The long and detailed list of topics in the profile is indicative of the complexity of today’s manufacturing world. The primary manufacturing task is to add value to raw materials and components to satisfy customer demand. This straightforward and single goal has increasingly been augmented to meet other societal demands. Several topics below do indeed support the primary production goal. Many of the others are necessary to satisfy external regulatory, corporate governance, and societal demands. Manufacturing costs have risen as the challenges posed by these demands have met. Since these additional demands are primarily for health, safety, security, liability, environmental, and lifestyle desires, the trend will continue.

To be a successful plant manager anywhere in today’s world, one must be aware of these requirements and have the personal or staff capabilities to implement and monitor them efficiently.

For a glossary of related terms, click here.

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LEVEL 1 - MAJOR MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS & FUNCTIONS

1. PLANT-WIDE SYSTEMS
2. PERSONNEL SYSTEMS
3. PRODUCTION SYSTEMS
4. CUSTOMER SUPPORT SYSTEMS
5. COMPETITOR BENCHMARKING
6. SUPPLY SYSTEM
7. PURCHASING SYSTEM
8. QUALITY SYSTEM
   
9. REGULATORY COMPLIANCE
10. DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM
11. STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION

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LEVEL 2 - MAJOR MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS & FUNCTIONS

1. PLANT-WIDE SYSTEMS

1. Accounting
2. Fixed asset control*
3. Computer*
4. Communications*
5. Databases*
6. Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB)
7. Records
8. Environmental
9. Safety*
10. Utilities*

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B. PERSONNEL SYSTEMS

1. Employee handbook*
2. Recruitment policies*
3. Hiring & firing policies*
4. Salaried staff policies*
5. Production staff policies*
6. Maintenance staff policies*
7. Training and development*
8. Pay & benefits*
9. Health care & wellness
10. Work scheduling (hours, shifts)*
11. Sick leave policy*
12. Overtime policy*
13. Layoff policy*
14. Drug policy*
15. Smoking policy*
16. Vacation & holiday policies*
17. Team formation & support
18. Conflict resolution policy*
19. Problem solution procedures*
20. Documentation requirements*
21. Plant environmental status

• • Air quality
  • Cleanliness
  • Orderliness

1. Visual management policies

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C. PRODUCTION SYSTEMS

1. Production scheduling
2. Job description*
3. Supplier release
4. Internal material flow *
5. Material transport
6. Material storage*
7. Inventory*
8. Production processes*
9. Production equipment*
10. Production assist equipment*
11. Test*
12. Tools & fixtures*
13. Production setup
14. Process control*
15. Work instructions*
16. Bill of material change control
17. Preventative maintenance
18. Emergency response*
19. Spare parts & components*
20. Backup equipment*
21. Visual management
22. Team responsibilities*

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4. CUSTOMER SUPPORT SYSTEMS

1. Large OEMs*
2. Smaller OEMs*
3. Distributors*
4. Dealers*
5. Professionals*
6. Consumer*
7. Sister Plants*
8. Community*
9. Government*
10. Competitors*
11. Suppliers*
12. Niche Markets*

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5. COMPETITOR BENCHMARKING

1. Established major
2. Established smaller
3. New entrants*
4. Suppliers*
5. Customers*
6. Low-cost producer
7. High-quality producer*
8. Mom & pops*
9. Niche concentrators*

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F. SUPPLY SYSTEM

1. Raw Material*
2. Product or process specific
3. Standard components*
4. Equipment*
5. Tooling & fixturing*
6. Support materials*
7. Utility*
8. Sister plants
9. Computer*
10. Tax & Audit*
11. Training*
12. Benefits*
13. Medical*
14. Environmental
15. Equipment maintenance
16. Electrical systems
17. Mechanical systems
18. Employee relations
19. Quality systems
20. Insurance*
21. Legal*

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7. PURCHASING SYSTEM

1. Supplier requirements
2. Purchase order renewal*
3. Certification*
4. Tooling & fixturing policy
5. Product specification*
6. Warranty*
7. Production scheduling
8. Material Transport
9. Problem solving*
10. Development responsibility*
11. Target Cost
12. Quality requirements*
13. Productivity requirements*
14. Spare parts requirements*

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H. QUALITY SYSTEM

1. International certification

1. 1. ISO 9000
   2. QS 9000
   3. ISO 14400

1. Benchmarking
2. Product audit*
3. Systems audit*
4. Warranty policy*
5. Customer problem resolution*
6. Lot traceability
7. Document retention & control
8. Employee relations

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I. REGULATORY COMPLIANCE

1. Federal & state Environment*
2. Hazardous material (HAZMAT)
3. OSHA
4. FDA*
5. Insurance carriers
6. Equal Employment Opportunity*
7. National Labor Relations Board
8. "Friendly" legal advice
9. Disabled person laws (ADA)*
10. ERISA (pension)
11. Medical coverage*
12. Sexual harassment laws*
13. State employment law*
14. Worker’s compensation laws*
15. Retiree medical*
16. FASB (accounting standards)*
17. Documentation*
18. Defense acquisition laws*
19. Transportation laws*
20. Special worker certifications*

• Commercial Driver License (CDLs)
• Welder certification
• Machine operator licensing
• Professional accreditation

1. Anti-trust prohibitions (e.g. price-fixing)*
2. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act*
3. Tax laws & withholding requirements*

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J. DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM

1. Project management
2. Bill of material structure*
3. Change control
4. Functional NPD responsibilities
5. Parts database & dictionary*
6. Parts proliferation control
7. Prototype plan*
8. Test plan*
9. Process control plan*
10. Process equipment plan*
11. In-process test plan*
12. Supplier involvement plan*
13. Product improvement plan*
14. Quality plan*
15. External resource use*
16. Training plan*
17. Manufacturing strategy*
18. Technology strategy*
19. Intellectual property plan*

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K. STRATEGY IMPLEMENTAION

1. Equipment technology plan*
2. Facilities change plan*
3. Competitive intelligence plan*
4. Quality deployment plan*
5. Product diversity plan
6. Product development process
7. Capital budgeting plan*
8. Training plan*
9. Intellectual property plan*
10. Financial performance plan
11. Core competencies plan*

13. Customer support plan*
14. Enterprise resource plan*
15. Supply system plan*
16. International standards

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