Manufacturing footprint strategy:
Making the right things in

the right places

Online course

What you will learn

Course tutors

More information

What you will learn

Course tutors

More information

COURSE OVERVIEW

Learn about an approach to developing a manufacturing footprint strategy that has delivered transformational business benefits in a range of leading companies (including Caterpillar, Electrolux, Grundfos, IKEA, LEGO, Rolls-Royce and Schneider Electric).

Through attending this course you will learn how to strategically review your global network of factories and supply partners, leading to decisions on how to reconfigure a supply network to deliver real business impacts in term of cost, customer service, resilience and sustainability.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

The course is suitable for anyone responsible for, or interested in, the strategic development of global networks of factories and supply partners, and those tasked with developing improvement initiatives, including:

 

  • Senior operations executives looking to inspire thought leadership in global manufacturing and supply chain transformation across their organisations.
  • Mid-level operations managers and executives who lead strategic change programmes in global manufacturing and supply chains.
  • Strategic analysts and internal consultants who support major strategic change programmes.
  • High-potential functional leaders and managers who are seeking to develop awareness of the important global, enterprise-level strategic challenges that the business is facing.

UPCOMING COURSES

18, 19, 25 & 26 June 2024

Register interest or suggest additional dates – be notified when new dates are announced, or tell us what would be the best date range for you

COURSE OVERVIEW

Learn about an approach to developing a manufacturing footprint strategy that has delivered transformational business benefits in a range of leading companies (including Caterpillar, Electrolux, Grundfos, IKEA, LEGO, Rolls-Royce and Schneider Electric).

Through attending this course you will learn how to strategically review your global network of factories and supply partners, leading to decisions on how to reconfigure a supply network to deliver real business impacts in term of cost, customer service, resilience and sustainability.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

The course is suitable for anyone responsible for, or interested in, the strategic development of global networks of factories and supply partners, and those tasked with developing improvement initiatives, including:

 

  • Senior operations executives looking to inspire thought leadership in global manufacturing and supply chain transformation across their organisations.
  • Mid-level operations managers and executives who lead strategic change programmes in global manufacturing and supply chains.
  • Strategic analysts and internal consultants who support major strategic change programmes.
  • High-potential functional leaders and managers who are seeking to develop awareness of the important global, enterprise-level strategic challenges that the business is facing.

UPCOMING COURSES

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN FROM THIS COURSE:

  • A unique, leading approach to help your organisation design and orchestrate strategic reconfiguration of your global manufacturing and supply footprint.
  • Case studies of manufacturing footprint transformation using this approach, which led to significant business benefits (in one case, the company delivered $50m in annual savings, as well as reinvesting in process technology differentiation and developing leading positions in growth markets).
  • Typical risks and barriers that leading companies have experienced in footprint transformation (and how these can be overcome).
  • Practical strategy frameworks for building a comprehensive and compelling footprint strategy that combine the optimum mix of qualitative and quantitative analysis.
  • Experiences and recommendations on how to develop and implement footprint strategy to align with cross-business, cross-geographic and cross-functional perspectives.
  • A unique, leading approach to help your organisation design and orchestrate strategic reconfiguration of your global manufacturing and supply footprint.
  • Case studies of manufacturing footprint transformation using this approach, which led to significant business benefits (in one case, the company delivered $50m in annual savings, as well as reinvesting in process technology differentiation and developing leading positions in growth markets).
  • Typical risks and barriers that leading companies have experienced in footprint transformation (and how these can be overcome).
  • Practical strategy frameworks for building a comprehensive and compelling footprint strategy that combine the optimum mix of qualitative and quantitative analysis.
  • Experiences and recommendations on how to develop and implement footprint strategy to align with cross-business, cross-geographic and cross-functional perspectives.

COURSE OUTLINE

Session 1 – WHY: STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT
Using roadmapping tools to align footprint strategy with business and technology trends.

Session 2 – WHAT: MAKE-OR-BUY
Using make-or-buy tools to develop manufacturing core competence and supply strategies.

Session 3 – WHERE: GLOBAL NETWORK DESIGN
Formulating network design rules, developing and evaluating future footprint scenarios.

Session 4 – HOW: STRATEGY INTO ACTION
Designing the transition storyboard and developing capabilities in ‘manufacturing mobility’.

Session 1 – WHY: STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT
Using roadmapping tools to align footprint strategy with business and technology trends.

Session 2 – WHAT: MAKE-OR-BUY
Using make-or-buy tools to develop manufacturing core competence and supply strategies.

Session 3 – WHERE: GLOBAL NETWORK DESIGN
Formulating network design rules, developing and evaluating future footprint scenarios.

Session 4 – HOW: STRATEGY INTO ACTION
Designing the transition storyboard and developing capabilities in ‘manufacturing mobility’.

TESTIMONIALS

“I left the course with a great understanding of the tools which I have since applied in my role, helping to make important strategic decisions regarding long-term footprint reconfiguration. The course enabled me to make clear recommendations to senior stakeholders with confidence, knowing that they would lead to benefits in terms of ambitious growth and delivery of global synergies in cost and innovation.”
Global Advanced Technology Manager, Electrical Equipment

“The training course was excellent. Despite our senior leadership team being based in locations throughout the world we were able to get together in a virtual environment, take inspiration from the research and tutors, and work and learn together to see how the approaches could work for our organisation. The IfM frameworks are now an important part of creating and refreshing our footprint strategy which shows how effective this course was.”
Global Manufacturing Manager, Energy Products

“I left the course with a great understanding of the tools which I have since applied in my role, helping to make important strategic decisions regarding long-term footprint reconfiguration. The course enabled me to make clear recommendations to senior stakeholders with confidence, knowing that they would lead to benefits in terms of ambitious growth and delivery of global synergies in cost and innovation.”
Global Advanced Technology Manager, Electrical Equipment

“The training course was excellent. Despite our senior leadership team being based in locations throughout the world we were able to get together in a virtual environment, take inspiration from the research and tutors, and work and learn together to see how the approaches could work for our organisation. The IfM frameworks are now an important part of creating and refreshing our footprint strategy which shows how effective this course was.”
Global Manufacturing Manager, Energy Products

REPORT – MAKING THE RIGHT THINGS IN THE RIGHT PLACES

The potential benefits from manufacturing footprint strategy are huge.

Top consultants quote potential landed-cost savings of up to 45 per cent for some industries. Reducing corporate risk and gaining access to emerging markets and the best resources are equally important in securing global leverage and competitive advantage. The companies that get this right may gain leadership positions for a generation or more. Those that get it wrong are likely to fade from view or be swallowed up in ongoing consolidation.

This report describes a structured approach to understanding and exploiting a company’s international manufacturing footprint – the location of its plants around the globe, what their roles should be and how they interact with each other. 

The potential benefits from manufacturing footprint strategy are huge.

Top consultants quote potential landed-cost savings of up to 45 per cent for some industries. Reducing corporate risk and gaining access to emerging markets and the best resources are equally important in securing global leverage and competitive advantage. The companies that get this right may gain leadership positions for a generation or more. Those that get it wrong are likely to fade from view or be swallowed up in ongoing consolidation.

This report describes a structured approach to understanding and exploiting a company’s international manufacturing footprint – the location of its plants around the globe, what their roles should be and how they interact with each other.

DEVELOPING A MANUFACTURING FOOTPRINT STRATEGY

In this video, Paul Christodoulou, Industrial Associate with IfM Engage discusses the IfM process for ‘Manufacturing Footprint Strategy’.

Paul describes the decision on how to deploy multiple networks of industrial plants around the world as ‘amazingly complex’, but simplifies the challenge as being about ‘making the right things in the right places’.

COURSE TUTORS

Jagjit Singh Srai

Director of Research and Head of Centre for International Manufacturing

Kam Gossal

Industrial Associate, IfM Engage

MORE INFORMATION

Manufacturing footprint strategy

Bespoke programmes

University of Cambridge endorsement

Booking confirmation and cancellation policy

Manufacturing footprint strategy

Bespoke programmes

University of Cambridge endorsement

Booking confirmation and cancellation policy