Manufacturing journalist Thomas R. Cutler profiled Demand Driven Supply Chain Networks in the current issue of MetalForming Magazine.

According to Jeffrey Ball, Value Engineering and Information Services Manager with Luvata, “This presented a unique challenge for both plants. The two plants had separate planning, inventory, and scheduling systems and in order to ensure that the weld lines at Franklin never ran out of raw material, there was always a large amount of inventory “in the pipeline”. In order to prevent stock outs of a specific part number, a great deal of time was required by both the Buffalo and Franklin Scheduling Teams to avert disaster. It seemed as though, whichever parts were made, they were not the parts that were needed today at Franklin. Expediting of individual part numbers was the norm.”

What Luvata needed was a system that could integrate with both the Buffalo and Franklin Shop Floor Control Systems and provide a visual, easy to understand, and real time representation of the Total Supply Chain.

The Buffalo and Franklin Scheduling Groups went ahead and formed a team to address the need to reduce the amount of working capital tied up in the supply chain and improve delivery reliability. Jeffrey Ball noted, “There was plenty of candid conversation within the team that moved the two plants from a WIN/LOSE mentality, to group focused on developing a WIN/WIN result!”

During a visit to the Franklin plant, it was revealed that Franklin was using a new tool called digital kanban (also known as eKanban) from called Datacraft Solutions, a leading demand driven supply chain technology firm based in Durham, North Carolina. The Luvata team quickly decided that based upon the initial success of the digital kanban system at Franklin, that the Buffalo facility should take advantage of Franklin’s experience with digital kanban. In addition, both plants would now have a common Supply Chain Management Software that could be implemented easily, quickly, and affordably in Buffalo.

Over the next month, the Buffalo/Franklin Team worked closely with the Datacraft Solutions experts, to define the project costs, benefits and time schedule. The primary of objectives of reduced working capital (25% inventory reduction), improved delivery reliability (avoid stock outs), easy to use scheduling modules, and quick implementation time appear to be well within our budget and timeframes. Jeffrey Ball was pleased to report, “The Team is also highly confident that the large amount of time currently devoted to expediting material will be virtually eliminated from their daily routines.”

Datacraft Solutions specializes in providing their clients with the tools they need to rapidly replace outdated manual systems with technology that speeds process flow and improves accuracy. Datacraft’s premier product, Signum has been developed around the Kanban concept of replenishment, and provides an invaluable tool for manufacturing companies to monitor process flow, lower administrative transaction costs, and improve decision-making ability.

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For those of you who weren’t able to attend this year’s NAFEM show, held on February 5-7, Cook’s Direct was there to review and evaluate the newest products and innovations from Restaurant Equipment and Supply manufacturers across the country. We’re providing you with our list of this year’s coolest and most innovative restaurant supply items from the show. “There were new products for use in all areas of the commercial kitchen, but we believe that Chefs, Restaurant Operators and Foodservice Directors alike, will be most excited by the new restaurant equipment items we’ve got listed in this year’s Top 10 Coolest NAFEM introductions round-up ” said Jeff Breeden, Chief Merchant at Cook’s Direct.

1. Cooktek’s Six Burner Induction Range

Heavy duty design is combined with great looks for a cooktop that can work in the busiest kitchen or is perfect for presentation cooking. Cooktek’s newest Induction Range is the first ever, six-burner induction cooktop available. It has high power strength with energy efficiency built into the design to help save money on utility bills. This induction range can be installed on a refrigeration unit or worktable, and with its tempered glass top, it’s easily cleaned.

2. Vollrath’s Super Pan® Super Shapes Steam Table Pans

Innovative designs for your buffet are here with Vollrath’s new Super Pan ® Super Shapes steam table pans. The stylized pans allow you to affordably enhance the look of your buffet line. And with several unique shapes to choose from, you can quickly and easily create an entirely new presentation for different events. It’s also great way to freshen up each day part with a unique appearance for your buffet or salad bar.

3. Steelkor’s X-Green Produce Washing System

Steelkor’s X-Green washing system is perfect for the larger commercial kitchen, like those found in a university, arena, or hospital setting. This complete washing system removes dirt, grime, waxy buildup, and harmful microbes from large batches of produce. The cold water, FiT injected system kills 99.9% of harmful microbes like E. coli and Salmonella sp. This system is easy to use, provides consistent and effective results to your produce sanitation process, and takes up little space in the kitchen. The big payoff is that you are secure in the knowledge that the produce you serve your customers is safe and sanitized.

4. Cres Cor’s Logo Heated Cabinet

With a great new look, you’ll want these storage cabinets in front of customers rather than in the back of the house! Imagine seeing your logo or a full size image of your best selling products moving in front of thousands of people at a Big 10 basketball game. By applying a graphic wrap to their heated cabinets, Cres Cor has created a product that’s great for branding businesses through visibility at high traffic events like trade shows, sporting events or music festivals, anywhere that heated food is served.

5. Continental’s Recycling Cart, The Quad-Collection Dolly

Are you looking to launch a recycling program? Getting started is easy with the help of Continental’s new Quad Collection Dolly which is designed to carry four Wall Hugger™ Recycling Receptacles. The Wall Hugger™ containers are available in blue or black and with or without handles and you can get specially designed color coded lids for the Wall Hugger™ containers to encourage users to sort their recyclables. These lids have molded openings to receive certain products like news paper, bottles, aluminum cans, etc. When you get the containers, lids and the new Quad-Collection Dolly, your recycling program will be ready to go.

6. Chill Rite’s Shock A Vodka Dome System

Add a special WOW factor to your next event serving ice cold liquor to guests with the Shock A Vodka Dome System from Chill Rite 32. The presentation that you get with this system makes it a hit with customers. The bottles are inverted and placed in frosted domes to chill the liquor to a cool 5 degrees Fahrenheit. It then pours directly from taps on the frosted domes. If you’re serving beer along with liquor we suggest the yeti dispenser option, which serves up beer at a thirst quenching 32 degrees Fahrenheit. The dome system is mounted on a 48” long by 8” wide rail that’s also frosted to keep up the presentation. Also included is a full LED illumination display to merchandise top brand liquor bottles. Customers will love the cold tap liquor delivery system and you’ll love the increase in sales.

7. Blendtec’s Kitchentec™ variable speed blender with memory

For chefs who run a busy kitchen, this memory enhanced blender is a must, letting you program combinations of time and speed to create a blending sequence. Once the Master Chef has perfected the blending cycle for key recipes, these can be programmed into the new Kitchentec™ Blender. Kitchen staff can then simply run the program to recreate the recipe. The programming capabilities can also be used to replicate various prep activities for consistency and efficiency. Easy-to-use and intuitive this blender will increase your kitchens productivity and improve consistency in your final products.

8. Jade’s High Mass Oven

The innovative High Mass Oven from Jade introduces a fresh approach in range ovens. They took a standard range oven and added a 75 pound, ½ inch griddle plate to the inside bottom and back of the oven cavity.  The oven bottom plate comes with welded steel side splashes to contain spills from leaking into the stainless steel burner box.

9. New Age’s Beverage Container Transport Cart

For caterers or event producers that are looking for a rough and rugged, high volume beverage cart this new product from New Age just what you need. Built with high capacity in mind, the New Age beverage cart is capable of carrying up to six 10-gallon beverage containers at one time. It’s extremely durable and capable of handling the heaviest loads. This cart is so strong, it’s even recommended for jail or prison kitchens. The transport cart is backed with a lifetime guarantee against rust and corrosion and a five-year guarantee against workmanship and material defects.

1. Dexter’s Cool Blue™ Heat Resistant Turner

Dexter’s new Cool Blue™ heat resistant, melt resistant kitchen turners left a lasting impressionson all who saw them. Dexter representatives demonstrated how these Cool Blue™ handles will withstand temperatures up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit, outperforming Mercer’s Hell’s Handles™ Utensils, which have been getting a lot of press lately. Even after hours of use, the handles remain cool, and you never have to worry that they will melt to your grill. As well as being heat and melt resistant, the handles are easy to clean and slip resistant and the turners feature a precision ground blade. They are also NSF certified to meet health codes standards.

About Jeff Breeden and Cook’s Direct:

Jeff Breeden is active in the Foodservice Industry through his work at Cook’s and as a member of NAFED (National Association of Food Equipment Dealers). During the past 12 years, he has held a variety of roles including new product development, national account sales, and brand development. In his current responsibility as Chief Merchant, he utilizes his experience and expertise to find innovative equipment and supply solutions to meet the evolving needs of restaurant and institutional foodservice operations. Cook’s Direct provides a full range of commercial kitchen solutions including all types of kitchen supplies and heavy duty restaurant equipment to correctional facilities, institutions and other large foodservice operations across North America. The company was founded over 10 years ago and is known for its innovative products, strong customer service and expert knowledge of institutional kitchen operations.

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Inquiries can be sent to:

Jeff Breeden, Chief Merchant

Cook’s Direct

800-956-5571

http://www.cooksdirect.com/