​Location:                            China

Project:                               Establishment of a production facility

Industry:                             Traditional wooden toys

Products:                            Hand puppets and bendable puppets

Project duration:               14 months

Number of employees:   120 

Departments:                    Assembly, Sewing, Warehouse, Shipping, Cutting, Purchasing

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Background:           
At the start of this project, these products were manufactured exclusively by hand in China. The cost of raw materials rose periodically, and the goal was to keep prices stable on the European market. It was also important to maintain high quality. Consequently, a large number of production steps were to be carried out in-house. The wooden components, as well as the fabrics and accessories, were purchased on the local market. Three key aspects had to be considered during production:

1. Cycle time:  Cycle time was crucial to avoid unnecessary inventory both on the assembly line and in the warehouse. 
2. Machinery: Machinery (e.g., for shaping) had to be developed to save time
3. Waste: In addition to cycle time and machinery development, the goal was to eliminate or reduce waste
                               

Result: Within 14 months, a semi-automated production facility with a total of 120 employees was established. Prices were stabilized. They were not much lower than those on the Chinese market, but high quality could be guaranteed for the finished product. Furthermore, the company was independent of Chinese manufacturers and could better balance production volumes. 

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