Typical Results 

Network Procurement^®:  cut lead times ranging from 20 to 30 weeks down to one week or less in all cases.  Cut prices by 30% effective immediately and including long term contracts revised to show the savings immediately.  Improved quality, obtained commitment to replace defects in 48 hours or less, and obtained addition pledges to work to reduce costs an additional 10% by the end of the first year of the contract.  This achievement was the primary reason in the company involved for increasing margins from 18 to 39%, achieving a profit and "saving" the company from a distress sale.

 

Electronics manufacturing:  inventory cut 29% in three months; 30% reduction in purchase prices by the end of the first year; "Team Quality^™" program which bolstered morale, improved productivity and increased sales.

Development and implementation of a distribution planning and control system for a $100MM per year European industrial and consumer goods manufacturer, resulting in a 35% reduction in finished goods inventory and a 90% improvement in customer service.

Implementation of inter-plant pull signals and a "focused factory" concept for the movement of work-in-process and unassembled stock among four plants of an international industrial goods manufacturer.

 

Pull Signals implementation among a supplier / client firm network of 8 plants located in the Pacific Rim within a 10,000 mile circle and employing over 13,000 personnel.  Reduced affected inventories 25% in the first month of implementation.  Went on to establish inventory controls in support of the inventory reducing / cash flow improvement objective.

 

Setup / Changeover Time Reduction efforts in a large American machinery house resulting in changeover time reductions averaging 70%.  Initiated, trained, and coordinated employee teams to implement the changes required to "institutionalize" the reduced changeover times.

 

 Network Procurement^® in Europe:  achieving an 18% immediate cost reduction; reduction of delivery lead times to 1 week or less (down from up to 22 weeks); quality improvements and additional  Continuous Improvement program cost reductions of 9% (first year) and 11% (second year).

 

Development of JIT-related performance measures for a 300-person capital equipment producer  in support of a Pull Signals and Partnership Purchasing project which cut inventory 70%, increased shipments 7%, reduced lead times by 70% and cut purchased costs by 10%.

 

Implementation of computerized forecasting, sales, and order entry in the multi-warehouse distribution environment for a $100MM per year industrial goods supplier

Implementation of a plant-wide scheduling pull signals system to be used in conjunction with the computerized finite scheduling system in an 800-man aerospace engine prototype facility.  Lead times and WIP inventory cut 65% in five months.

 

Reorganization for flow and flexibility of a 300,000 square foot manufacturing facility (including screw machines, punch presses, molding, winding, and electronic assembly) for a $60MM per year capital equipment producer.  Space requirements cut 40% in 7 months.

 

Recruiting and staffing the management team to position a $40MM high-tech electronics company for rapid growth.  Provided interim management support for over a year while establishing the new team.

 

Selection analysis, negotiating for best (mutual) contract, and implementation of a variety of "MRP II" software packages, including interfacing with all functions.

 

Project development and management for the implementation of closed-loop MRP II in a multi-plant environment, integrated with our previously implemented inter-plant scheduling system.

 

Preparation of business plans for a variety of start-up and existing business, from low to "high tech".  Presentation of those plans to investment bankers / venture capitalists and secured approval.

Design and implementation of a setup reduction program and visible inventory scheduling system in a New England industrial good manufacturer, resulting in lot-size, lead time, and inventory reductions of over 70% in over thirty- five work centers.

Implementation of a "Production=Sales" planning and scheduling system, from raw material procurement to finished goods shipment, for a Canadian consumer electrical goods manufacturer, resulting in a 60% inventory and lead time reduction and a 99% customer service level.

Implementation of a Cellular Manufacturing/Group Technology program in the machine shop of a $80MM per year industrial goods manufacturer, resulting in an 80% reduction in manufacturing lead times.

Education and training in the principles of Synchronous Manufacturing for the 600 organized direct labor employees of a major aerospace and defense contractor.

Implementation of Network Procurement^® agreements with the suppliers of a New Hampshire sheet metal fabrication company, resulting in a 70% raw material inventory reduction and a 7% material purchase price reduction.

Implementation of Network Procurement^® agreements with the suppliers of a California aerospace manufacturer, resulting in a 60% lead time reduction and a 12% material purchase price reduction.

Implementation of inter-plant pull signals between a New England fabrication operation and their assembly facility in Mexico, resulting in a 90% reduction in assembly stock outs.

 

Competitive Constraint Identification^® efforts for firms ranging from a $10MM per year metal fabricator to a $2,000MM per year aerospace firm.  Typical results of the CCI are identification of improvement potential and action plans for a simultaneous increase in throughput of 10-20%, reduction in inventory of 40-60%, and a reduction in operating expense of 10-20%. 

Coordinating acquisition of a $35MM per year electronics test equipment producer by a previous competitor of similar size.

 

Reduction in defects rate of 80% for a $200MM per year New England communications equipment producer.

 

Reduction in defects rate across major functional areas ranging up to 100% for a California manufacturer.

Transition of the quality organization for medium-sized electronics assembler from an inspection to prevention focus; improving quality with 85% fewer  inspectors.