Distribution and Manufacturing Expertise

TSI has assisted a number of manufacturing and distribution-oriented clients. Listed below are a few examples of our expertise:

• High-Fashion Distributor and Retailer – New Jersey - TSI led a strategic planning, process improvement and technology assessment project to help this private company improve its ability to become more operationally efficient and grow in a more sustainable and profitable manner. Working closely with the senior management team and across all aspects of the new product development, order management, merchandising, retail, wholesale, international, distribution and IT functions, TSI and his team have defined improved processes and functional requirements leading to the selection of a new systems. These included Retail/Point-of-Sale, Supply Chain/ Warehouse Management and Financials.
• Durable Consumer Goods Marketer, Manufacturer and Distributor – Indianapolis, IN - A privately owned manufacturer/distributor of durable consumer items and accessories had decided to review its business processes and ERP system suitability due to wide-scale dissatisfaction about their use of software and process efficiency. TSI led a team that assisted in the assessment in the client’s process efficiency including the use of people, process and technology in all major functional areas of the company. This improvement initiative was followed by assessing the feasibility and cost effectiveness of selecting a different, more cost effective enterprise system. TSI ’s team found more than $24M in tangible benefits associated with implementing its recommendations. TSI led the team to implement better processes, new ERP and data analytics that enabled achieving significantly improved business practices.
• International Fitness Manufacturer/Distributor/Retailer – Chicago, IL - TSI completed a project to define and implement standardized, efficient processes in Order Management, Supply Chain and Finance. In parallel, this organization was also implementing a large ERP system (Oracle) and needed assistance defining improved business process to improve the utilization of the system. TSI led the project comprised of consulting and client personnel on this engagement and assisted in the project planning of the Oracle 11i implementation. This project resulted in improvements in inventory utilization, warehouse management and order management processes. This client selected TSI to act in a VP-Supply Chain capacity for a 3-month period. During this time, TSI created and deployed the first Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) process that coordinated bi-weekly sales forecasts from the global sales directors and facilitated the manufacturing scheduling to reduce backorders and stock outs.
• International Power Tool Company, Chicago, IL - TSI led two projects with this organization. The first project focused on improving the Sales and Marketing processes to better serve a growing segment of the marketplace including Home Depot, Menards and other large home improvement centers. Recommendations from the first project included refining and simplifying key processes to operate more effectively between Marketing, Sales, Production and Customer Service. The second project’s objective was aimed at improving the performance of the Ordering, Billing, Cash Application and Collection processes. Many improvements were made to improve these processes and clarify the roles and responsibilities supporting the process improvements.
• Durable Healthcare Product Supplier – Lincolnshire, IL - This public company recently received FDA approval for its key product and was faced with several challenges to meet the rapidly growing demand for its products. TSI created a roadmap to move from a pure entrepreneurial culture to a commercial and customer focused one. TSI led an intensive effort to radically change core business processes and the use of technology so this organizations bottom line would grow at a more rapid pace than its top line.
• Industrial Manufacturer, Chicago, IL – TSI facilitated a rapid process improvement process to help this public company improve its New Product Development (NPD) process as well as its Sales Forecasting and CRM processes.
• Large HVAC Contractor, Chicago, IL - TSI reengineered the operations and organizations of the following functions: Accounting (including General Ledger, Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable), Purchasing, Receiving, Inventory Control, Job Costing. TSI also worked closely with the client's staff and defined the system requirements, evaluated and selected information systems to complement the reengineering effort. TSI also assisted in managing the software implementation.
• International Packaging Co., Evanston, IL Molded Fiber Division: Participated on a project to improve the Customer Service, Sales, Purchasing, Accounting, Inventory Control, Order Entry and Shipping departments. Mr. Feely's duties included defining metrics for the customer service function, evaluating the information system support, analyzing and reengineering the current business processes and organization, evaluating information systems vendors, writing detailed standard operating procedures and training personnel on the streamlined procedures.
• International Map and Book Publishing Company, Skokie, IL - TSI led a project to transform a low growth, minimally profitable and mature organization into a revitalized growth oriented profitable organization. TSI led this project, which defined its business context (i.e., the manner in which it would operate, the culture it would embrace and the level of quality and service it would provide to its customers) organization structure and detailed processes. TSI provided both high level and detailed level recommendations in all areas of this organization that resulted in a successful strategic and tactical organization redesign. TSI also trained the project team in process mapping, analysis and improvement techniques. Corporate Human Resources Management Function: TSI co-managed a project to reengineer the human resources, benefits and payroll operations, define the information system requirements and evaluate and select an integrated HRMS. TSI trained internal staff and provided “hands on” expertise in the following areas: metrics definition, process mapping, data analysis, information flow diagramming and business context definition. The project leveraged internal staff significantly in this project by performing a substantial amount of education and training with the staff. This project resulted in finding over several hundred thousands of dollars in tangible savings annually.