No matter how many engaging conversations I have with clients, contacts and trade groups about emerging supply chain trends, the less exciting topic of inventory management often-times can [...]
When facing short-term staffing challenges, supplement your needs with temps, contractors or consultants. To be successful, be clear on the purpose and staff accordingly. I find that almost every one of my clients and prospective clients are growing significantly. One complication of growth is to find, upgrade and keep [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
Actionable data is only as valuable as the care and attention that goes into data entry. I recently was talking with a key client about the importance of building a foundation for new processes, and it sparked the idea for this article. If there is one common problem my [...]
The quickest, most practical inventory solutions happen with teamwork. 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 [...]
Missing important clues at work because they’re not obvious or visible is as good as going around with blinders. Part of having an eagle eye is knowing what you don't see. I've found that being observant while walking around a manufacturing or distribution facility can yield many hidden gems. [...]
If you’re riding a wave of growing demand put systems in place that can support the increased workload and not wipe out your goals. Lately I've been talking with many clients and potential clients who are interested in growth. Although rapid growth is exciting, it can also be one [...]
Quality must be an assumption. The problem with assumptions such as service and quality is that people lose focus because there is little conversation about the topics when "all is well". People are typically not rewarded for things that don't happen. For example, if there is a crisis, people [...]
