Hidden Backbone of US Manufacturing

In a recent report released by the Manufacturing Institute titled "The Hidden Backbone of US Manufacturing" 55% of US manufacturing companies reported a significant, direct dependence on chemicals for their manufacturing. The domestic chemical industry has been heavily (negatively) impacted by the cost of natural gas. Many chemical companies are moving production from the US to lower cost offshore locations. Chemicals are critical for a large percentage of domestic manufacturers success, the supply of which is becoming less certain.

Synchronous experts are proficient in all total supply chain work processes. Give us a call so we can help you with your procurement and sourcing strategies. As always feel free to drop us a note at www.SynchronousLLC.com .

Can A Small Business Implement ERP?

Absolutely. In fact the point is not that small to medium businesses CAN implement Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), the point is smaller businesses can gain significant benefits from a successful implementation. Steve Bell, and Mike Orzen have a great "how to" in this months APICS magazine on how small and medium size businesses can get ERP right. In that article they cite a recent AMR Research survey of small and midsize businesses that reported 31% of respondents will evaluate an ERP system for the first time in 2007.

The big guys - SAP and Oracle are working to adapt their products work in less than colossal sized enterprises. There are a number of ERP providers that have specifically designed their systems to fit not only smaller firms, but many have focused on a certain type of industry or operation. As a certified Microsoft Partner, Snychronous is expertly positioned to help your business implement one of the multiple versions of Microsoft Dynamics. We are also uniquely qualified to help you evaluate your needs, or assist your firm in selecting and implementing an ERP System. Give us a call, or drop us a note at www.SynchronousLLC.com

Effective Implementation of Technology Software

All businesses use computers and software to help run their business. These technologies can range from a sole proprietor using Office to generate invoices to a full blown Enterprise Resource Planning in a multi-billion dollar multinational corporation. Unfortunately many of us have seen painful systems implementations. Has anyone experienced late deliveries, last minute crunches, spiraling costs, multiple surprises, functions do not work correctly, too much rework and/or frustrated users?

A great way to expertly manage systems and technology implementations is to use the CMMI model, which is a public source tool maintained by the Software Engineering Institute and Carnegie Mellon University.

Capability Maturity Model® Integration (CMMI) is a process improvement approach that provides organizations with the essential elements of effective processes. It can be used to guide process improvement across a project, a division, or an entire organization. CMMI helps integrate traditionally separate organizational functions, set process improvement goals and priorities, provide guidance for quality processes, and provide a point of reference for appraising current processes.

We are proud to provide a link to their website: http://www.sei.cmu.edu/cmmi/general/general.html

As always, contact Synchronous to help you with your Operational Excellence and Supply Chain projects.

Book Review: For Your Improvement

All excellent organizations have formal performance management and development programs. I have long enjoyed using the book FYI - For Your Improvement, by Michael Lombardo, and Robert Eichinger as a reference for performance reviews and feedback sessions that I have conducted. The book is organized into four sections and a comprehensive appendix. The Competencies section describes 67 different competencies which cover the waterfront. The performance dimensions section has 10 additional competencies that deal more with output than personal attributes. The third section is a great description of 19 Career Stallers and Stoppers. The fourth and final section covers seven Special International Focus Areas.

This book is a must have for leaders, performance managers, and mentors. Five Stars!

Benchmarking Should be a Continuous Effort

Benchmarking is the process of measuring the company's products, services, costs and practices relative to other operations or other companies. There are two main types of benchmarking, competitive benchmarking which is a comparison against your industry best, and process benchmarking which is a comparison which is a comparison of a process to the best in class. Benchmarking should be a continuous ongoing part of your operational excellence efforts. Call Synchronous and let our experts assist you with your benchmarking efforts.

Cross Docking - Something New or Buzz Word?

Cross docking is also referred to as direct loading. Smart companies have been doing it for years, but cross docking offers firms a great way to reduce inventory investment and storage space requirements. Cross docking involves packing products on incoming shipments so they can be easily sorted at intermediate warehouses or for outgoing shipments based on final destination. Items are carried from the incoming vehicle docking point to the outgoing vehicle docking point without being stored in inventory at the warehouse. Give us a call to get some help on your warehouse and inventory optimization efforts.

What is a Kaizen Event?

Kaizen is a Japanese term for improvement; continuing improvement involving everyone. In manufacturing, kaizen relates to finding and eliminating waste in machinery, labor, or production methods. The kaizen event is an element of a lean manufacturing program. A kaizen event is a time-boxed set of activities carried out by the work cell team during the week of cell implementation. Think - continuous improvement.