REDUCING COSTS AND IMPROVING LIQUIDITY
Within the scope of its cost reduction and liquidity improvement projects, METROPLAN PROCESS MANAGEMENT is highly successful in the following areas:
Reduction of manufacturing costs using mixed teams
Tried and tested tools are available which can be used to reduce manufacturing costs; most engineers and technical purchasers are very familiar with these tools:
- Target costing (TC)
- Value analysis (VA)
- Linear performance pricing (LPP)
- Quality function deployment (QFD)
- Standardisation and modularisation
We specialise in systematically organising the teamwork needed for such projects, thereby ensuring success. We utilise expert technical knowledge, know-how of the suppliers and transparency of the associated costs to design products that in most cases are between 20% and 30% cheaper to produce.
Cost reduction through lower friction losses
With the right processes, any company can reduce friction losses and lower costs. This includes eliminating duplicate work, assigning clear responsibilities and decreasing the number of faulty parts. We design lean processes for purchasing/procurement departments and their interfaces to other company departments, such as development.
On the basis of this definition, the purchasing process is a highly specialised service. A high level of professionalism and maximum objectivity must be applied to all facets related to a contract award decision. This works best in conjunction with a convincing purchasing strategy. The resultant measures are aimed at creating specific working methods, and thus provide the basis for purchasing controlling.
For the procurement process, orders to suppliers should be handled on the basis of already negotiated terms and conditions. The performance of suppliers is incorporated in the list of improvement measures for purchasing and in the purchasing strategy in the form of a supplier assessment. The procurement process is only completed upon payment of the invoice, and in this regard, it is important to integrate the specific features of invoice auditing.
Only a very few companies establish the purchasing controlling process in a way that can be regarded as “optimum”. Our main contribution is the definition and measurement of purchasing successes, for which we develop innovative solutions that are proven in practice.
On the basis of this definition, the purchasing process is a highly specialised service. A high level of professionalism and maximum objectivity must be applied to all facets related to a contract award decision. This works best in conjunction with a convincing purchasing strategy. The resultant measures are aimed at creating specific working methods, and thus provide the basis for purchasing controlling.
For the procurement process, orders to suppliers should be handled on the basis of already negotiated terms and conditions. The performance of suppliers is incorporated in the list of improvement measures for purchasing and in the purchasing strategy in the form of a supplier assessment. The procurement process is only completed upon payment of the invoice, and in this regard, it is important to integrate the specific features of invoice auditing.
Only a very few companies establish the purchasing controlling process in a way that can be regarded as “optimum”. Our main contribution is the definition and measurement of purchasing successes, for which we develop innovative solutions that are proven in practice.
Liquidity improvement through working capital management
Quantification of the objectives by key performance indicators (KPIs) enables us to develop practically-oriented working capital management. The reduction of outstanding receivables and a sustainable decrease in the stock level enable more efficient processes in the supply chain. In our projects, for example, improving the planning processes leads to significantly fewer shortages and stockouts, despite reduced stock levels. Liabilities arising from the use of discounts and/or extended terms of payment are also optimised.
Increasing productivity through the use of IT tools
Additional requirements related to purchasing can only be fulfilled using professional IT tools. In our projects, we have gathered sound, reliable experience in deploying the various tools for online tenders and Internet auctions. In addition to the Internet portals, today’s standards in purchasing also include catalogue software, purchasing controlling, portals for electronic supplier networking and online research. Internet-based tools have also become indispensable in cross-location project work with customers and suppliers. This “collaboration software” is increasingly determining the future standards for successful purchasing.
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