Supply Technologies helps customers increase their competitive advantages by replacing costly, resource-intensive procedures with proven efficient Total Supply Management™ programs. Every one of the programs – whether it’s a VMI program, one that’s integrated with your current system or a tech support program – is expertly designed, implemented and maintained to precisely address the customer’s unique needs; each is customized per facility, flexible, scalable, and globally connected. And, because each is measurable in real time, we’re able to constantly evolve and improve programs to ensure optimum effectiveness.
VMI programs help our customers significantly reduce manpower and resources, reduce inventory, and ensure ongoing quality; they are the ultimate in efficiency.
Programs are customized to exact distribution and floor specifications, and combine cross-industry best practices with the principals and techniques of Kanban, JIT, JIT II®, VMI, materials management, Lean manufacturing, Six Sigma and supply chain management to meet every need and requirement you have to optimize the production process.
We first conduct an assessment of how your current process is performing, evaluating it critically to identify opportunities to save costs related to inventory, administrative time, and/or space savings and make optimal use of resources.
Using data collected during plant visits and floor audits, we develop a program with a cycle that optimizes inventory levels and movement of product through the plant, taking into account the processes that trigger replenishment, ranging from issuing purchase orders to scanning a bar code labels at multi-bin inventory locations. We’ll also determine together best scenarios to Optimize your manufacturing capabilities by delivering parts directly to either central store, drop zones or point of use.
Programs range from purchases via discrete purchase orders to full VMI, depending on requirements. The program design is complete from dock to stock and includes all touch points, including electronic replenishment, ASNs, staffing, inventory levels, container size, racking design and eCommerce.
We’re at the forefront of systems technology, with a fully integrated EDI application with automated data exchange through supplier and customer portals.
Our time-phased planning system allows service level settings at the item level; settings include safety stock, buy times and lead times. Safety stock on items is automatically updated by the system based on recent demand and future forecast. The system allows for forward looking forecast factors such as customer build rates – those forecasts are a critical part of our planning tools, and forecasts are transmitted to suppliers to ensure adequate lead times.
The system also manages inventory to avoid any surplus and obsolete inventory. The primary issue in managing surplus and obsolete inventory is to identify change in demand patterns on a timely basis.
We proactively ensure your program’s ongoing performance using risk management practices related to quality, purchasing, and packaging to accurately communicate the status of program components in a timely fashion. Reports include:
Supply Technologies works to earn your business every day by adding value to your organization and fulfilling our promise to be the supply chain efficiency experts. In both qualitative and quantitative ways, we openly communicate performance and actively listen to our customers’ ongoing needs.
During the implementation phase we work closely with our customers to design programs literally from the ground up, and utilize our experience with every inventory management discipline known to manufacturing to customize the right solution for you.
The process looks something like this:
One of the primary areas of focus during implementation is physically managing the change. It requires undivided attention to detail, experience at coordinating resources at every level – oftentimes at multiple facilities around the world – and the ability to deploy without production interruption. Our teams of senior managers from every department are on-site from beginning to end, and provide structured training to ensure the program’s success. Customer service and technical support are available 24/7/365 to ensure everything is implemented precisely. Our process means there will be no wasted effort and no unnecessary use of capital or human resources.
Supply Technologies programs launch with no learning curve, 100% complete and ready to serve the customer fully on the first day of operation. Here are some of the methods we use to hit the ground running:
The process of ensuring a seamless transition to a Supply Technologies’ program requires an in-depth understanding of the operations of each customer facility. One of the first steps is a floor audit where we record each item, its location, container type and quantity, key ergonomic considerations, movement of product through the plant, and the unique requirements of the plant. The team then designs a program that makes optimal use of both customer and supplier resources and executes a plan that ensures a successful on-time implementation.
Because of our extensive resource base, we’re able to implement multiple plant conversions concurrently. The speed of a conversion is based on the number and type of parts involved; the conversion of parts is determined largely by lead-time. Lead-time is impacted by sourcing strategies (import or domestic), quality requirements, commitments to incumbent’s inventory, and logistics requirements.
A contract review is an extensive review of the details of each product quoted that ensures the correct product is purchased at the correct quality level from the correct source.
We work with each customer’s unique part preapproval/certification methods and requirements. Possible qualification methods include:
Depending on a plant’s requirements, a contact list is created. A visit to a plant typically includes an initial meeting with the key personnel and a floor audit. A floor audit consists of a detailed recording of each item, item location, container type, container quantity, key ergonomic considerations, movement of product through the plant, and any unique characteristics that each plant requires.
This communication tool lists action items, key responsibilities, resources required, and a completion date for each department. The branch checklist is updated continually and reviewed regularly with the customer.
The Gap Analysis is used to determine a practical per-plant start date for the program and takes into account the customer’s current on-hand and inventory commitments, lead-times and estimated usage.
We then create a purchasing buy schedule and place initial buys to meet a mutually agreed-upon startup date.
We’re sensitive to concerns of new customers during transition and proactively ensure its success using risk management practices related to quality, purchasing, and packaging to accurately communicate the status of program components in a timely fashion. Some of these practices include:
|
Customer Concern at Startup |
Proactive Measures |
|---|---|
|
Parts sourced |
Gap analysis |
|
Parts missed |
Exception reporting |
|
Quality issues |
Proactive qualification, PPAP, ongoing receiving inspection |
|
Container and replenishment cycle |
Electronic tracking, ongoing study of usage by part |
|
Unforeseen issues |
Branch checklist |
|
Communication |
Customer meetings 30-60-90 days |
|
Late deliveries |
Careful planning at all levels |
|
Demand spikes |
Continual analysis, branch safety stock |
|
Plant cultural change |
Kanban training |
Supply Technologies leverages some of the industry's most sophisticated technology, intelligently deployed to support your business goals and objectives.
Every facet of every customer’s program – from program pre-planning to ongoing program support and enhancement – is brought together and made accessible 24/7/365 from any device, anywhere on a platform that:
Every aspect of your program and our own operations are integrated into a single ERP system that allows everyone – at every one of your locations across the globe – to understand what’s happening when and where, in real-time, via a sophisticated, easy-to-navigate dashboard. This leading-edge platform is designed for flexibility, transparency and interoperability with your own system, even if that system is a patchwork of legacy systems.
The platform is able to manage massive amounts of current inventory specifics and has the power to fully analyze past activities, anticipate future needs through various “what if” modeling scenarios, understand and plan replenishment cycles, seamlessly manage accounting functions, track productivity, and collaborate throughout the entire supply management process.
Our computing landscape extends the reach of our core backend application with a layer of increased functionality.
