Interim Manufacturing Management

Redmayne operates as a specialist executive resourcing company within the manufacturing and process industry sectors in the UK. The interim manufacturing management assignments that we handle tend to focus on strategic development of manufacturing and the definition of methods and techniques that enable managers of the manufacturing function to achieve high quality, low unit cost, market flexibility and product innovation. The main objectives of an interim manufacturing management assignment therefore typically involve manufacturing strategy development, including definition of manufacturing priorities and implementation of performance requirements, through the correct allocation of financial, labour and equipment resources.

The definition of priorities for manufacturing strategy development usually involves:

  • Segmentation of the market into the appropriate product groups.
  • Identification of the product requirements, demand patterns, and margins for each group.
  • Selection of the product group leaders, based on the analysis of demand and margins.
  • Definition of manufacturing processes, equipment and labour to meet demand patterns.

Key Factors for Strategy Development

Key factors in the development and implementation of a successful manufacturing strategy include the use of:

  • New approaches to product-development team structure and management, which result in getting products to market faster, for example: design for manufacturing.
  • Improvement of manufacturing facilities through significant reductions of work-in-process, workspace, tooling and labour costs, whilst simultaneously improving quality and flexibility.
  • Increased customer and supplier cooperation, based on the Japanese practices of close strategic alliances, whilst maintaining the independence of the operating company.
  • Better leadership and stronger management teams operating in close cooperation with workforce, and the widespread use of training and in-plant dissemination of information.

Manufacturing Sector - Future Developments

The 1980s and 1990s have seen major changes and advancement in the means of producing goods within the UK manufacturing sectors. Improvements in the methods and techniques used in managing these operations has led to higher levels of quality and quantity, as well as greater efficiency in the use of resources. In the future, global competition and the widespread use of new technology, particularly the world wide web, will impact significantly on UK manufacturing operations. Success will depend on creative marketing and effective financing of new products. Manufacturers will need to develop those products, which not only offer unique benefits, but which maintain superior product quality at lower prices, with the certainty of on time delivery.