Martin Ashcroft and Thomas R. Cutler report on the key plant floor performance indicator ÔÇö overall equipment effectiveness. The ability to incorporate real time manufacturing data into operational decision-making is important in the quest for operational excellence.

Scott Theune and Scott Brown of Plexus tell Martin Ashcroft about the unique supply chain design capabilities necessary to provide world class electronics manufacturing services. Plexus designs and manufactures electronic products, mainly for original equipment manufacturers in the medical, telecommunications, industrial, defense, security and aerospace markets.

While companies have responded to globalization with admirable internal initiatives, says Jim Lawton, the real business of supply management happens outside your own four walls. Whenever an actor or musician makes it to the top of his game and debuts in a world-class venue, there are always going to be surprises. Performing at the Met is never the same as performing on a local or regional stage.

Farm to forkThomas R. Cutler outlines the traceability solutions we need to deal with the increasing incidence of food contamination. The most susceptible to food-borne illness are the very young, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems. Most people who eat food tainted with E.

A new steel trading giant is created by the merger of three global players, as John Foster, COO of the US hub Coutinho & Ferrostaal Incorporated explains to Gary Toushek. CCC Steel (Coutinho Caro & Co.), of Germany, Groupo Villacero of Mexico and MAN Ferrostaal AG of Germany combined their global steel trading and supply chain activities on┬á1 January, 2008 to create one of the worldÔÇÖs leading international steel trading companies, Coutinho & Ferrostaal GmbH & Co. KG.

Thomas R. Cutler explains why a warehouse control system (WCS) is well suited to working with a lean six sigma initiative. Warehouse management systems (WMS) are a key part of the supply chain, concerned primarily with controlling the movement and storage of materials within a warehouse and processing the associated transactions, including shipping, receiving, put-away, and picking.

Thomas R. Cutler discovers vendor relationship management (VRM), a relatively new supply chain tool that pays off for all parties. VRM, or vendor relationship management, is the reciprocal of CRM (Customer Relationship Management). VRM provides industrial, distribution, and a wide range of enterprises with the technology and tools for efficient vendor interactions that benefit both parties.  ÔÇ£Until recently, CRM systems took on the full burden of relating with customers,ÔÇØ explained Larry Caretsky, president of Commence Corporation.

By Thomas R. CutlerCompanies designing products for customers to their own specifications are part of a unique worldwide club of engineer-to-order (ETO) firms numbering 200,000-plus. Even firms that have been exclusively engaged in repetitive manufacturing are now increasingly finding profitable client demand for customization. Almost 90 percent of these unique one-of-a-kind manufacturers have annual sales of under $50 million and have yet to unify the key parts of the process into an integrated business information system.

Thomas R. Cutler looks at the value of tradeshows, and offers some suggestions for getting a return from the time and money invested in them. The best tradeshow, seminar, expo, or event can be incredibly valuable in gaining knowledge, interfacing with vendors, suppliers, and customers, and developing new clients and sales opportunities.

Marc Schupan, CEO of Schupan & Sons, and his three divisional presidents, tell Martin Ashcroft about the partnership culture that helps the business by helping the customer. ÔÇ£Once we have an opportunity to do business, a mutually beneficial relationship, along with loyalty grows,ÔÇØ says Marc Schupan.┬á  ÔÇ£We try to take a long term look at things,ÔÇØ he says. ÔÇ£You canÔÇÖt necessarily make a profit on everything you do. There has to be some balance.