From your previous recommendations, Primo Caf$$ has changed its supply chain strategy that is now

tailored specifically to each product $($the Bean Boiler, Family Man, and Caffissimo$)$ based on customer

segmentation. Marco struggled with the redesign of these supply chain strategies initially but is getting

more comfortable with the new way of doing things after seeing the results.

Now that profitability is improving $($and the Bean Boiler situation has been resolved$),$ Primo Caf$$ is

developing a new line of custom order coffee makers $($Code Name COCMs$)$ in the high$-$end market

segment. Primo Caf$$ expects to launch it in the marketplace within the next two years. Marco has asked

that you join him in the product development team to design the supply chain and select suppliers for the

COCMs.

While the Caffissimo is doing well in this segment, Primo Caf$$ leadership believes that custom order coffee

makers could provide the long$-$term competitive advantage Primo Caf$$ has been going for against its

rivals. The COCMs will fulfill a market segment not met by other Primo Caf$$ products, with an estimated

monthly volume of $2,000$ to $5,000$ units. Cost is estimated at $$30$ per unit and price is estimated at $$60$

per unit. Marketing does not believe that the COCMs will interfere with Caffissimo's sales volume $($that is$,$

Caffissimo's volume is projected to remain the same$).$ The COCMs will be assembled using over $500$

components that are found in a range of Primo Caf$\text{'}$s products. The engineering and manufacturing

departments believe that they can meet COCM's unique product designs. They will build flexible

manufacturing systems that can use real$-$time customer order data that is fed into the assembly process.

Based on the customer order data, the assembly machines automatically adjust to the unique

specifications and rapidly produce custom coffee makers that meet the exact design specifications that

the customer ordered. Additionally, Primo Caf$\text{'}$s logistics department can procure contracts with several

third$-$party logistics companies $($such as FedEx and UPS$)$ that can quickly deliver products to customer's

home addresses.

Marco and you have an excellent relationship with new product development team, and they have asked

for your opinions on developing the supply chain strategy for these new custom order coffee makers.

Given your past success with changing the supply chain strategy for Primo's other products, Marco asks

for your recommendations on the supply chain strategy for the COCMs.