Abstract:

The case study will examine the success of a North American hose manufacturing company that returned their production operations back to North America.

With the surge of companies seeking lower labour costs moving production off-shore to pacific rim countries was the idea, and this group shut-down some of their plants trying to consolidate their manufacturing operations in China.

What they found was the labour rate, although lower, reduced the quality of their product and the added time logistical problems for delivery to North America was not the fundamental answer to their just-in-time program. Their major client's warehouses needed to be full with product in order to maintain adequate stock levels to supply the "BIG-BOX" stores all across North America!

The answer was to bring back operations to North America and re-open the plants, remove manual labor out of the coiling operations and develop labelling technology that allowed for just-in-time packaging for their key accounts while having product differentiation to all competitors! The marketing team was also able to offer new packaging options to their clients while further reducing costs! The new coiling & labelling technologies assisted the company in reducing the number of packaging SKU's designs saving the corporation on a number in-house problems associated with storing of different packaging items. The new packaging designs enabled the corporation to better optimize the loading of transportation and increase the load-weight further reducing their trucking costs associated with shipping of the final finished product.

The case study will examine in-line coiling and labelling technology that is available from FB-Balzanelli allowing extrusion speeds of PVC hose to increase at up to 280 feet per minute with automatic coiling, strapping and labelling done in-line, while reducing labour requirements by two thirds.

The client was able to increase production speed gaining more out-put and reducing their labor costs at the same time, optimize JUST-IN-TIME delivery with new packaging and reducing inventory! A double win to the increasing profits!

Intended audience: Extrusion companies, pipe, hose, medical tubing, irrigation pipe, land-drainage, gas-line, water-pipe, PEX tubing and piping systems companies

About the Speaker:
Anthony S. Georges, Director North Ameican Operations, FB-Balzanelli S.p.A.
Georges is President for AMUT North America and Director of North America Operations for FB-Balzanelli S.p.A. AMUT Italy, founded in 1958, is one of the world's leading companies focusing on Extrusion, Thermoforming & Recycling technologies. FB, Italy specializes in automatic high speed coiling and winding technologies for Industrial Pipe & Hose Manufacturing Plants since 1990's. Together these companies have over 100 installations in North America of machinery and technology. Georges oversees the North American operations of both companies developing local service, support and sales to better serve their existing customers and creating new opportunities.