Global Manufaturing and Innovation

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Operational Excellence in Consumer Packaged Goods Manufacturing

THE INCREASING IMPORTANCE OF GLOBAL BRANDS AND THEIR CORRESPONDING

GLOBAL INNOVATIONS HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON MANUFACTURING

STRATEGIES, TECHNOLOGIES AND PROCESSES. AT THE RECENT CONFERENCE,

“OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE IN CONSUMER PACKAGED GOODS MANUFACTURING”,

STEVE COX, VP HAIR AND ORAL CARE, UNILEVER, SHOWED HOW NEW CAPABILITIES

ARE REQUIRED TO RESPOND TO CHANGE IN THE MARKET PLACE

Global

manufacturing

and innovation

a supply chain perspective

U

nilever is a global manufacturer of home,

personal care, and food products, and like

many multinational companies today is

,

looking for the best ways to expand its

markets and meet the rising challenges of

managing its crucial supply chain.

The company’s current strategy is to focus its research

and development and marketing on the leading brands, that

is, those that are most in demand from consumers. To

better optimise this strategy, the company recently

identified its top 400 brands – the ones that were producing

90% of its income. It then seized the opportunity to reduce

the number of brands from 1,600 down to these 400 and,

through extensive knowledge of trends identified today will

,

continue to develop the brands to meet the needs of

consumers’ future needs. The company wants to put more

eggs in fewer baskets, and expend its efforts and resources

into growing the big, profitable brands, in order to create

“fuel for growth”.

The reduction in the number of brands is a key part of

the company’s path to growth, but it does not necessarily

mean a reduction in the number of products. For ➔

IEE COMPUTING & CONTROL ENGINEERING | DECEMBER/JANUARY 2003/04 | WWW.IEE.ORG/COMPUTINGMAGAZINE

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RETAIL SUPPLY CHAIN TRENDS

Andy Banks, Supply Chain Development Director at

Sainsbury’s...