What happens in the plant
- Stockouts stop production when shortages are seen too late
- Excess stock hides planning and sequencing issues
- Manual checks delay response to critical material risk
- Material status is not tied to current production priorities
- Expediting work replaces planned flow control
Why it matters
Material uncertainty creates repeated schedule disruption, manual expediting, and avoidable line stoppage. Teams spend capacity reacting to shortages instead of protecting flow with proactive sequencing and replenishment decisions.
What teams need to see
Teams need visibility of stock status, critical shortages, excess conditions, replenishment ownership, and production impact by line and shift.
Decisions this problem affects
- Which shortage will constrain current production first?
- Which critical material needs immediate replenishment action?
- Which excess stock indicates a planning mismatch?
- Which line should be re-sequenced to protect throughput?
- Which material issue should be escalated before handover?