Developing a Manufacturing Strategy

(Case history)

The Challenge

Flexco, the leading maker of conveyor belt lacing and related equipment wanted to establish a new vision for manufact-uring operations that would:

• Use Lean Flow Mfg. best practices

• Minimize non-value overhead

• Clarify requirements for a new management information system

• Establish a clear management team consensus for going forward

They had discussed a number of options over the previous weeks, but were not approaching a consensus fast enough to avoid delays in the IT project.

Project Approach

The core members of the client’s ERP planning team decided that a facilitated session of the executive team was needed. But no one wanted to take the facilitator’s role with its perceived “bully pulpit” for a topic that needed a strong consensus.

Instead, they asked Cumberland to develop a work session plan and facilitate it based on their objectives.

The one-day work session included:

• Clarified scope of processes involved

• Discussion of traditional and emerging manufacturing models

• High level map of current mfg. ops.

• Envisioned future changes

• High level “To Be” mfg. map

• Mfg. characteristics chart

• Action plan

They worked hard to understand the different perspectives of members of the executive team, and in the end realized that they were actually in agreement about the key issues although it hadn’t seemed that way until they had them all laid out on the table.

Results

The executive team was comfortable that a solid consensus had been reached. So several initiatives were given new or reinforced go-ahead signals that allowed them to accelerate their progress:

• Consensus understanding of how the manufacturing operations and overhead functions will have to become “leaner” to maintain market leadership

• ERP project on track

• Confirmation of control methods for internal versus external requirements

• Clearer vision of how the planning and manufacturing functions can work together toward common goals

Plus, the executive team reconfirmed that sometimes there is no substitute for an effective collaborative meeting, particularly when the issues are complex and have many potential outcomes.

Keys To Success

“Reasonable people, equally informed, seldom disagree.” But sometimes they can agree sooner with a little outside help to facilitate their deliberations and paint a balanced “picture” of their envisioned future. Cumberland routinely fills that role with management teams making difficult decisions.