MESA, Cambashi study focuses on linking plant, business performance

Input sought from industry leaders

Bob Vavra

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The Manufacturing Enterprise Solutions Association (MESA) and Cambashi today disclosed that MESA's Metrics Working Group is guiding the new research initiative Correlating Plant Performance to Business Performance. A group of MESA manufacturer/producer members with deep metrics experience has provided particularly useful input. The individuals driving this activity are from a wide range of industry segments, and include Chad Vincent of Baxter Healthcare Corporation, Scott Daugherty of Cormetech, Jian Xu of National Starch, and Nancy Braun of Knowrtl (who was at a major automotive supplier at the outset of the project), plus a number of others whose companies wish to remain anonymous.
This research study seeks to understand how production and manufacturing companies are not only measuring, but driving their business success, through operational programs and performance metrics. Key to the study is the use of an on-line survey to collect user input. This on-line survey is available for industry response now, and will be available through September 23 via this link or at www.MESA.org .
"This is a critical topic for us, understanding how to gauge our performance and ensure that what we do in the operation benefits the company," said Scott Daugherty, Director of Operations for Cormetech, Inc. "I've been participating in MESA Metrics efforts for several years now, and the discussions and networking have been very valuable, not to mention the actual survey results."
This is the third primary research study that MESA's Metrics Working Group has helped to develop. The team is crafting the study to ensure it provides useful information immediately, and provides a foundation for the Working Group's long-term objectives for the next several years, which include:
• Establishing a mechanism to assist manufacturing and production companies to build a business case to justify investments in improvement programs and in manufacturing enterprise software
• Developing a maturity model to help companies understand where their practices, metrics, and systems need further development to compete with leaders
• Providing MESA manufacturer/producer members with a mechanism for evaluating their performance improvements and levels with others in similar production segments
All survey respondents will be entered in a drawing for five MESA individual manufacturer/producer premium memberships, with respondents gaining one chance to win for every segment of the survey they complete. Companies with more than 3 respondents to the study will also be entered in a drawing to win a manufacturer/producer premium company membership. In addition, respondents to the survey will receive a copy of the public summary findings report as soon as it is released. MESA Premium members will also have access to a comprehensive findings report.
Preliminary findings will be released at the MESA European Plant-to-Enterprise Conference October 27-28, 2009 in Utrecht, the Netherlands. The conference, themed "Survive to Thrive," will include a special interactive session on Wednesday Oct. 28 on the results of this "Correlating Plant Performance to Business Performance" survey.
In addition to MESA International, premium funding sponsors for the study are: GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms, Invensys Operations Management, Logica, Rockwell Automation, and Siemens. Supporting sponsors are Cordys and SAP AG. In conjunction with MESA, these companies seek to increase the manufacturing market's understanding of the role plant performance and operations metrics play in corporate performance improvement.