A focused Factory is focused on a narrow product mix that is designed for a certain market niche. It was introduced in the year 1974 Harvard Business Review that was authored by Wickham Skinner. It was a response to what the press referred to as the ‘productivity crises’. Skinner conducted a study in around 50 companies and realized that the problem was productivity. He also found out that the ability to compete was a problem as well.It outperforms the conventional factory that focuses on too many conflicting tasks of production. Focused Factory gives the opportunity to strengthen the competitive strength as well as the ability to stop compromising each element of the production system. The problem should not be “How can you increase the rate of production?” but “How can you be competitive?” In this article you will get to focus on why you would go for a focused factory.

Characteristics

1. Narrow Range of Products

Focused factory involves decrease in complexity in the manufacturing process. A focused manufacturing facility will produce a particular product or a narrow range of products with technology that is restricted to those items. Narrowing the range of products being produced makes the company more effective in product delivery.

2. Specific Market Niche

The factory is designed for a specific group of customers in the market. Do you know your customers?In this factory, you will need to identify your target customers first. Then after that, you produce products that are preferred by your customers.

3. Simplicity

A focused manufacturing facility tends to be smaller and simpler than that of its competitor that builds a range of products with different types of technology. Consequently, it helps the plant in a focused factory to avoid conflicts in job duties, managers with competing interests and inconsistent policies. If you love simplicity and order, then this is the best factory to invest in.

4. Quality Levels

A common set of approaches and attitude is employed in these factories. It is done mostly so as to neither over control nor over specify specifications and quality. One set of mental assumptions meet the needs of training, inspection, supervision, material handling, job content, equipment, and tooling.

5. Manufacturing Tools

The factories are only limited to only one manufacturing tool at a given time. In order for the plant to be termed successful it must excel in one consistent and non compromised criterion. These standards show that quality is key in these factories. These standards assure you of the quality of the product being produced.

Advantages

Focusing on a particular product mix and for a certain market niche makes it outperform the conventional factory that has its efforts on a broader mission. Its equipment, procedures and supporting systems will focus on a limited task and just a set of consumers. Its costs and overhead are likely to be lower than the ones that are in the conventional factory. Repetition, simplicity, homogeneity and experience of task raise competence.

One way a factory can effectively compete is through focusing the entire manufacturing system to limited task. The task should be defined precisely in your factory’s strategy and its economic and technological limitations. Therefore, there will be production of quality products from the factory.

The factory is designed for you. It is relatively cheaper than the conventional factory. The products are cost effective in terms of the quality and speed.

Focused Factories in Service Industries

The concept of focused factory is not limited to manufacturing only but also it can be applied to service environments such as in a health care industry. When we say a healthcare is focused it means that the staff, management and equipment are all dedicated to one type of disease. An example of a focused hospital is the Shouldice Hernia Centre in Toronto which focuses on Abdominal Hernia operations. Focused Factories are also coming up in long-term acute care, rehabilitation, cancer, orthopedic and AIDS facilities.

Limitation

Although focusing on one product is effective in terms of quality of product and cost, it also limits the potential of the factory to expand to other markets. If the customers demand for additional products, the factory will have difficulty in meeting the demand. Focused Factories will also not be able to produce customized products for high-profile customers.

Focused factories have fewer products that are more standardized. You will find out that focused factories have a better flow and fewer variations in deliveries made to customers. The features described earlier calls for a combination of fewer support staff. Focused factories are more superior to conventional factories in terms of production of products that are of high quality, speed, dependability and favorable cost. They are also superior in terms of returns, growth and profitability. It’s time your company becomes focused and the end product will be just amazing.