Success Cases
Industry: Electronics
Problem: Global Chip Tantalum Capacitors Shortage, October 1999
Action: Utilized sourcing tools to search for global sources/distributors for Tantalum capacitors. Located, purchased, and delivered 500k units of tantalum capacitors on-time to our Hong Kong contract manufacturer to keep our production up and running.
Results: Prevented interruption of production. Secured a continuation of revenues worth $4MM for a client.
Industry: Electronics
Problem: Customer demanded immediate price reduction of 5-10% or would move business.
Action: Prepared a analysis of cost drivers in the BOM. Located and requested quotes from alternate components manufacturers in Asia. Negotiated with contract manufacturers component prices and benchmarked against quotations received from components and raw material suppliers.
Results: Together with contract manufacturer we were able to identify 15% of cost savings. Most of the savings were shared with the customer. Customer was satisfied and business relationship continued.
Industry: Plastics Injection Molding
Problem: Start of production was at halt due to disagreement between customer and contract manufacturer on acceptable tolerances costing the company $100,000 per month in lost revenues.
Action: Presented our contract manufacturer with the latest engineering drawings. Together we marked the tolerances that need to be modified based on their manufacturing processes and capabilities. Summarized the changes required and presented it to the customer for approval. Explained to customer why we need these changes and what impact, if any, the changes will have on the functionality of the product. Customer approved most of the changes as requested by the factory.
Results: After about two weeks of back and forth communications, the drawings were finalized and mutually accepted. Production started on this project. Customer was satisfied.
Industry: Consumer products
Problem: The customer requested commitment of meeting cost target and delivery schedule before going through product design, development, and product launch.
Action: Within a few days customer requirements were analyzed. Developed a project schedule that takes into consideration the development time, sourcing, production lead-time and delivery. The schedule clearly shows that customer's aggressive delivery requirements can be met. Requested price quotes from raw material suppliers and contract manufacturers. Developed a comprehensive price matrix. Provided customer with a budgetary price quote that also meets their price target.
Results: Customer was satisfied with the results and production contract secured.
