PRODUCTION SCHEDULING FLEXIBILITY
MANAGEMENT
The Secret to Changing Food Processing Production Schedules
On The Fly
A Seven Bridges Supply Whitepaper
PACKING
PRINTING
DISTRIBUTION
No one knows better than you how complex manufacturing can be in the food processing
industry. Assembly, blending, cooking, filling, and packaging are only a few of the many
stages that you need to plan for and schedule out on a daily basis. When you add to these
processes the volume, time sensitive nature of your work, and unique concerns that come
with consumables, production schedules pose a major challenge.
Rescheduling production is often a necessity, but with some suppliers, it is more difficult to
make it a reality.
SUPPLIER CHALLENGES TO SCHEDULING FLEXIBILITY
During a typical week in food processing, you are almost guaranteed to run into some
unexpected change. And, with freshness, sanitation, and countless other factors to
consider, it is imperative that you are able to easily adjust accordingly. While this might be
achievable for a self-contained manufacturer, the reality is that you are dependent upon
your supplier(s) for the products you need to make those changes quickly and successfully.
Often, food processors like you face challenges in this area, such as:
1
COORDINATING MULTIPLE SUPPLIERS
One of the biggest issues faced by food processing manufacturers is the sheer number of
suppliers they deal with on a regular basis. For some, a single change in schedule could
mean contacting four or five different suppliers at the last minute. These various changes
can become extremely expensive, as you face the high costs of a minimum order, shipping
fees, and processing expenses on both ends for each separate supplier. On top of this, you
have the challenge of coordinating all of these suppliers’ schedules at the last minute.
2
WAITING ON LACK OF INVENTORY
Even if your supplier system is a bit more streamlined into just one or two suppliers, you
may still find that any rescheduling is bogged down in a lack of inventory on the part of your
vendor.
When you reschedule on the fly, you may have everything ready to go and simply be missing a single element. However, waiting days--or even weeks--on a backordered product can
bring this production to a halt and may result in expensive losses, if the process was time
sensitive.
3
FACING INFLEXIBLE TIME & SCALE RULES
Finally, when you are required to reschedule on the fly, you have to deal with your suppliers’
time and scale rules, which are often inflexible. Although you may only need a small order of
a particular product, many vendors require a large minimum order. This leaves you with
unnecessary expenses and a surplus of inventory that you may or may not be able to use.
You may also face additional charges for rushed deliveries or smaller scale orders.
SEVEN BRIDGES SUPPLY’S UNIQUE SOLUTION
At Seven Bridges Supply, we recognize that all of the challenges mentioned above create a
huge impediment to your ability to manufacture your products on a schedule that makes
sense to you. Rescheduling on the fly is simply a reality that food processors have to deal
with, and now with our unique process, you can do that without unnecessary stress about the
supplies you need.
1
OUR UNIQUE PROCESS
At Seven Bridges Supply, we have created a unique process that allows food processors like
you to focus on growing your business while we take care of the rest! As a Single Source
Solution partner, we can help you streamline your supply chain to a system that really works
for you. From general supplies to packaging, retail support and even printing, we can meet
all of your demands while reducing costs and improving your efficiency every day.
Through our own relationships with suppliers, we can provide you access to volume
purchase pricing on supplies… without leaving you to figure out what to do with
excess.
We allow you to purchase items only when you need them. So, you only need a 2 week
supply at your site, rather than having to find a place to hold products you’ll need six
months later.
We can hold products in our warehouse even if they are not through our own vendors,
so you never have to wait due to lack of inventory!
Our delivery is efficient, simple, and reliable.
Need to change an order? It’s not a problem; simply login to your online portal at any
hour of the day, without ever having to pick up the phone.
2
SOLUTIONS FOR YOU
With Seven Bridges Supply, food processors like you can have the reliability and flexibility
you need from a supplier in order to meet your ever changing needs. Let production
interruption and stress about rescheduling on the fly become an issue of the past. With our
team, you can count on the products you need, when you need them.
(904) 730-9966
[email protected]