National Cranberry Cooperative

National Cranberry Cooperative, 1996

What is your analysis of the process fruit operation at Receiving plant #1 ? What recommendations would you make to Mr. Schaeffer?

National Cranberry Cooperative should undergo certain changes in order to increase efficiency in its operations. One of the main problems that the Company is facing is the increased overtime costs due to lengthy waiting time for incoming truck in the Receiving Plant No. 1 (RP1). Reducing the latter mentioned will enable the plant to operate within normal business hours which will lead to increased overall profitability. Major concerns are:

• One source of the problem lies within the “Drying Stage” of the process. The cranberries spend long periods of time in the dryers

• Long backlog caused by the separation unit

• Another issue faced by the plant was that the supply trucks delivering the cranberries were not organized correctly. Space management and lack of organization did not allow several trucks to unload appropriately throughout the day.

• Factory starts operation at 11 a1m, meanwhile trucks arrive at 7 am

Recommendations:

• Convert some of the dry bins to wet bins, to allow shorter wait times for the truckers

• Acquire additional drying units- Allows trucks to move through unloading area more efficiently, therefore decrease overtime costs

• Processing shifts should start earlier than 11am.

What is your analysis of the process fruit operation at Receiving plant #1 ? What recommendations would you make to Mr. Schaeffer?

National Cranberry Cooperative should undergo certain changes in order to increase efficiency in its operations. One of the main problems that the Company is facing is the increased overtime costs due to lengthy waiting time for incoming truck in the Receiving Plant No. 1 (RP1). Reducing the latter mentioned will enable the plant to operate within normal business hours which will lead to increased overall profitability. Major concerns are:

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