Manufacturing Tips – Let’s take a step back….and go back to basics: Production Scheduling!

The last 12-18 odd months has been a time for many people to self-reflect. So why not apply this logic to your business?

We are often creatures of habit and do many tasks out of routine, but do not look behind the curtain.

There are literally dozens of articles on the internet and in business magazines on manufacturing financial tips, or top tips  to improve your business fast. Everyone starts throwing out the buzz words like: cash flow; inventory management; procurement savings; marketing and e-commerce and better working capital management, the lists goes on.

For most business owners, your eyes have already started to glaze over. Or, you’ve just clicked the close button on the internet browser. I did on several of the online articles I googled!

In other words, in my experience, you need to take a few steps back and go back to basics.

Look behind the curtain and optimise your production schedule.

Step 1.

Identify the key product (Group A) that your business manufactures and sells. What do you want the market to know you as? What is the goal? Is it to increase the productivity of product X and increase sales by X percent?

Step 2.

Secondly, you can consider looking at the other products (Group B, C, D etc) that your business manufactures and sells. What is the goal with these products? Ask the questions for this step that you asked in step 1 for your key product.

Step 3.

Thirdly, analyse the volumes of these product lines and determine what your realistic manufacturing capabilities are (with and without overtime, additional shifts, equipment change overs if required, etc). Do the calculations! If you are not sure how to do the analysis, get some outside talent to assist on a short-term basis.

Step 4.

As a next step, develop the production schedule. With Group A as your primary production, you can factor in peak sales periods and additionally, in “quieter times”, you can manufacture the other products (Group B, C, D etc). Remember to factor in equipment change overs and maintenance requirements, and consider warehousing constraints for raw materials and storing of finished goods.

Graphical Example of Production Schedule:

Step 5.

Setting the production schedule flows to your procurement requirements and timing and as a result, this then follows onto your inventory management. These two areas are driven by your production schedule (not the other way around!).

Golden rule:  Do not change the schedule!!! You may need to tweak and adjust for the unexpected, however, chopping and changing the schedule can cause productivity losses and create instability in the organisation.

Step 6.

To manage the manufacturing process from end to end, you need timely reporting and metrics to track the performance.  After that, review the reports regularly – some might be hourly, daily, every 2-3 days, weekly or monthly (just depends on your operations).

If your current software system cannot meet the reporting requirement, develop reports that meet your business needs. If you do not have resources internally to develop the reporting, get short-term outside talent.

Longer term, you may need to look at upgrading your software system that grows with your business needs. Think strategically!

Step 7.

Lastly, communicate the production schedule to your organisation. Set the expectations, from the team members on the production floor through to finance, customer service and sales. You’ll find over time that the salespeople that understand the production schedule and work with it, tend to be more successful in sales and meet customer expectations.

Once you are in the rhythm of the production schedule you can work on cost and waste reduction programs. For instance, refining your inventory management, supplier reviews, productivity efficiencies and so on.

In conclusion, go back to basics, break it down into steps and do not be afraid to ask for help.

By Melissa Tirant, Chief Financial Officer, Victoria – The CFO Centre