The Role of Manufacturing Support Services: Insights from Tracey Johnson (Part 2)

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The Role of Manufacturing Support Services: Insights from Tracey Johnson (Part 2)

In my conversations with clients, I’ve come across a few common challenges that many manufacturing operations face when it comes to support services. These issues can really affect how smoothly things run, so I thought it might be helpful to continue to share some of the trends I see, as the Vice President of Operations, most often.

Common Challenges We See

    Lack of Emergency Planning: One thing that often comes up is the reliance on a single person for critical support. The problem is, what happens if that person isn’t around—whether due to vacation, illness, or turnover? We help clients set up solid support plans that don’t leave them vulnerable to just one person carrying the weight.

    Reluctance to Invest in Ongoing Support: Some companies are hesitant to commit to long-term support, thinking it’s more cost-effective to pay for emergency help when something breaks down. In the long run, though, being reactive like that can actually be more expensive, especially when you factor in unplanned downtime. A more proactive approach helps avoid these surprises and ensures there’s always support when you need it.

    Misconceptions About Support: A lot of people still see support services as just a safety net for when things go wrong. But honestly, every time we step in to help, there’s a chance to gather data and find ways to improve processes. We like to encourage clients to think of support not just as problem-solving, but as an ongoing opportunity for operational improvements.

Trends in Manufacturing Support

Right now, there are a couple of major trends in manufacturing support that I’m seeing:

    Plant Floor Support: With more people retiring from the workforce and a shortage of skilled workers to replace them, there’s an increasing need for experienced plant floor support. Many companies are finding it harder to hire the talent they need, so they’re leaning more on external support to fill that gap.

    MES System Support: Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) are critical to modern operations, but they’re also pretty complex. A lot of companies don’t have the in-house resources or expertise to manage and maintain these systems effectively. We’ve been helping clients bridge that gap by providing the necessary support and expertise.

A Quick Success Story

One of the success stories that stands out for me is with a large international food manufacturer we’ve worked with for over five years. They have 26 plants across the country, and we’ve been providing level 1 support to their internal team. This has allowed their in-house staff to focus on more strategic areas of the business, rather than constantly putting out fires. On top of that, we’ve used engineering hours to create Power BI and analytics dashboards that give them better visibility into their operations and help them make data-driven decisions.

If you’re dealing with any of these challenges or just want to chat about how to improve support in your own operations, feel free to reach out. Always happy to share ideas or help troubleshoot.

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