For this program, participants will meet once a month, over the course of six months. Each session will meet from 8:30am – 12:30pm and focus on a different area of Operational Effectiveness in a manufacturing environment. The goals of this program are as follows:

Goals

• Introduce manufacturing operations leaders to strategic concepts that can improve their business
• Bring higher level content on key areas often overlooked by small to medium size businesses
• Build comradery among a team of operations leaders in a geographical area
• Provide a deeper dive with direct engagement inside the company on a chosen topic

Intended Audience

Operations leaders who…

• want to improve in key areas of operational effectiveness
• are not familiar with some of the more advance concepts of OE
• have not moved with major initiatives in their organizational structure, inventory management, strategic purchasing, outsourcing, or risk management

Workshop Overview

Topics for each meeting:

• Organizational Alignment & Skills Assessment
  • Conduct an organizational clean sheet assessment – LG’s 9-Step Method
  • Develop and use tools like skills inventories and gap assessments
  • Develop and track employee development plans
  • Succession planning and risk assessment for a sustainable operation
  • Building an organization to support business strategy

• Raw Material Category Management and Strategic Purchasing
  • How to implement category management
  • Strategic use of expense (non-inventory) materials
  • Develop category strategies
  • Gain leverage and simplification through strategic partnerships
  • Understand and manage raw material risks through Sales Supported Analytics

• Outsourcing and Strategic Partnerships
  • How to use outsourcing to leverage operational scale
  • Strategic Alliances – choosing the right partner for the business
  • Managing strategic partnerships with outsource suppliers
  • Understand risks and benefits to outsourcing

• Inventory Management and Analytics
  • Understand the real reason for inventory and how to reduce working capital without adding risk
  • Risk assessment practices for raw materials and finished goods
  • Understanding inventory valuation and obsolescence risk
  • Analytical tools to hold planners more accountable and manage to metrics
  • Strategies for smart inventory management
  • Inventory planning strategies for new product development

• Operations Support of Strategic Business Objectives
  • Staying in front of your business’ strategic growth plan
  • Importance of segmentation in growth planning
  • Addressing How to address growth and scale
  • Special considerations for the organization, supply chain, inventory, compliance, etc.
  • Risk mitigation strategies for growth planning and scale

• Deeper Dive or Participants’ Choice #1
  • Deeper dive into one of the above topics – chosen by the group
  • Additional operational excellence topic – chosen by the group (from a list of suggestions)

Intended Takeaways:

• Leaders gaining a deeper understanding of a more strategic approach to operations
• Operations leaders being able to implement some of these strategies in their business
• Additional on-site support to assist with planning one initiative in their business
• Ongoing support from group of participants as desired

Scope and Pricing

• $6,000 – one engaged participant and invite per company (invites suggested per meeting)
  • manufacturers potentially qualify for matching funds

• 6-8 Companies (minimum of 5) in a targeted geography
• 6 x ½ day seminars each month for six months
• Additional 2-days of on-site engagement by seminar leader
  • assist with planning/implementing one initiative
  • teaching to a broader audience at the company
  • $2,400 value (this is included in the $6,000 cost of the program)

Schedule:

Each month, for six months, participants will meet from 8:30am – 12:30pm. Lunch will be provided.

• June 13, 2019
• July 11, 2019
• August 15, 2019
• September 12, 2019
• October 24, 2019
• November 21, 2019

Meet the Instructor: Steve Lantz

Steve has 30 years of experience in manufacturing, ranging from project management and business development to Operations leadership for a Fortune 150 company.

A Mechanical Engineer by education, Steve has continued to build his skillset through programs at institutions like The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania and Harvard Business School. He is well-versed in Lean Manufacturing practices and received training by the Innovation Engineering Institute.

Steve has spent the last 15 years in operations leadership positions, improving businesses’ profitability and customer service through –

• business strategy,
• data analytics,
• inventory optimization,
• simplifying business processes,
• business consolidation,
• organizational design,
• strategic sourcing, and
• managing overseas operations.

Steve’s strategic approach to sourcing and supply chain management has resulted in several initiatives with seven-figure annual savings. His data anaytics has uncovered opportunities for significant supplier consolidation and increasing buying power to deliver bottom line savings.

He is a strong negotiator with a history of building successful strategic alliances to ensure a robust supply chain and mitigate cost escalation. Steve understands the total business impact of supply chain management.

Steve has traveled extensively, both domestically and internationally, throughout his career managing multi-site operations, building supplier relationships, sourcing raw materials, and supporting sales leaders. He is experienced in sourcing in Asia, Europe, and North America and understands the opportunities and challenges with foreign supply chains. Steve has also set up overseas manufacturing operations to strengthen sales channels and better serve foreign markets.

As business conditions and strategies warranted, Steve has moved and consolidated operations to stay competitive in ever changing business climates. He is willing to challenge norms and bring innovative solutions to drive change while minimizing disruption to the business.

Throughout his career, Steve has worked inside a wide range of businesses.​

• Sales from $15M to $18B.
• Small design and build houses to large multi-site operations.
• Family-Owned to Private Equity to Fortune 150.
• Quality systems from ISO 9001 and 13485 to cGMP medical device and pharmaceutical processing.

Steve brings a breadth of experience and professionalism to his clients’ projects.

Location: TBD