Management Paper: 5 critical issues that project-based manufacturers must tackle

Project-based manufacturers produce highly complex, customized, and costly products such as the specialized, sophisticated pieces of equipment used in the automotive and high-tech industries and the heavy industry machines utilized by construction companies. Each product that is made by project-based manufacturers is unique – as it is designed and built according to the exact specifications of individual customers – and is typically manufactured in a very small quantity and over the course of a protracted production cycle.

To deliver products – of the highest quality, on time, and within budget – for customers, project-based manufacturers must be able to tackle numerous significant supply chain challenges. In this management paper, we examine the five most critical issues that project-based manufacturers face, and explain how an intelligent planning and optimization tool can empower them to overcome these challenges.