Best Practices in Supplier Management from General Cable

April 1, 2010

Manufacturing excellence requires strong supplier partnerships. Without such relationships, even the best-run facilities will struggle to meet customers' demands in a productive, efficient manner. In this session at the 2010 IW Best Plants Conference, 2009 IndustryWeek Best Plants winner General Cable – Altoona Plant shares supplier management practices it has incorporated to help drive operational excellence. Ken Smith of General Cable discusses their use of supplier-managed inventory as well as consignment inventory methods.

Manufacturing excellence requires strong supplier partnerships. Without such relationships, even the best-run facilities will struggle to meet customers' demands in a productive, efficient manner. In this session at the 2010 IW Best Plants Conference, 2009 IndustryWeek Best Plants winner General Cable – Altoona Plant shares supplier management practices it has incorporated to help drive operational excellence. Ken Smith of General Cable discusses their use of supplier-managed inventory as well as consignment inventory methods. Additionally, he addresses cost-savings initiatives undertaken with suppliers.

In This Presentation You Will See

Background on General Cable (in minute 1)
Why supplier integration is important (in minute 3)
What you need to know before you begin (in minute 8)
Why to consolidate suppliers (in minute 12)
General Cable - Altoona's success with supplier consolidation (in minute 20)
Supplier conferences (in minute 26)
Topics of technical reviews (in minute 33)
Infirastructure reductions (in minute 42)
Use of offshore suppliers (in minute 55)
and more

About the Speaker

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Ken Smith, Plant Manager, General CableKen Smith is plant manager with General Cable in Altoona, Pa. General Cable is a leader in the design, development, manufacture and distribution of copper, aluminum and fiber optic wire and cable products for the communications, energy, industrial and specialty markets. The Altoona plant specifically assembles ignition wire sets for the aftermarket and original equipment manufacturers.

Smith has a bachelor's in manufacturing engineering from Bradley University, and a master's in business administration from St. Francis University. He is also a certified LeanSigma Blackbelt.