Programs/Services - Company Successes
Example Projects | Agility Resources | Examples of Industry PartnersCompany Successes | Operational Improvements
Product Development & Enhancement | Enterprise Resource Integration
Operational Improvements
Kraft Foods Inc., Allentown, PA, a large and highly complex food production operation, was faced with a challenge from its parent company to either trim costs - without affecting quality and service - or face plant closure. Under these competitive, the ESC was brought in to help increase productivity and reduce process inefficiency. The resulting intensive project consisted of improving product flow, analyzing labor staffing, eliminating capacity bottlenecks, analyzing line flow and maximizing throughput, restructuring warehouse operations, and improving and documenting distribution procedures.
The effort generated significant long-term results for the company, including increased line speed and throughput, implementation of optimum production scheduling that minimizes changeovers and production costs, reduction of holdover and downtime, and identification of over $2,000,000 in cost savings.
DAY-TIMER, Inc., Allentown, PA, made a corporate decision to use advanced digital printing technology as a means to manufacture customizable personal organizer products. The company contacted ESC personnel to analyze and simulate their manufacturing systems and capabilities in advance of implementing the new printing technology and associated finishing operations. After extensive interviewing and data collection, the ESC developed a manufacturing simulation model which helped to identify potential problems, eliminated bottlenecks, and enhanced labor staffing. Concurrently, ESC personnel helped the company to change its entire manufacturing approach to embrace shorter lead times and small lot production. The new lines refined through this process met new production requirements while dovetailing with the final assembly operations. The project enabled Day-Timers to save over $2,000,000 in reduced inventories, improve efficiency by 25%, establish a turn-around time for customized orders at five business days, and reduce cycle time on generic orders from six weeks to five business days.
Enterprise Resource Integration
Suckle Corporation, Scranton, PA, a large customized precision sheet metal fabricator, needed to upgrade its operation and was undergoing business re-engineering. As part of the process, Suckle had to re-engineer all manufacturing management systems to take advantage of their new ERP systems. The ESC was brought in to oversee the process.
Working with the ERP vendor, ESC personnel identified changes in business processes that would be necessary to support the new system. The ESC spent time with company employees to help them understand the new system and the accompanying changes in manufacturing/management practices. Specific results of the project included revamping order administration, production planning, and job order scheduling, creating inventory management procedures, inputting quality checklists into the ERP system, and collecting real-time production data to aid in work scheduling and costing. As a result, the company improved productivity and maximized the effectiveness of its information systems tool.
Jetson Direct Mail Services, Inc., Hamburg, PA, is a rapidly growing direct mail business that was looking to establish an integrated system for handling scheduling, customer demands, inventories, and raw materials. Jetson and the ESC worked together to analyze and improve these key business processes in an attempt to streamline operations, reduce costs and inefficiencies, and increase profitability.
Working closely with Jetson personnel, the ESC conducted an "As Is" analysis of Jetson's business processes and then developed a "To Be" model based on the company's requirements. The team diagrammed process flows to streamline to flow of information and to redesign the processes where necessary. The ESC generated a request for proposals that clearly and concisely communicated Jetson's systems needs to potential vendors. The ESC used a third party database service to identify ERP systems that matched the project specifications. With the ESC's help, Jetson successfully redesigned its business processes and selected and implemented an ERP system that was closely tailored to their business requirements.
Product Development & Enhancement
Garland Commercial Industries Inc., Freeland, PA, designs and manufactures ovens, ranges, broilers, and griddles. The company need to advance its competitive position by improving the design and reducing costs of its full size convection oven products. The ESC personnel worked together with the company to improve functionality and reduce manufacturing costs in three areas: base stiffness, door alignment, and thermal isolation of the control panel.
After studying the existing product design and its manufacturing and assembly processes, the ESC proposed potential areas for improvement with an emphasis on cost reduction through the implementation of improved design and a simplified manufacturing procedure. The final results of the project include: a redesigned base with enhanced leg strength; redesigned oven door configuration that reduced costs without compromising performance; optimal design for fan, airflow, and insulation configuration to control overheating; and design of a cost-effective cart to work in conjunction with cafeteria-style ovens. These changes improved overall performance of the company's product lines while reducing production costs by $500,000 annually.
Unique Technologies Inc., Mohnton, PA, is a well-established manufacturer of surgical products. In an effort to diversify its product lines and expand into new markets, the company was investigating development of a product to remove Norplant contraceptive implants. The ESC was brought in to help with a plan for development and commercialization of this new product. In addition to ensuring product performance and manufacturability, the ESC was required to meet budgetary targets with regard to the equipment and tooling necessary to develop the product, and the per unit production costs.
The ESC developed a product design which met the desired functional and structural properties. By conducting an extensive search for appropriate suppliers and suggesting alternate production materials, the ESC succeeded in bringing production costs well within the target range. The end results for the company was a product that performed as needed and met the cost objective, thereby ensuring healthy long-term revenues.
