Quick Response Manufacturing:
A powerful tool for reducing lead times in all phases of manufacturing and office operations
Quick Response Manufacturing (QRM) is a companywide strategy to reduce lead times across your enterprise. It can bring your products to market more quickly and secure your business prospects by helping you compete in a rapidly changing manufacturing arena. It will increase profitability by reducing non–value–added time, cutting inventory and increasing return on investment.
QRM Center Introduces new Director, Dr. James Rink!
Dr. James (Jim) Rink has been appointed as the new Director of the Center for Quick Response Manufacturing, starting April 2024. He succeeds Dr. Charlene Yauch, who is retiring at the end of the spring semester.
QRM Certificate Highlight: Michael Clark
We are proud to announce that Michael Clark, Senior Mechanical Engineer at Honeywell in Kansas City, MO, has earned his Quick Response Manufacturing certificate from UW–Madison. This credential demonstrates Michael’s mastery of QRM principles, techniques, and tools, validating his expertise in leading QRM implementations to improve operational and financial performance.
Michael holds both a Master of Engineering (MEng) and a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Bioengineering from the University of Louisville. His diverse educational background and professional experience uniquely position him to leverage QRM principles in his current role and his future endeavors.
Congratulations Michael!
How QRM Principles Help Companies Achieve Agility
In recent years, the pace of change in business (and life in general) has accelerated to unprecedented levels. It is clear that success in business now and in the future will require agility.
But, just what is agility? And, what policies or techniques can be implemented to help ensure that businesses are agile? This article will describe two approaches to defining agility and then identify several ways that the principles of QRM can help your organization become more agile.
QRM – Not Another Buzzword
QRM is not just another buzzword. In fact, QRM builds on the foundations of strategies like Lean and Six Sigma. It enables your company to be more competitive in manufacturing custom-engineered products in low or varying volumes at high quality and short lead times.
QRM Center
The QRM Center is a partnership between companies, faculty and students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, dedicated to the research and implementation of lead time reduction principles.
Results
Since 1993, the QRM Center has worked with more than 300 companies to reduce lead times. For many, QRM implementation brought some impressive results.
Check results reported by QRM companies and read what industry professionals have to say about them.
Testimonial
I wanted to extend deep gratitude for our relationship with the QRM Center. This year has been challenging for many companies, Promega included.
Our custom business has increased from 25% of our corporate revenue to 45% of our corporate revenue this year. Our Net Sales Calendar Year to Date are up 213%. Our order lines are up over 300%. We have been able to handle this increased business with only two additional headcount and no impact to our lead times, except in cases where the supply chain was disrupted globally.
These accomplishments were possible, in large part, due to our QRM implementation and our relationship with the QRM Center at UW-Madison.
Thank you so much for your teachings and guidance over the last few years. We were definitely set up for success when the pandemic hit.
Kris Pearson, Director of Manufacturing & Custom Operations,
Promega Corporation
Upcoming QRM Events
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How to Design Office Cells to Reduce Lead Times
- Nov. 12, 2024 - Live Online (D426) - $345.00
Discounted fee for QRM Center members: $195.
Companies offering high-mix, low-volume or custom-engineered products spend significant time and resources in processing quotes, finalizing engineering designs, establishing bill of materials and purchasing critical components. Restructuring your operations into office cells could lead to significant improvements in long lead times, missed opportunities in quoting, delays in order processing, engineering changes, expediting and high costs. -
How to Design Shop Floor Cells to Reduce Lead Times
- Nov. 19, 2024 - Live Online (D419) - $495.00
Discounted fee for QRM Center members: $295
Addresses challenges such as product mix variations, lack of ownership on shared resources, sub-contracting issues, and challenges with lot sizing and MRP scheduling. Participants work through all aspects of creating a cell based on a real world case study.
QRM Certificate Now Available
The University of Wisconsin-Madison recently introduced a Quick Response Manufacturing (QRM) certificate designed to provide industry professionals with a formal credential from a world-class university to document their expertise in QRM principles, techniques, and tools.
This credential demonstrates your mastery of QRM knowledge so that you can lead your organization through QRM implementations, improve your company’s operational and financial performance and educate others about QRM principles. Your proficiency will be sought after, whether pursuing new career opportunities or sharing your knowledge through speeches at local events and international conferences. To learn more, jump to the QRM Certificate page.
News
QRM Center Introduces new Director, Dr. James Rink
Dr. James (Jim) Rink has been appointed as the new Director of the Center for Quick Response Manufacturing, starting April 2024. He succeeds Dr. Charlene Yauch, who is retiring at the end of the spring semester.
April 15, 2024QRM Center Founding Director Rajan Suri Publishes Timely Article on Reshoring Production
January 2022 QRM Center founding director, Rajan Suri, has published an article promoting the idea of reshoring production as a means to reduce cost and combat long lead times resulting from the global supply chain …
January 1, 2022- More News
Blog
How Quick Response Manufacturing (QRM) Principles Help Companies Achieve Agility
It is clear that success in business now and in the future will require agility. But, just what is agility? And, what policies or techniques can be implemented to help ensure that businesses are agile? This article will describe two approaches to defining agility and then identify several ways that the principles of Quick Response Manufacturing (QRM) can help your organization become more agile.
May 17, 2024Ten Things You Should Know About Quick Response Manufacturing
Quick Response Manufacturing (QRM) was invented by Rajan Suri in the 1990s. The primary goal is relentless reduction of lead time (internal process flow times). Thus, application of these concepts enables a company to compete on speed, flexibility, and agility.
December 5, 2023- More Blog Posts