September 2013 – d O N Y – Learning & Living

Now working on the front lines of a busy bakery has its ups and downs. Within limited time frames, space and other demanding priorities on my schedule, I have had to develop some slim line strategies which ensure a smooth operating stock freezer.

Now the previous problem was haphazard ordering and storing which lead to laborious stock intake and redundant ordering. The issues leading to this were primarily from improper planning and lack of attention. Erroneously, last minute ordering and stock management would prove time saving from a tactical perspective, however, it most likely leads to operational drawbacks, sooner if not later, down the line.

Now to address the underlying issues and reverse the persisting trend, I happened upon some systems – building capacity, staggered ordering, as well as the all famous JIT (Just in Time).

Now all three go almost hand in hand. The all encompassing paradigm is of course JIT where only what’s required should be at hand at any time.

Lean ordering – an illustration

This would be ok in a situation where next day preparation with stock isn’t required. Also it is prone to emergencies. Any delay in delivery or missing items would affect the daily processes to varying degrees.

So to allay that, I came upon extensions which would ensure that contingency supplies would exist without compromising the leanness of the JIT ideology. So the most ideal way to address this was with staggered ordering, whereby ordering would be split up between days to ensure a consistent but lean supply inwards. This also required long term planning. That is exactly what building capacity entails. To ensure a constant supply of required stock whilst keeping a lean ordering system, would require slowly amassing the required items.

Linear model of stock ordering

Staggered model of stock ordering

The outcome is lean stock ordering and intake which translates to easier reception and storage as well a reduction in the cost of goods inwards. And a reduction in expenses is almost always a welcome sign.

This is a simple discussion on the basics of keeping a well maintained stock room. Its applications will certainly vary with industry and type of products. In my case – frozen items – required a quicker sorting and storing than say non-perishable items might. However, the basic principles are sound and ensures a properly functioning and low taxing stock or supply room.