Copper Kettle Catering
Copper Kettle Catering Case
1. The operations of Copper Kettle Catering’s delivery-only category is conductive to the application of lean concepts and practices because the Williams’ can efficiently manage the deliver-only process by minimizing excess inventory, unnecessary activities, movement and material handling. These factors will help to enhance service quality, flexibility, reliability and improve customer satisfaction. If Copper Kettle Catering has the resources to purchase automated machines to prepare food items, and box the lunches, they could have 1 food preparation employee working the machines, and 2 cooks. By replacing 7 food preparation workers with mechanical machinery, Copper Kettle Catering will drastically lower annual labor costs, decrease inventory, and therefore save a substantial amount of money. This implementation will also increase profits and market-share in the long-run. Since the overall demand for delivery-only is fairly constant throughout the year, Copper Kettle Catering can absorb any schedule changes because there will be more inventory/ capacity slack due to a lean system. The company can also manage and make their supply chain more efficient by collaborating with reliable suppliers, which will translate to better quality and more future customers.
2. The major barrier to implementing a lean system at Copper Kettle Catering is it requires a significant change in the company’s attitude. A lean system focuses on productivity and efficiency by eliminating waste and unnecessary delays. Workers will need to take on additional activity responsibilities. For example, scheduling, expediting, and improving productivity may become responsibilities of lower-level employees if the system is implemented. In addition, implementing the system initially involves a large investment to achieve a level of standardized processing. Incorporating automated machinery into the process may be problematic too. For example, an out of order
1. The operations of Copper Kettle Catering’s delivery-only category is conductive to the application of lean concepts and practices because the Williams’ can efficiently manage the deliver-only process by minimizing excess inventory, unnecessary activities, movement and material handling. These factors will help to enhance service quality, flexibility, reliability and improve customer satisfaction. If Copper Kettle Catering has the resources to purchase automated machines to prepare food items, and box the lunches, they could have 1 food preparation employee working the machines, and 2 cooks. By replacing 7 food preparation workers with mechanical machinery, Copper Kettle Catering will drastically lower annual labor costs, decrease inventory, and therefore save a substantial amount of money. This implementation will also increase profits and market-share in the long-run. Since the overall demand for delivery-only is fairly constant throughout the year, Copper Kettle Catering can absorb any schedule changes because there will be more inventory/ capacity slack due to a lean system. The company can also manage and make their supply chain more efficient by collaborating with reliable suppliers, which will translate to better quality and more future customers.
2. The major barrier to implementing a lean system at Copper Kettle Catering is it requires a significant change in the company’s attitude. A lean system focuses on productivity and efficiency by eliminating waste and unnecessary delays. Workers will need to take on additional activity responsibilities. For example, scheduling, expediting, and improving productivity may become responsibilities of lower-level employees if the system is implemented. In addition, implementing the system initially involves a large investment to achieve a level of standardized processing. Incorporating automated machinery into the process may be problematic too. For example, an out of order