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Finding Solutions to Obstacles in the Dairy Industry

Finding Solutions to Obstacles in the Dairy Industry
The dairy industry is facing many problems, now more than ever. For example, supply issues, climate change, and fluctuating consumer demand are all playing a part. Many of these challenges are outside of the scope of what the manufacturer and/or farmer can alter. That said, there is still leeway to bring about improvements and keep your business on track. We look at some of the recent obstacles and provide suggestions on how to handle them. Sustainability With the focus on sustainability, all producers are in the spotlight and expected to use scarce power and water responsibly. The hype also touches on the well-being of dairy animals, farming and production methods, as well as the type of packaging being used. All resources must be ethically sourced. Waste and carbon footprint must show a marked decline and how waste is dealt with is also important. Processes need to be scrutinized and adapted if necessary. Customers are turning to producers who take sustainability seriously and rejecting those who are not falling in line. Managing Product Variety Many manufacturers are producing more than one product. Then, it becomes essential to determine how to handle multiple lines for efficiency without contamination. Adverse consumer responses to just one product can affect the whole business. Quality and Safety Quality and safety are the buzzwords manufacturers need to pay attention to. You just cannot afford to make mistakes as this will impact your entire business. Choosing equipment designed for hygiene in the manufacturing process can keep your company in the green. For example, a slurry circulating pump that meets the hygiene requirements of the dairy industry is essential. Fluctuating Demand and Supply Chain Disruptions Little can be done to combat the rise in consumers insisting on vegetarian products instead of meat and dairy. Demand within the dairy industry is being reduced, causing competition among manufacturers and it is becoming harder to stand out unless you have great products that tick all the boxes and no negative feedback. At the same time, the Covid pandemic has caused major disruptions to the supply chain. What can dairy manufacturers do to sustain their businesses? Here are some moderating factors worth considering. Equipment Use equipment that is designed to deal with the challenges inherent in processing dairy products. These should ensure 100% hygiene (see above), and they must be accurate and quick to use. Get advice from expert suppliers if you are unsure of the optimal products for your operations. Manufacturing dairy requires optimal temperatures and, again, the right equipment for that is essential. With many delicate processes required to produce a perfect, safe, and hygienic product, processes and equipment must work correctly together. Use the right tools for the job, as the saying goes. This will also reduce wastage and by-products that must be disposed of correctly. Agility When you are producing a multitude of separate products at one plant, you need to pay careful attention to each line. This will ensure consistent productivity. It also means determining the perfect equipment solution and/or integration for each step and ensuring that there is no cross-contamination. Eco-Friendly Manufacturing Audit every aspect of your production lines and processes to reduce waste. This includes superior products and minimal wastage on poor quality produce that has to be thrown out. Only do business with sustainable-minded partners. Use equipment with lower energy consumption. Speedier processes will also reduce the use of power. Use eco-friendly packaging. While some obstacles are beyond your power to overcome, following this guide will maximize your overall performance and produce some...
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3 Essential Skills Every Manufacturing Manager Needs

3 Essential Skills Every Manufacturing Manager Needs
Manufacturing managers have a lot of responsibilities. The flow of production runs through them, and their decision-making skills can have tangible consequences on the balance sheet of a business. With these three skills mastered, any manufacturing manager can become the engine that powers a successful business. Supply Chain Management This is one of the most important skills a manufacturing manager needs. No matter what sector of the manufacturing industry you work in, the manufacturing team is a part of a supply chain. Materials come in, and products go out. You need to be able to handle the logistical challenges that come with managing the constant flow of both raw materials and the finished product. The speed of this flow governs the capacity and potential of the business. The more you can do in less time, the more capacity and potential for profit your manufacturing process has. Product Development and Knowledge Not only do you need to know a lot about the products you are manufacturing, but you also need to have a knowledge of products, production processes, market demands, and methods of product development. Your position as a manufacturing manager puts you in a unique position to understand how a product is manufactured, and why. You can use your experience to inform both design and marketing processes to help develop better products that give more value to customers while being simpler to produce. At this level of management, you need to have a wider view of the business to make better decisions and better products. You can learn more about product development with ICAgile certifications in Product Ownership, get certification in your existing skills, and become a recognized expert in your field. This can be very beneficial to your resume, and your role in your workplace. Leadership and Team Building When people think of the manufacturing process, they often think of large machines that build a product piece by piece on a long, automated line that weaves its way through a warehouse. The truth is that a manufacturing process is only ever as good as the people that operate it. You can have highly efficient machinery, and automate nearly all of its processes, but without the right operation, they are useless metal. Manufacturing managers need to be able to both hire and inspire. You will be involved in the hiring process and must be able to spot signs of a good worker who will fit in with the team. You need to inspire the team daily too. The work on a production line, and all across the manufacturing process, can become monotonous, much more than the average job. It has huge benefits though and can be a lot of fun. If you work hard at keeping your workers enthused and involved, you will be able to grow both as a manager and as a business. These skills will all help you to develop as a manufacturing manager and be successful at it. You need to carefully balance the management of man and machine so that they can work in harmony together. Become an expert in your field by honing these skills and using them to push up your production...
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How IoT is Changing the Future of the Supply Chain

How IoT is Changing the Future of the Supply Chain
Supply chain management (SCM) is the broad range of activities needed to plan, control and execute a product’s flow, from procuring raw materials and production through distribution to the final customer, in the most streamlined and cost-effective way possible. Ensuring all supply chain components are running as smooth as possible helps businesses to provide on-time delivery of products and services, with changing consumer demands and supply chain disruptions brought about by the recent pandemic. This blog post’s focus is to throw some light on “How IoT aka Internet of Things is bringing about a big impact” in the future of supply chain activities. Let’s first understand the 7 Principles of SCM Adapt supply chain based on service needs of every customer segmentCustomize logistics network for each customer segmentAlign demand planning across the supply chainDifferentiate product closer to customer’Outsource strategicallyDevelop information technology that support multi-level decision makingAdopt both service and finance metrics Now let’s look at the Impact of IoT in the future of supply chain. Asset Tracking One of the top and fundamental function of IoT in supply chain is asset tracking. Locating containers, objects and personnel is considered way important among the organizations Through RFID and GPS sensors, real-time location of a product, truck or shipping container can be known by logistics operators. Fleet Management Fleet management is another area to improve the efficiency of logistics operations. Through IoT it is now possible to connect all fleets to each other, which allows the fleet dispatchers to collect breadth of data from their fleet operations. Data included are: 1. Weather conditions 2. Traffic situations 3. Driving pattern and 4. Average speed When thoroughly analysed, this data can help logistics operators to find more efficient routes, manage driver head counts, save on fuel cost and optimize their fleet reliability, availability and efficiency. Tracking and Monitoring Inventory Levels in Real Time IoT sensors play a great role in tracking and monitoring inventory levels in real time. Amazon is now using Wi-Fi robots to scan product codes present on the products to keep track of their inventory levels. Bluetooth tags and beacons offer tracking data in more confined areas- many retail stores are using these tracking technology software to monitor customer traffic and provide marketing messages to their customers. Vendor Management By asset tracking., organizations tend to come out with high quality output, which in turn improves their relationship with the vendors. A recent survey states that up to 65% of the value a company’s product /service is derived from its suppliers. Predictive Maintenance Being an asset intensive process, right from production machinery to warehouse equipment and delivery vehicles, these assets need to be continuously monitored to ensure their functional efficiency. Smart sensors help the logistics operators gauge if a particular asset needs to be serviced ahead of time. This reduces considerable asset down time and asset failure, thus saving cost including maintenance...
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How to Keep on Top of Your Company’s Stock

How to Keep on Top of Your Company’s Stock
One of the most important features of your business is your stock. Without any stock, you can’t fulfill any sales and therefore you won’t be able to make any money. That’s why it’s always good to keep on top of your company’s stock, to make sure you have enough to sell but not too much that you might end up throwing away. With this in mind, here are some ways in which you can achieve optimum stock levels in your business. Keep the room tidy One of the best ways in which to keep on top of your company’s stock is being able to make sure you can access any product you need at all times. To start with, you should install lots of shelving to make the most out of any space you have. Try and group your products into different categories; for example, if you sell clothes these could be grouped into different garment types such as tops, skirts, or shoes. Once you’ve organized your stock room, it’s important to keep it organized at all times. When you restock the shelves or add new lines of stock, it’s important that you keep to the same system. It’s also important that you keep this room clean and tidy, so there are no obstacles getting in the way of you and your stock. One of the major problems that could obstruct your ability to do this is all the cardboard and plastic packaging that all of your stock will be delivered in. Once these boxes are opened to gain access to your stock, it’s important that the packaging is disposed of in an equally organized manor. The best way to do this is with recycling baler machines, which not only reduce the size of the waste but compact it into one manageable bale. Without this, you could either end up with a large recycling bin in your stock room, or even worse—lots of unwanted cardboard left on the floor or the shelves.  Try to predict trends When you’re trying to predict how much stock you’ll need in order to get through a certain sales period, it’s important to recognize any trends you’ve previously had throughout your years of selling. For example, if you’re a garden center you’ll probably sell lots of outdoor furniture in the summer months but less in the winter months. The opposite would be true for Christmas trees. Some trends will be a lot less obvious than these examples, so make sure you review all of the information to make sure you’re increasing your stock levels at the right times. That way, you’ll know you won’t run out of a particular product at the specific time that everyone wants to buy it. Check the real stock levels against the calculated ones It’s highly likely that you’ll keep track of your stock by updating a spreadsheet when you buy new products and when you sell them. Whilst this is an efficient way of keeping track of your stock, it might not always be entirely accurate. It’s important to regularly check your stock numbers manually and correct any incorrect data on the spreadsheet. Issues such as stock getting damaged or lost, or even a typo on the document could all result in incorrect calculations compared to your actual stock, which could lead to confusion when you go looking for stock that might not actually...
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Does Your Business Need a Facility Manager?

Does Your Business Need a Facility Manager?
You’re probably not losing any sleep over facility management if your business fits into one small office. But, if you plan on growing your business, your small office will eventually grow into a whole building. This is where facility management comes in. The job of a facility manager is to ensure a well-organized environment in which you, your team, and your whole business can thrive. According to Transparency Market Research, the North American facilities management market will be worth about $340 billion by the end of 2024. So, facility management services are not something you should underestimate. Read on : Optimoroute has come out with a resourceful article on Route Optimization Software that sheds light on creating efficient transport plans using app or software to cut costs, save time, and utilize resources.Why Use Route Optimization Software? The Basics of Facility Management Facility management is a profession that focuses on utilizing a company’s buildings and equipment in a way that offers the best value. Facility maintenance is just one part of facility management. Strategic facility management ensures functionality, productivity, and safety in the built environment. Facility management is also key to ensuring that your company’s buildings and equipment comply with existing legal requirements. If you are wondering if or when you should hire a facility manager, here are some telltale signs: Your Maintenance Costs Are Escalating As your business grows, so will your maintenance costs. But, if these costs start running down your company, you have a problem. Some common money-wasters are likely to blame If you can’t figure out why your servicing and repair costs are increasing each month. These can include unused office space, wasteful stocking of spare parts and inventory, and under-utilisation or abuse of existing equipment. According to a 2013 report published by Wired, the U.S. had added about 2 billion sq. ft. of office space to its existing stock over the previous 30 years. Today’s mobile workforce doesn’t require so much space. The way you manage maintenance personnel and other staffing expenses also has an impact on your bottom line. The costs quickly pile up if you frequently have to call in heating engineers, electricians, plumbers, and other contractors. When you are operating in multiple locations, or have a very large facility, it’s hard to keep track of all maintenance tasks. Many business owners are in the habit of tracking everything manually. This can get messy really quickly. Moreover, if this is something you don’t have experience with, you can’t know whether the maintenance workers are carrying out their tasks properly. This is why facility managers rely on facility management software. Such tools allow them to make sure that every contractor and maintenance employee is doing the work they are being paid for. You Need to Expand Your Facilities to Accommodate Growth Let’s say that your business is expanding and you need additional storage space for your data. To handle the growing needs of your company, you need to build an effective data centre infrastructure. Naturally, this is a huge investment, and you don’t want to bite off more than you can chew. A facility manager can help make sure your new data centre can handle the evolution of your company. Using their experience, they can vet and hire a data centre construction firm. Their job would also be to manage the service contract you have with the firm, help ensure data centre security, and manage periodic upgrades. Even though your facility manager may not be an authority on the subject, they will know how to find and work with people who are. A good facility manager knows how to take care of quality control when engaging...
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