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SMT Magazine Q&A :: World-class manufacturingJanuary 2004Q: As the manufacturing sector continues to recover and orders continue to grow, I hear a lot of claims about world-class manufacturing. Can you describe the key differentiators of a world-class manufacturer? A: Being a world-class manufacturer is not solely defined by market share, revenue or company size. Manufacturers who are truly world class are always examining their business processes and continuously seeking solutions to improve in key areas such as: Reducing Lead Times — A keen understanding that reducing lead times is a move towards world-class performance. This issue is beginning to resurface as the economy begins to recover. Manufacturers who work on compressing their total cycle times result in lower inventory, quicker response to market demand and ultimately shorter lead times. Cutting Operations Costs — With efficient global operations, manufacturers gain access to world-class capabilities and reduced manufacturing costs. This supports the continued push to provide electronics to market at increasingly lower price points. These business issues have accelerated the need to enter the global market. Exceeding Customer Expectations — Customer satisfaction is what creates business value. Customers rarely make decisions on price alone; factors such as communications, flexibility, quality and performance are just as important. Knowing how to generate customer loyalty using the latest technologies to reduce materials, minimize production and service costs, streamline transactions, and foster positive customer relationships is a must. Managing the Global Operation — Advances in technology have helped open and accelerate the need for manufacturers to manage multiple locations and enter the global market. This change means manufacturers must consider new rules, regulations, processes, demands, partners, time zones, languages and currencies. Streamlining Outsourcing Processes — Partnering with world-class contractors can provide a competitive edge. Key benefits include reduction in capital investments and manufacturing costs, as well as the access to real experience into new markets. This can free up resources to focus on engineering or on core successes for the company. Speeding Time-to-Market for New Products — Manufacturers that excel in time-to-market use information as a critical tool to prevent delays from lack of communications, to control costs by staying advised of issues, and to deliver-to-promise by collaborating with partners and customers. As you take the time to examine your enterprise, how do you rate as a world-class manufacturer? Daniel F. Baldwin is the president of Engent Inc., Norcross, Ga. Surface Mount Technology (SMT) January, 2004 Author(s) : Daniel Baldwin Launch SMT Magazine Article For more information about Engent, Inc, please contact us at:
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