The client
FlexiForce Canada is a manufacturing company in British Columbia, Canada which serves customers throughout the Americas.
The need
The client was concerned about indirect spend on maintenance, repair, and operating supplies and the amount of time being spent on purchasing them.
The solution
Several suppliers were given the opportunity to quote on the project, and one was selected as a preferred vendor. A list of the most commonly used items was put together, with allowances for variations in different areas of the factory. Vending machines were installed in several locations, and employees could purchase items from these machines using their employee number and a PIN code. The vendor received regular reports on inventory levels within the machines and replenished weekly.
My role on the project was to administer user access, provide user training, troubleshoot problems, and run monthly reports to identify errors and excessive use. I also set-up a check-in/out locker program for high-value maintenance tools.