Industry Forum

Industrial Products

While world trade in machinery totalled a massive $1.7tr in 2012, the nature of global supply chains in this sector is shifting. Across North America and Europe, primes are looking to shorten supply chains and source much more locally. Rising costs in emerging markets, rising transport costs and the need for more rapid rates of new product development are amongst the factors driving these changes. The fundamental requirement continues to be world class levels of quality and delivery performance. In this sector, the performance of the supply chain is a major determinant of overall global competitveness – a driver which is likely to increase in importance as the decade progresses.

Industry Forum’s industrial products business consultants are ideally placed to support firms who want to make the most of the opportunities of these changes whether they be at primes reshaping their supply chains or 2nd and 3rd tier suppliers who want to make the most of these developments.

Industry Forum has over a decade of experience supporting blue chip OEM’s and first to third tier clients within this sector, both in the UK and globally. Industry Forum has supported the development and introduction of global production systems within clients, coached and developed internal resource to ensure sustainability and supported front line delivery of invasive lean programmes. We have also supported the development of lean supply chains through collaborative training networks established with key strategic supplier organisations.

Examples of some of the techniques successfully deployed in client organisations by our industrial products business consultants include:

  • Use of data and analysis to monitor performance and identify key issues
  • Getting stability in the production process through workplace organisation, standardisation and visual management
  • Application of robust problem solving methodology to improve quality and prevent defect reoccurrence
  • Use of value stream mapping techniques to re-design the production process in order to achieve shorter lead-times and reduced inventory in a future state
  • Implementation of line balancing, set up reduction and flow and pull systems to support the realisation of the future state
  • Maintaining required performance of critical equipment through deployment of Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) methods

The process to deliver these techniques is a collaborative one implemented through Industry Forum’s proven ‘Learn by Doing’ approach. The client’s team are initially led by IF Engineers through training and hands-on application of lean techniques through a series of workshops. They are then coached and mentored as they replicate the activities across their facility, leading their people in turn. This cascades the ‘know-how’ for delivering lean systems, grows ownership and embeds sustainability within the organisation.

Typical results achieved by clients within the Industrial Products sector include;

Improved quality

Improved delivery performance

Reduction in work content

Reduction in lead time

Reduction in inventory and batch sizes

Reduction in floor space used

To find out more about how Industry Forum is successfully working in the Industrial Products Sector please contact us:

Email: [email protected]

Call: +44 (0)121 717 6600