It is clear that the overall profitability of a business is contingent on making the right decisions with regard to all of these questions. Using these less formal decision methods obviously results in sub-optimal decisions, which ultimately affect the profitability of the business. Process manufacturers having critical issues surrounding the production scheduling area of the supply chain are typically concerned with sequencing, tank capacities and fill rates. As with process manufacturers with formula management issues stemming from the variability in their raw material, many of these manufacturers are also concerned with the consistency of the various characteristics of their products. These characteristics, such as colour, flavour, and texture, tend to complicate the scheduling of production on the shop floor due to their ability to contaminate downstream processes.
Black paint can contaminate all the other coloured paints and requires intensive cleanup.
Characteristics tend to be ignored by many scheduling products, but are common requirements of most process manufacturing companies. A common sight at many process manufacturing plants is the network of holding tanks, silos, and pipes connected throughout the plant. Most SCP packages, catering to the needs of the discrete manufacturing industry, have ignored the unique planning elements of this type of vessel storage. If you consider what types of process companies need to manage these constraints, think of breweries, soft drinks, juices, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and a host of other continuous flow manufacturing plants. Tank and silo capacities are measured in volume units, as opposed to run rates.