Notes from the Field Feb 2026

*the picture above is from a real client but not the same one mentioned in this article. 

这家客户是一家总部位于荷兰的企业，专注于园林电动工具的研发和制造，主要产品包括梳草机、碎枝机以及相关周边设备。企业的核心研发力量来自荷兰总部，同时在中国也设有研发团队，负责本土市场的产品开发。生产加工全部集中在中国区的工厂，该工厂位于山东省日照市，占地约10,000平方米，拥有约60名员工，涵盖研发、工程、跟单、采购、生产与交付等完整业务流程。公司产品中，约99%出口欧洲，约1%用于中国国内销售。

虽然工厂成立将近20年，但长期以来一直沿用较为原始的管理模式。大部分员工在职时间超过十年，但整体缺乏系统化的现代管理知识和经验。因此，工厂面临运营成本偏高、订单交付周期长（约6个月）、产能无法满足市场需求等核心挑战。

CMC团队在对工厂进行全面诊断后，识别出供应链、生产和质量管理方面的多项差距。问题的根源主要集中在：缺乏标准化管理流程、依赖个人经验进行管理、管理方式落后、缺乏清晰职能与权限定义，以及运营指标缺乏挑战性，导致产品竞争力不足。

在与客户达成一致后，CMC从多条主线展开改善：包含装配及前道工序的效率提升、生产制造成本下降、品质管理标准化，以及供应链端到端流程的优化。改善项目覆盖仓储管理、库存准确率提升、呆滞物料管理体系建立、PMC（物料与生产计划）职能搭建、物料齐套率与到料及时率提升、供应商管理及新供应商开发。核心方法遵循流程构建—SOP制定—执行—反馈修订的循环。

整个改善项目规划为期12个月，分两个阶段实施。

第一阶段（前6个月）成果包括：

• 库存周转天数从 116 天降至 66 天
• 库存准确率从 46% 提升到 88%
• 订单交付周期从 6 个月缩短至 3–4 个月
• 产能从每月 3.5 个货柜提升至 4.7 个货柜
• 装配线生产效率提升 40%
• 现场返工率降低 50%

第二阶段（后6个月，进行中）目标包括：

• 库存周转天数再降低 20%
• 库存准确率提升至 90%
• 采购成本占比降低 10%
• 产能再提升 10%
• 订单交付周期缩短至 2.5 个月
• 生产效率提升：装配线提升 10–15%，前道工序提升 15%
• 原材料不良率降低 30%

The client is a Netherlands‑based company specializing in the research, development, and manufacturing of electric garden tools. Its main product categories include lawn de-thatchers, wood shredders, and related accessories. While core product development is conducted at the company’s headquarters in the Netherlands, the China R&D team focuses on products tailored for the local market. All manufacturing takes place in the company’s China‑based facility located in Rizhao, Shandong Province. The plant covers approximately 10,000 square meters and employs about 60 workers across R&D, engineering, purchasing, order management, production, and delivery functions. Roughly 99% of the company’s output is exported to Europe, with the remaining 1% sold domestically in China.

Although the factory has operated for nearly 20 years, it has maintained a largely traditional management model. Most employees have been with the company for more than a decade, yet lack exposure to modern management systems and best practices. As a result, the factory faces key challenges, including high operating costs, long order lead times (approximately six months), and insufficient capacity to meet demand.

Following a comprehensive diagnostic assessment, CMC identified significant gaps across the supply chain, production, and quality management areas. The main issues stem from the absence of standardized processes, reliance on individual experience, outdated management practices, unclear roles and responsibilities, and operational targets that lack ambition—factors which collectively hinder product competitiveness.

With alignment from the client, CMC launched an improvement program covering assembly operations, upstream process efficiency, cost reduction in manufacturing, the standardization of quality management, and end‑to‑end supply chain optimization. This includes warehouse management improvements, inventory accuracy enhancement, implementation of slow‑moving material controls, establishment of the PMC function (material and production planning), improvement of material readiness and supplier on‑time delivery, supplier management, and new supplier development. The overall methodology follows a continuous cycle of process design, SOP creation, execution, and iterative refinement.

The full improvement project spans 12 months and is divided into two phases.

Results from Phase 1 (first 6 months):

• Inventory turnover days reduced from 116 to 66
• Inventory accuracy improved from 46% to 88%
• Order lead time shortened from 6 months to 3–4 months
• Monthly capacity increased from 3.5 containers to 4.7 containers
• Assembly line productivity improved by 40%
• Rework rate reduced by 50%

Phase 2 targets (next 6 months, in progress):

• Further 20% reduction in inventory turnover days
• Inventory accuracy increased to 90%
• Procurement cost ratio reduced by 10%
• Additional 10% capacity increase
• Order lead time reduced to 2.5 months
• Productivity gains: 10–15% improvement in assembly lines, 15% improvement in upstream processes
• Raw material defect rate reduced by 30%