| Thomas R. Cutler, the leading manufacturing journalist | | | | Ball, value engineering and information services |
| authored a feature article titled, Demand Driven | | | | manager. |
| Supply Chain, in the July issue of Business Excellence. | | | | Stephen Parker, CEO of Datacraft Solutions proudly |
| Datacraft Solutions is the leading digital kanban | | | | noted: "The ability to manage outside processing to |
| technology firm based in Durham, North Carolina. The | | | | increase visibility to all material and work-in-process, |
| article may be read in it's entirety at | | | | both on- and off-site, allows companies to better |
| A Datacraft Solutions' customer, Luvata, a brass and | | | | manage sub-contracted processing such as heat |
| copper sheet mill operation, quickly decided that | | | | treatment, sheet metal operations and component |
| based upon the initial success of the digital kanban | | | | manufacturing. For the first time, material managers |
| system at their Franklin location, the Buffalo facility | | | | have real-time inventory and scrap data for all supply |
| should take advantage of Franklin's experience with | | | | chain material at their outside processors. This allows |
| digital kanban. In addition, both plants would now | | | | manufacturers to reduce production cycle times by |
| have a common supply chain management software | | | | days (and sometimes weeks) while significantly |
| that could be implemented easily, quickly, and | | | | reducing unnecessary raw and component material |
| affordably. | | | | inventories. The ability to track and identify scrap |
| The Buffalo/Franklin team worked with the | | | | rates also improves inventory accuracy while holding |
| technology provider to define the project costs, | | | | suppliers to committed performance objectives." |
| benefits and time schedule. "The primary objectives | | | | Luvata has high expectations for the real-time digital |
| of reduced working capital (25 percent inventory | | | | kanban provided as SaaS (software as a service) as |
| reduction), improved delivery reliability (avoid stock | | | | the primary driver to achieve cost reduction goals. |
| outs), easy to use scheduling modules, and quick | | | | With copper prices hovering at $4.00 per pound, a 25 |
| implementation time appear to be well within our | | | | percent inventory reduction will lead to very |
| budget and timeframes. "The team is also highly | | | | significant savings for the Luvata Group and create |
| confident that the large amount of time currently | | | | the desired solution for both the Buffalo and Franklin |
| devoted to expediting material will be virtually | | | | plants. |
| eliminated from their daily routines," reported Jeffrey | | | | |