Cooperation begins with suppliers

Manufacturers may forge a deal with their suppliers to improve the efficiency of their processes. Such was the experience of Huron Machine Products Inc in Fort Lauderdale, FL. David Lindemann, the company's president, noticed that the unloading of the raw steel it purchases from its supplier disrupts the company's overall workflow. To remedy this, Lindemann struck an agreement with its supplier to shift to a just-in-time delivery arrangement. Through this deal, Huron reduced its inventory cost, saved on production space and stabilized its workflow.
In the past couple of columns, we highlighted small contract manufacturers who solved production problems with new product ideas. But not all improved process solutions result in a marketable product. [...]