TABLE OF CONTENTS To begin, here is an introduction to the discrete products manufacturer case used to guide you through the process of implementing a mixed model kanban pull system.
The Company
Emca Golf Club Company
"The Sticks That Champions Use"
A Division of Emca Sporting Goods
Emca Sporting Goods is a manufacturer headquartered in Greeneville, USA. They have four strategic business units: Golf, Water Sports, Racket Sports, and Camping Equipment. Emca's top management recognizes the competitive advantages associated with improved product velocity through waste elimination. As such, several months ago, Corporate determined their initial lean implementation would be in the high-end golf club business unit. This business unit is the largest at Emca, as it accounts for 45 percent of corporate revenues.
| Business Units | Golf | Water Sports | Racket Sports | Camping Equipment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Annual Corp. Revenue | 45% | 25% | 20% | 10% |
| Annual Corp. Revenue | $45,000,000 | $25,000,000 | $20,000,000 | $10,000,000 |
Emca Golf is recognized as the world leader in innovative golf club design. However, they have some particularly threatening problems too. For several years, they have been plagued with very high inventory levels, not much working capital, and very long manufacturing lead times. To make matters worse, their assembly operations have been inundated with frequent component shortages. Emca has plenty of the parts they do not need and few of the parts they do need. No matter what they do, they are not able to make the right parts at the right time. Attempts at better controlling production using sophisticated computer hardware and software...
