Time is money, as the old saying goes. That is definitely true when it comes to a business in manufacturing. When you can do more with the time that you have, then ultimately, the more money that you will be able to make. You may be struggling to take steps to improve production, or have everything running smoothly. Either way, there are a number of things that you can do to make sure that you’re able to do more as a manufacturing business, without having to sacrifice the quality of your production. So with that in mind, here are some of the ways that you can increase productivity and enable yourself to do more with your time, for your manufacturing business. 

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Look at what you are already doing

You aren’t going to know what you’re able to improve on until you are clear on how everything works and how things are currently done. Some key areas should be assessed to look at this, so you can gather information that can help you with potential changes.

• The people: does your team have the right knowledge and skills in place to be as productive as possible? Is there a clear plan for them, with a project manager to oversee production processes? 
• The processes: what are the current processes that are laid out in place, and do they need to have an update? Have you looked at where there are some pressure points in the process or potential bottlenecks that can hold up production?
• The technology and equipment: how up-to-date is your technology and equipment? Is the equipment that you have enough for your needs or could you implement new software such as production monitoring software? How easy will it be to make changes like this?

You can’t go in straight away and look to make changes when you don’t know what needs to change and what is already working well. If things are working well, then there may not be a need to change them. However, it can be worthwhile changing the things that aren’t working well, in order to get the outcome that you want. 

Train your employees

Employee education needs to be part of an ongoing process. In a number of industries, there will be some training that is mandatory, such as operating equipment. But for some in the manufacturing industry, they can get initially trained and then just left to it. If they start to forget or aren’t trained on updates or more efficient ways of doing things, then it can cause problems that cost the business money. By updating your technology and equipment, you will also need to update your training. Employee education is also a good way to retain the staff that you have, as it shows that they do have value and play a vital role in the business. 

Some of the things that you can do to help to train and educate your employees could start with scheduling in some training sessions for when there is anything new installed. Of course, this takes some time out initially for the business, but will mean that employees are much more productive in the long run. As part of this, make sure that you keep some accurate records of the training that has been received, and make sure that you look up any refresher courses as or when they are needed. You could also offer some extra educational opportunities for employees that want to do more, learn more, and advance their skills further. This could not only be on processes and equipment, but on policies, communications, and other areas that will help to make them a more valuable employee. 

Organize the workspace

You can’t be productive and improve production if you are working in a messy space. Clearing clutter helps to save time and means that you have much more efficiency. A better layout means employees can move around the office or warehouse in a more effective manner, and if they have access to everything that they need at their fingertips, it can really make a difference. Anything that is excess or extra should be removed, and better organized put in place to reduce how long things take to find and source. 

It can seem a trivial thing, but if employees can save a couple of minutes here and a couple of minutes there, from walking back and forth, then it can have a big impact on the production process as a whole, and mean that you can get more done as a business than before.

The early days of setting up and starting a business can often be spent doing research, assessing the market, looking into your competition, and then looking for ways to fund the business and get things started. One step of the process, especially if you have a product to develop, is starting talks with manufacturers. At that point, things can all start to feel real. But this isn’t always a smooth process, as you need to find one that will be right for you. So here are some tips to do and some pitfalls to look out for when it comes to creating a product for sale.

Set-up a beneficial partnership

Because your business is a start-up, you will have to take steps to make sure that you can be taken seriously by manufacturers, especially those that are well established. The volume of business that you will be able to bring to them is not significant either. So as a result, it is really important to look to create something like an incentive for the manufacturer to want to work with you.

Research

No matter if you are looking to set up a relationship with a manufacturer, or you want to set up a manufacturing unit of your own, then you need to do some extensive research before you make the ultimate decision of what to do. The best places to look are spots like trade journals, as well as fairs, and they can be good avenues to help you to do some research and connect with other manufacturers. You should look into all different things like their processes, what furnace monitoring they have in place, and their costing breakdown. So make sure that you research the people that you want to do business with, but don’t just settle for the first one that you look at. 

Sort Out the Legal Details

Once you have made a decision on what route to go down, then ironing out the finer details and keeping this legal is the next step. It can be a good idea to visit government websites in your area, as well as talking to people that are already in the industry, that can help you and give you some advice. Then you can start to get the business licences and things in place, so that you can get your business up and running. When that is all done, you can start to go into business feeling much more confident, and start making decisions like hiring employees and getting the equipment that you need.

Have Several Open Partnerships

If you want to do well in business, then having several reliable options, rather than just honing in on one vendor over another, can be just what you need. Having a choice of good vendors to choose from, and then being able to alternate between the vendors that you choose, can really help to reduce the risk and can help you to have some really competitive pricing, which can be really great for your business.

When you own a small business, you’re likely to outsource a whole lot of your work. After all, you’re only one person and it would be impossible for you to have specific and in-depth knowledge of every single process that needs to be carried out in order to keep your company afloat. Outsourced work often includes web design, market research, IT, and product photography. However, no matter how much work you put into your company’s design and set up, you need something to sell and this is where manufacturing comes into play. Now, many businesses outsource their manufacturing process, as they don’t want to commit to buying expensive machinery and specialist equipment. However, as your business progresses and expands, and you become more certain that there’s a market for your products out there, this is a process that you should seriously consider bringing back in-house. So, let’s take a look at what you should focus on when bringing manufacturing in-house and how you can expect to benefit from this clever business move.

Having the Right Equipment

When you bring things in-house, you need to make sure that you have the right equipment to complete the work to a high standard. This is likely to involve a fair amount of investment. You want top end machinery to get the job done right first time around. This is likely to include product-specific machines, as well as equipment such as an Industrial Touch Screen Monitor to control them. You should try to get the hardiest and sturdiest options possible, as manufacturing is often an Industrial job and the equipment is really going to be put to the test to keep up with production deadlines.

How You Will Benefit

While outsourcing your manufacturing may take a weight off your shoulders, you lose a whole lot of control over the very products that you are going to be selling. By bringing manufacturing in-house, you can keep an eye on proceedings. This improves quality, as you can alter the process to ensure that everything is exactly what you want. You also gain immediacy – if you need a certain run of items produced quickly, you can focus on them and ensure you get them out on time. Third parties will have other orders to keep up with, so will only be able to produce your items in the time originally stated in your agreement. You also know the exact working conditions that your products are created in, as you provide the working environment and you’re the one managing the staff. This means that you can be one hundred percent sure that everything is responsibly and ethically sourced and crafted.

As you can see, as long as you are sure that there’s a steady market for the products you’re selling, bringing manufacturing in-house is an extremely logical decision. Not only will it give you more control over your wares, but it also helps you to keep up with demand. So, make sure you have the right equipment and know how to operate it, and you should be good to go!