Spring 2024 - Brown-Forman Cooperage Semi-fictional Case Problem for MGT 602 - Production & Operations Management Consulting Client Overview The Brown-Forman Cooperage in Louisville Kentucky (USA) supplies flame-charred white-oak barrels for the aging processes of various bourbon and whiskey products produced under the Brown-Forman corporate umbrella (http://www.brown-forman.com/ ). Some of these barrel-aged products include brands such as Jack Daniel's, Early Times, Old Forester, and Woodford Reserve. "Located 15 minutes south of the Campus, Brown-Forman Cooperage is one of the world's largest producers of whiskey barrels. A subsidiary of Brown-Forman, the cooperage makes white oak barrels for maturing some of our finest brands, including Jack Daniel's, Early Times, Old Forester, and Woodford Reserve. Brown-Forman is the only major distiller in the world that owns and manufactures its own barrels. In 2009, the Cooperage was opened to the public to tours through a partnership with Mint Julep Tours." https://www.brown-forman.com/where-we-operate ; https://mintjuleptours.com/book-a- tour/our-tours/cooperage-tours/ About 10 years ago, legislation passed by the State of Tennessee has increased the importance of the activities at the cooperage (barrel-making) facility: "NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - If it isn't fermented in Tennessee from mash of at least 51 percent corn, aged in new charred oak barrels, filtered through maple charcoal and bottled at a minimum of 80 proof, it isn't Tennessee whiskey. So says a year-old law that resembles almost to the letter the process used to make Jack Daniel's, the world's best-known Tennessee whiskey." [emphasis added] Your team has been hired as external consultants to assist the Brown-Forman Corporation with making some strategically-driven operations decisions about how best to utilize the Brown-Forman Cooperage facilities to support several of its beverage brands. You have been asked to evaluate the following set of information, (in addition to any other research that you believe is appropriate) to help your team advise your client. If you find additional data that directly conflicts with information provided in this dossier, please rely on the information provided here, for the sake of keeping a sane manageable process; this company and industry is constantly in flux. Substantial information is included below to assist you in your analysis. Your client has requested analysis and advice on the following: 1) What is the current production bottleneck or production limitation of the Brown-Forman Cooperage production system for "new charred oak barrels"? How many barrels per day can the process currently produce? Rather than creating a complicated visual flow diagram, please create a data-driven spreadsheet with key information and analysis about each process step. Show relationships where task precedence requirements occur, to indicate the flow of parts and sub-assemblies toward producing the final finished product. Identify the bottleneck