James Ross Consulting - Services & Solutions

Our Services & Solutions

Our services cover a large scope, and can be summarized as Cost Optimization, Technical Support and Analytical Services. You can read these by following the menus on the left.

In addition to help you learn more about what we do we have provided some real life issues for which we have had client successes with. You can expand and contract the menus by clicking them.

Procurement

Understanding materials and getting the best price

Packaging specification data collection and on-going management service
Packaging spend and cost reduction opportunity analysis
Supplier audit and contract review
Specification / design change technical support to optimize cost and margins
Strategic sourcing, RFP / RFQ technical advice and management

Identifying over specified packaging materials

Packaging technical specification review:
Paper & paperboard, metal cans & containers, glass containers, plastics, closures, adhesives, aluminium foils and metallized foils, flexible packaging laminates and corrugated fibreboard.
Competitor specification analysis
Testing of new specifications on packaging machinery and supply chain performance analysis

Sourcing cheaper packaging materials

Material down grade and design change cost reduction support
Change of supplier / re-negotiation of pricing / off shore supply review
New packaging design services
Procurement strategy
Cross plant / inter-group purchasing advice
Specification consolidation / ordering strategy

Finding good suppliers in Asia, and qualifying them

Off shore packaging material purchasing – ‘match and validate’ services
Metal cans & containers, glass containers, plastics, closures, adhesives, aluminium foils & metallized foils, flexible packaging laminates.
Supplier qualification and preparation services for RFP / RFQ
Chinese network and extended low cost supplier search facilities

Preparing technical information for an RFP / RFQ

Data collection services
Compiled databases containing full technical specifications, distribution data, spends, volumes, unit prices and more.
Advice on matching packaging materials from off shore vendors
Off shore versus home market packaging purchasing cost analysis
Expedited supplier reviews prior to RFP / RFQ

Supply Chain / Logistics

High inventory, and ineffective planning models

Production planning modelling to demonstrate the effect of level loading or dynamic production planning on inventory
Safety stock and SKU based analysis
SKU rationalization - inventory level reduction
Warehouse activity modelling by SKU – trend and throughput analysis

Shorting customers

Production line efficiency overview – investigate bottlenecks, under utilization, packaging problems and poor design
Examine the core reasons for shorting customers; delivery through to manufacture and planning
Investigation into the quality of forecasting, alternative planning methods and SKU management to reduce shorts

Costly packing operations for off shored product

Customer requirement investigation to understand reasons for secondary packing operations
Enjoy our sourcing and supply networks with agencies and factories in China and other off shore countries
Equipment installation and training services for off shore suppliers to enable them to pick, pack and configure
Outsource Pro! – our software available to help your business communicate more effectively off shore

Bar coding and labelling in off shore countries

We will interact with your suppliers factories to inform them of your requirements for value added services and how they can comply
Bar code equipment sourcing, installation and training for your suppliers off shore
Outsource Pro! – software to enable you to control bar codes and label formats from your desk
Reviews to optimize your businesses off shore activity

Transit damage and high transportation costs

Full supply chain review for all packaging formats to investigate reasons for damage or excessive cost. Suggest and implement solutions.
Pallet cube analysis and transportation methods review
Investigation of routes to market and development of a global supply matrix (FCL / LCL / Air / Road / Rail)

Marketing / New Product Design

Technically validating new packaging designs

Supply of qualified packaging / manufacturing engineers to work with you from concept to production
Packaging design, material selection, packaging and component testing and development of customer and consumer relevant specifications
Line trials, tooling verification and quality assurance

Packaging and production issues with NPD

Examination of NPD processes; improvements can be validated and tested on a current product launch
Re-design / improve poor performing packaging
Supplier quality audit to ensure timely and defect free product delivery

Obtaining a larger margin on products

Pre launch / post launch customer acceptable specification changes to increase margin
Production overview to diagnose and resolve expensive manufacturing processes, materials and excessive labor content used in product and packaging
Investigating and improving off shore / outsource routes for cheaper supply

Customizing product off shore for the home market

Customer requirement investigation to understand reasons for secondary packing operations
Enjoy our sourcing and supply networks with agencies and factories in China and other off shore countries
Equipment installation and training services for off shore suppliers to enable them to pick, pack and configure
Outsource Pro! – our software available to help your business communicate more effectively off shore

Packaging innovation without CapEx

Our packaging engineers and designers offer the link between your company and your suppliers; we can work with existing suppliers, whilst investigating new suppliers who’s innovations may offer better performance
Our innovation can if required reduce costs, and improve manufacturing efficiencies; we try and resolve manufacturing issues through our designs

Technical / Engineering / Packaging

Resource for packaging related projects

Day to day supply of qualified packaging / manufacturing consultants for collaboration on projects
Services include; line trials, equipment validation, vendor acceptance testing, component and tooling analysis, statistical sampling, tolerance studies and others
Worldwide – our services are rapidly deployable across Europe, North America and Asia Pacific

Over specified materials and high costs

Packaging technical specification review:
Paper & paperboard, metal cans & containers, glass containers, plastics, closures, adhesives, aluminium foils and metallized foils, flexible packaging laminates and corrugated fibreboard.
Competitor specification analysis
Testing of new specifications on packaging machinery and in supply chain

Some products are a bad fit at the plant

We can review and implement a stage based approach for identifying which products are a poor fit for your plant / company. Our services extend to:
Off shore analysis
Home market outsourcing
SKU rationalization
Consolidation of packaging / production formats and reducing variability
Reducing costs through labor, efficiency and materials

Change is slow and difficult

Change – our projects always link several departments and resources together; we promote change
Time – getting peoples agreement is time consuming; this is expedited by using an external resource. Our project managers and technical consultants are all from large corporations and are experienced in resolving issues and understanding company politics.
Understanding – each department has reasons for doing what they do; we take this onboard on all of our projects

Complying with new packaging regulations

Regulations impose an obligation upon businesses to recover and recycle packaging waste; our reviews detail your compliance to regulations in your country
Informed support for identifying and implementing regulatory projects
Support to turn regulatory projects into cost saving projects; reviewing materials and reasons for their use