Need some fresh ideas on a specific issue I've been tackling within our fulfillment department. This example is our largest account, so making it more efficient will help in multiple areas. Any advice on improvement would be helpful:
My company has a huge order we do every summer. The deal is we do a small pamphlet for an insurance company. This pamphlet they give to over 300+ clients. Pamphlets range from quantities of 2000 to 4000 per client, sometimes more for specific clients up to 20,000. Pamphlet is basically the same but the front page has the name of the client in question. Pamphlets are 4 color and form into a C fold.
Basically we, the printing company, do not have digital printers. So this is the current system we use to handle the orders:
1) Get a list from the insurance company. Each client has specific dates the pamphlets are needed.
2) Print 3 types of pamphlets. First would be full text plus school name. Second is full text with no school name. Third is just the master with no text or school name.
3) We store the pamphlets on carts with signs on which stack is which client. When our customer calls us up for an order, we basically then fold the pamphlet, pack it up and go. At this moment storage of carts are wherever room is available.
4) Store Blank masters in separate area. We will then print the masters on demand on a 2C printmaster.
5) Pamphlet with no school name is kept in same area as Pamphlet with school name. This allows for on demand ordering for a specific school. When specific school is called for, we fold the pamphlet then print the school name on our windmill letterpress.
6) We have specific lot numbers for each form. There are about 40 forms which were printed 8 up. When an order comes in, the specific client will have a designated form number. Example: Lot 2B. Lot is folded and finished to be shipped same day.
A positive of this system is its stored in the bindery section. That way, when an order is created the lot can be just loaded onto a folder and be off and running. An issue of this system is that there is no organization. Lot numbers are assigned, but there is no standard way to organize the carts in a systematic way that everyone can recognize and instantly comprehend. This creates a sense of clutter within bindery, and its at times hard to maneuver. The carts sit until a fulfillment order is done, which could be at most 2 months.
Previous ideas on how to organize it was to print all the forms at once, cut, fold and package up for fulfillment ordering. One of the main issues with that was we would need to dedicate a folder to that, which would mean about 4 weeks of nothing but that. With different jobs coming and going, that might not be the best utilization of time. Also, our storage capacity within our inventory would not be able to handle the capacity of the pamphlets. That is why they are kept on the floor
Another idea was to create a sectioned off area in which all the unfinished pamphlets would go into. Would be setup in 2 rows, insuring access to each lot when needed. However, designating a specific amount of space for placement of the forms wasn't going to work. Not only was there not enough open floor space, but putting the work in one designated location would potentially create more time needed for transportation of goods to and from folders.
Fresh ideas are needed, and I'm coming up with blankness. I had thought about using a shelving unit and labeling each lot on the shelf for easy access. However, spacing is still an issue as there are limited number of shelves that could be used. Any suggestions would be helpful.
My company has a huge order we do every summer. The deal is we do a small pamphlet for an insurance company. This pamphlet they give to over 300+ clients. Pamphlets range from quantities of 2000 to 4000 per client, sometimes more for specific clients up to 20,000. Pamphlet is basically the same but the front page has the name of the client in question. Pamphlets are 4 color and form into a C fold.
Basically we, the printing company, do not have digital printers. So this is the current system we use to handle the orders:
1) Get a list from the insurance company. Each client has specific dates the pamphlets are needed.
2) Print 3 types of pamphlets. First would be full text plus school name. Second is full text with no school name. Third is just the master with no text or school name.
3) We store the pamphlets on carts with signs on which stack is which client. When our customer calls us up for an order, we basically then fold the pamphlet, pack it up and go. At this moment storage of carts are wherever room is available.
4) Store Blank masters in separate area. We will then print the masters on demand on a 2C printmaster.
5) Pamphlet with no school name is kept in same area as Pamphlet with school name. This allows for on demand ordering for a specific school. When specific school is called for, we fold the pamphlet then print the school name on our windmill letterpress.
6) We have specific lot numbers for each form. There are about 40 forms which were printed 8 up. When an order comes in, the specific client will have a designated form number. Example: Lot 2B. Lot is folded and finished to be shipped same day.
A positive of this system is its stored in the bindery section. That way, when an order is created the lot can be just loaded onto a folder and be off and running. An issue of this system is that there is no organization. Lot numbers are assigned, but there is no standard way to organize the carts in a systematic way that everyone can recognize and instantly comprehend. This creates a sense of clutter within bindery, and its at times hard to maneuver. The carts sit until a fulfillment order is done, which could be at most 2 months.
Previous ideas on how to organize it was to print all the forms at once, cut, fold and package up for fulfillment ordering. One of the main issues with that was we would need to dedicate a folder to that, which would mean about 4 weeks of nothing but that. With different jobs coming and going, that might not be the best utilization of time. Also, our storage capacity within our inventory would not be able to handle the capacity of the pamphlets. That is why they are kept on the floor
Another idea was to create a sectioned off area in which all the unfinished pamphlets would go into. Would be setup in 2 rows, insuring access to each lot when needed. However, designating a specific amount of space for placement of the forms wasn't going to work. Not only was there not enough open floor space, but putting the work in one designated location would potentially create more time needed for transportation of goods to and from folders.
Fresh ideas are needed, and I'm coming up with blankness. I had thought about using a shelving unit and labeling each lot on the shelf for easy access. However, spacing is still an issue as there are limited number of shelves that could be used. Any suggestions would be helpful.
