High-Tech SME Medical Sector

Fit for Future

High-Tech SME Medical Sector

« Fit for Future »

  • Initial status

    • Low effectiveness of R&D department, due to a lot of multiple tasks and limited use of innovation management tools.
    • Some sources of savings in purchasing remain unexploited.
    • Extreme flexibility imposed on manufacturing activities (linked with high demand variability), causing important variations in efficiency and high level of waste.
  • Project objectives

    • Increasing manufacturing capacity of a specific production line.
    • Reducing purchasing costs by 2% or 306 k€.
    • Supporting the purchasing department for production ramp-up.
  • Actions taken

    Completion of 4 workstreams to achieve the project objectives

    A - « Purchasing » workstream: achieving cost savings on components purchasing, supporting the client during the production ramp-up by ensuring the suppliers' capacity is also increased and setting up alternative solutions when needed.

    B - « Lean Manufacturing » workstream: defining future Plant Master Plan, putting local improvement plans into action, increasing production capacity by setting up a new flexible assembly line.

    C - « Supply Chain » workstream: adopting a « make-to-stock » approach, setting up sales & operations coordination (forecasting tools), implementing customer service dashboards.

    D - « Innovation and Product Management » workstream: identifying KPIs for the R&D department, evaluating AS IS/TO BE situations and identifying a concrete action plan, supervising the implementation of the action plan (innovation strategy, product manager function, innovation process).

Gains obtenus

Quantitative gains

  • Accumulated annual savings: > 1Mio€.
  • Project ROI > 6 for the client.

Qualitative gains

  • Improved efficiency of product development and innovation activities.
  • Improved visibility on supply chain and customer delivery performances.
  • Clarified long-term development plan for the shop floor (Plant Master Plan).