2006: Materials Inventory ID Generator
MATERIALS INVENTORY ID GENERATOR
Executive on Demand Position:
TBA
Project Outline:
TBA
Project Outcome:
Developing product packaging can be a long and complex process. Once decisions have been made on the style, size, material used and colour, it is then up to the procurement team to buy, ship, store and fill as required by a customer.
A filling company that I had completed several bottle designs, production and logistics projects for realized that as their business was growing at much faster than historically. The added packaging created a variety of problems for the buyer when ordering, inventory storage and retrieval issues and production bill of material problems. An evaluation of the issues identified that an inconsistent inventory identification code created confusion. Fifty years and several product managers later, it was identified that each of the managers created a specific inventory product code based on what they felt was easiest for them. The problems became increasingly more complex if additional vendors were added to supply the same products or something very similar. An incoming issue for inventory also led to outgoing problems when customer products were being filled as
the bill of materials did not always reflect the most current package to be used or did not recognize that a different supplier was added.
Based on a review of the problem the following guidelines were used to generate a program that replaced all current inventory part numbers as well as providing an easy-to-use and maintain part number generator.
- Must accommodate all types of packaging (multiple types of plastics and metal)
- Must be able to accommodate small individual packages to bulk sizes (100ml to 205 L)
- Must accommodate packaging used in filling bottles, tubes, aerosol, cans, pails, mini drums and drums
- Must accommodate plain unlabeled packaging, pre-printed packages, packaging colour and pre-attached ancillary services (Extension tube on aerosol can)
- Must be easy-to-use without any need for keying information into the product ID generator
Based on the criteria developed a MS Office Excel program was developed to meet the needs of the client. The product worked flawlessly and continues to be used by the client.