Produktionsutveckling för konkurrenskraft : Utformning av produktionssystemet utifrån förändrad kravbild

Sammanfattning: Depending on the degree of integration of the manufacturing function in the company’s strategy or goals, the manufacturing system can assume a variety of different roles. In the present day, with the high level of competitiveness, it is necessary to understand how the manufacturing system shall be designed and deployed to enable and sustain a competitive manufacturing. The study has been performed at the company ITAB Shop Products AB (Itab), located in the city of Jönköping. Itab is a manufacturer of checkout counters, self-checkout solutions (SCO) and other smaller shop furnishings such as shelves. A decision to let the factory in Jönköping stop the manufacturing of the smaller shop furnishings, but rather to focus at the checkout counters and SCO’s, have recently been taken at the corporate level. This decision has been made in light of a prognosticated increase of demand in this segment. The goal of Itab is to become the world leading manufacturer of SCO’s. Itab finds that the present manufacturing system is not suitable to fulfil the requirements that the increase of demand, the narrowing of the product base and the company goal sets. Suggestions regarding the design of the manufacturing system is therefore requested. The study examines how the requirements of the market affects the manufacturing system, and what changes that could be necessary or beneficial to fulfil the requirements. The aim of the study is to contribute to a competitive manufacturing ability with respect to the change of demand and the narrowing of the product base. With a standpoint in a theoretical framework and a description of the present situation, the authors of this study produce a depiction of requirements and proposals regarding what strategic decisions to take concerning the manufacturing system. The depiction of requirements is described out of order winners and order qualifiers, the nature and characteristics of the products and the volume of demand. The proposals are produced within the strategic decision categories: manufacturing process, capacity, vertical integration, facility, control system, quality management system as well as organisation and workforce. Lastly, discussion and conclusions are made regarding the study’s implications in society, the reliability and validity of the study, the applicability of the theoretical framework, further recommendations as well as further work and research.