Burt's Bees focuses on production efficiency
has upgraded its production planning with the introduction of
supply chain enhancing systems from i2 Technologies.
The system has been implemented at Burt's Bees manufacturing facilities as a means of improving the company's manufacturing planning capabilities and enhancing production efficiency.
On the back of increasing demand and interest in natural-based products, the Burt's Bees business has grown immensely in recent years. Having started off as a manufacturer of bees wax-based furniture polishes, it now supplies a host of personal care products, including lip balms, face care, hair care and body care products to the US and worldwide.
That rapid expansion of the company has in turn led to a need to invest in production planning and enhancement of the supply chain, which is where i2 has stepped in.
With i2's help the Burt's Bees production facilities are aiming to achieve shorter lead times, quicker reaction to exceptions, stronger material scheduling capabilities and more customization to run efficiently.
The i2 company will be supplying technology that ultimately aims to keep the company's operations lean, while contributing to a sustained competitive edge.
Ted Hein, Burt's Bees director of information services, said that i2 had been chosen on the basis of its reputation to provide functional solutions that are implemented at speed and ultimately provide added value to the company's business operations.
As Burt's Bees has evolved from a very small business in such a short space of time, the need to bring its production and supply chain operations up to speed has become an imperative for the company to keep ahead of its expanding volume of business.
The i2 solutions will help the company manage key aspects of the business, including work center capacity and setup times, as well as material availability, labor availability, due dates, and corporate production policies.
These solutions have been built around the principles of lean manufacturing and constraint-based planning as a means of enhancing customer service, reducing inventory levels and lowering costs.
"i2's factory panning solutions are used by companies around the globe looking to move into lean manufacturing," said Steve Estrada, senior vice president of Consumer Industries at i2.
Estrada went on to stress that customers in a variety of consumer industries have used i2's solutions to also provide higher throughput and higher on-time delivery rates.
