Production
Manufacturing Footprint
Creating efficient production networks
Great demands are placed on modern production networks: They should ensure delivery capability, be able to adapt flexibly to external influences, keep their inherent complexity in check and at the same time offer the opportunity to really take advantage of labor cost benefits.
To ensure that they can meet these requirements and remain effective and efficient, they must be intelligently organized and continuously adapted. This is because politics, suppliers, competitors and customers are constantly influencing the network. With a manufacturing footprint, we work with you to develop the optimum structure for your production network.
Performance and risk assessment
Evaluate the status quo transparently
A successful manufacturing footprint can only be created if the production network is constantly scrutinized and adapted. Are the locations efficient and correctly aligned? What risks jeopardize efficiency and flexibility? How can the production network be optimized and how can risks be minimized?
We put your production network through its paces and compare it with best practices in your industry. This enables us to identify where there are opportunities for optimization, where weaknesses can be found and where risks exist. Together with you, we identify which adjustments are necessary.
Service packages
- Transparently analyze the performance of the production network
- Assessing risks in the network
- Compare with industry-specific best practices
- Develop fields of action
Your benefit:
- Your performance is comprehensively assessed in a 360° panoramic view
- Unrecognized risks and vulnerabilities are uncovered
- Your production network is optimized
Philipp Kappus
Production Manager
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Would you like to optimize your manufacturing footprint? We can help you! Please send me a message. I will get back to you as soon as possible.
Product and technology allocation
The power of a clear location focus
Adapt optimally to your sales market and your environment: If you are clearly aligned with products, value creation steps and technologies, you can operate your production sites efficiently and in line with the market. However, you must be aware that new business models, growth and external influences require a continuous adjustment of product and technology allocation.
Regardless of whether you want to optimize manufacturing costs, improve time-to-market or create growth opportunities: We work with you to develop and evaluate various strategic options for your production network. The options can range from slight adjustments to changing conditions to a complete, visionary reorganization. In all cases, however, our guidelines for your success are clear: profitability, flexibility and feasibility. On request, we will be happy to assist you in configuring, planning and subsequently implementing the agreed measures.
Service packages
- Develop a strategic target image
- Configure manufacturing footprint variants
- Perform business case and sensitivity analysis
- Derive a recommendation for action
- Create a step-by-step plan for implementing the Footprint
Your benefit:
- Actionable plan to improve the footprint (efficiency, costs, delivery time, market proximity, etc.)
- Clear mission statement for each location
- Reliable investment program for medium-term financial planning
- Sound basis for an informed decision
Location search and nearshoring
Making smart location decisions
There are many reasons why companies choose a new production location. For example, the turbulence of recent years has inspired some companies to significantly shorten their supply chains and pursue a local-for-local approach. Others simply want to optimize cost structures or start from scratch on a greenfield site. However, it is by no means easy to decide on a specific location, as this selection is an extremely complex undertaking in existing production networks.
We help you to create the ideal conditions under which you can efficiently deliver your services while being integrated into secure and flexible supply chains. To achieve this, we organize a decision-making process based on thorough research and verified information so that you have a good foundation on which to make the choice of the optimal location. Our recipe for success is based on extensive experience, reliable key figures and meaningful utility value analyses, and involves tried and tested local partners. With us, you will make the right decision!
Service packages
- Search for a suitable location with the Rothbaum regional database
- Evaluate possible locations according to qualitative-monetary criteria
- Plan and initiate implementation project
- Network with implementation partners (e.g. for land and property)
Your benefit:
- Benefit from our local partner network
- Efficient site search at regional level
- Location selection tailored to your company situation
- Optimal expansion for your manufacturing footprint
Mergers & Acquisitions
More than the sum of its parts
Redundant capacities, duplicate functions, parallel structures: when two companies are merged, not everything always goes smoothly. That is why it is important to accompany mergers and acquisitions with a clear integration strategy and precisely planned implementation steps. We support you in all phases of mergers & acquisitions in the development of the new production network. This begins with the early formulation of the target image for the manufacturing footprint in due diligence; we then work with you to derive the various implementation stages and finally develop the comprehensive implementation plan for post-merger integration.
You receive transparent and well-founded assessments of the proposed measures for each step. In this way, you can make the right decisions at any time and make a well-founded assessment of the profitability of the transaction. On request, we will also be happy to assist you with the configuration, planning and implementation of the agreed measures after the closing.
Service packages
- Carry out due diligence of the manufacturing footprint
- Develop strategic target image for consolidated footprint
- Identify and evaluate synergy potentials
- Create a comprehensive integration plan
Your benefit:
- Information basis for a tailor-made takeover offer
- Strategic fit: How well do the companies fit together operationally?
- Clear instructions for the post-merger phase
Make or Buy
Optimize your vertical integration
It can be worthwhile and sensible for you as a company to manufacture certain intermediate products, components and products that you need for your production yourself. In many cases, however, there are also valid arguments for purchasing these preliminary products ready-made. Whether you decide to outsource or manufacture in-house depends on the individual requirements as well as the options available for purchasing. It is therefore necessary to decide in each individual case which is the optimum vertical range of manufacture for your company – economically, technologically and organizationally?
With a make-or-buy analysis, we support you in selecting the optimum vertical integration for your production network. To do this, we not only compare the pure costs, but also analyze and evaluate the further-reaching effects that a decision in one direction or the other would have. Do you have the know-how to manufacture to the required quality? Does in-house production give you greater flexibility, or does outsourcing allow you to focus on what you urgently need? Determining the optimum vertical range of manufacture enables you to focus on your core competencies and, where it makes sense, to make targeted use of the advantages of external procurement.
Service packages
- Create a production concept for in-house production
- Calculate optimum manufacturing costs
- Analyzing the supplier market
- Assessing challenges, opportunities and risks
- Determine the most economical solution in the business case
Your benefit:
- Concentration on the scope of value creation that is critical to success
- Exploiting savings potential
- Greater flexibility
Operating Model
Make your production network successful
How must the processes in a production network be organized in order to fully exploit the potential of a manufacturing footprint? An operating model can be used to describe how manufacturing strategies, production planning and global logistics concepts are implemented operationally. However, developing cross-location processes and control mechanisms is no small task. With our consultants’ wealth of experience across different industries, we can help you evaluate and strategically reorganize your existing processes.
We are then happy to help you establish the resulting operating model at your locations. With the comprehensive operations expertise of our consulting firm, we always keep an eye on both the big picture and the details. So you can be sure that your manufacturing footprint will achieve the promised results.
Service packages
- Evaluate current planning and control processes
- Establish cross-location planning and control processes
- Developing a company-wide logistics concept
Your benefit:
- Alignment of the modus operandi with customer requirements
- Increased efficiency through standardization of processes and structures
- Adaptation of processes to dynamic environmental conditions
Organizational development
Form follows function
Center of excellence, matrix organization, profit center: There are many different forms of collaboration in the modern working world. Within a production network, the distribution of tasks and the manufacturing footprint determine the specific capabilities of each location. This should be taken into account in the planning process when determining and defining the forms of overarching collaboration.
We advise you on which functions and operational services should be anchored and defined where in your production network. Our experienced consultants define clear roles, responsibilities and interfaces. The aim is to avoid costly duplication of functions and inefficient structures – this saves personnel and therefore a lot of money.
Service packages
- Set up interface matrix and clarify real responsibilities
- Define future organizational structure
- Develop a roadmap for implementing the organizational structure
Your benefit:
- Uncovering inefficiencies, unclear responsibilities and duplicate functions
- Place organizational units at the right location
- Reduce your personnel costs
- Creating a clear vision for the future of your organization
What is meant by the manufacturing footprint?
The manufacturing footprint (or production footprint) describes the optimal design of a production and logistics network. It is based on the company’s objectives. The specific projects can be very diverse:
- Supporting a growth strategy
- Reduce supply chain costs
- Shorten delivery times
- Bypassing trade barriers
- withstand market fluctuations and much more.
Global network planning is a very complex task that depends on various influencing factors. Various issues need to be managed and balanced at the same time. Different costs, market developments, changing processes and strategies in terms of production and logistics must be taken into account.
The implementation of a successful manufacturing footprint requires, among other things, country-specific knowledge, long-term planning and the ability to reconcile diverse framework conditions and interests.
In addition, most companies only occasionally focus on optimal network planning. As a result, employees generally only have a limited amount of experience to fall back on. This also makes network optimization a very complex task.
