Scenario:

An engineering company has, until recently, only supplied components to the agricultural and other general engineering industries. Products have been relatively simple with generous tolerances and customers who are sometimes willing to accept late deliveries. In a change of strategic direction, the company has decided to diversify into smaller volume but more lucrative business areas to add to their existing range and minimise risk with a wider customer base.

As part of this strategic change, the company has fully supported the Quality Manager during the last 12 months into achieving several specialist quality standards which now allows them to supply aerospace, medical and nuclear industries. Some of their manufacturing costs have increased considerably with some parts using higher value materials, several being manufactured to much tighter tolerances and a small number having to satisfy far more stringent standards, some of them safety and medically critical.

Question

1. Develop a realistic timeline, using a relevant technique, showing how the business intends to introduce a new packaging strategy where reusable packaging is a top priority.

• There is also an environmental demand to introduce recycling and keep single use packaging to a minimum. The business also plans to implement material reclamation where possible.
• More demanding customers means Just In Time deliveries are now expected.

This packaging strategy needs to be designed to cover domestic and international business.