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Valin’s Inventory Management Services: Providing Peace of Mind
Submitted by Rich Wilbur || Valin Corporation
In the process control and automation industry, avoiding unnecessary downtime is critical. An essential part of the equation to keep operations running as efficiently and smoothly as possible is having a good handle on the inventory required. From valves and gauges to sensors and filters, there is a multitude of different parts and pieces of equipment associated with an industrial environment. Often numbering in the thousands, every part has its own history and requirements. When a part needs to be replaced, someone at the location not only needs to know this, but also be assured that a replacement part is on hand and easy to locate.
Due to the headaches of trying to keep track of these parts, facility managers and maintenance personnel are continuously looking for a better solution. Not only does tracking the inventory require a significant amount of attention to detail, but also requires a fair amount of time on a daily basis to make sure nothing slips through the proverbial cracks. One mistake can lead to additional hours of costly downtime.
What needs to be ordered? When does it need to arrive? Where do I order it from?
These are just some of the thoughts running through the heads of maintenance personnel during a day’s work. The catch is that these thoughts can be taken care of and peace of mind provided with Valin’s Inventory Management Services.
Available for support 24/7, our dedicated support team will monitor inventory levels and take care of the entire management system. Able to integrate with Vidmar, Bin, Knack Box, and Connex, our team sets and continually updates a replenishment schedule based on the needs of the individual customer. Our customers are assigned a point person who is on site on a weekly basis, taking care of monitoring as well as purchasing so those in charge of performing actual work at the facility do not need to be bothered.
Adding to the simplicity benefit, utilizing an inventory management program like Valin’s greatly consolidates a user’s supplier base. This consolidation can ultimately lead to a reduction in both transactional costs and associated labor.
Accurately assessing and determining whether key performance indicators (KPIs) are met is another key benefit of the Inventory Management Services that Valin offers. Once on site, the Valin point person will strategize the best way to set up the various service areas around the location. By executing this segmenting exercise, our team is able to isolate costs. Specifically, if one department is only supposed to be spending “X” dollars on equipment or supplies, Valin’s program will shine light on the where the issue lies. Scheduled progress reports communicate inconsistencies and whether inventory reduction targets are being adequately met. Additionally, audits are scheduled regularly.
Once the storage areas are determined, Valin’s point person will facilitate proper shelving in these areas so parts and equipment are clearly labeled and easy-to-find. The sooner staff can locate what they need to perform a certain task, the sooner the task can be completed.
Valin’s Inventory Management Program was developed to be easily customized in order to meet your specific inventory management needs. Customers can choose how they want their program managed based on their current needs and technology capabilities. These programs can take the following forms:
Valin’s Inventory Management Program can also be adjusted based on a specific customer’s forecasting and demand. Valin can recommend or adhere to a number of different models: Keep fill, Order Quantity, Min/Max, Consignment Inventory Management, Cycle Counting or Bin Counting. There is also flexibility in terms of the method used.
Through the Managed Inventory Program, customers have access to several of Valin’s services:
By taking advantage of Valin’s program, customers can be confident that their inventory management function is fully optimized. They can rest assured that the right parts will be in the right place right when they need them, while keeping the peace of mind that their transactional costs are being lowered and the KPI’s are being adequately analyzed.
Contact our Refining Knowledge Center at (855) 797-6388, or email us at refining@valin.com to learn more.
Due to the headaches of trying to keep track of these parts, facility managers and maintenance personnel are continuously looking for a better solution. Not only does tracking the inventory require a significant amount of attention to detail, but also requires a fair amount of time on a daily basis to make sure nothing slips through the proverbial cracks. One mistake can lead to additional hours of costly downtime.
What needs to be ordered? When does it need to arrive? Where do I order it from?
These are just some of the thoughts running through the heads of maintenance personnel during a day’s work. The catch is that these thoughts can be taken care of and peace of mind provided with Valin’s Inventory Management Services.
Available for support 24/7, our dedicated support team will monitor inventory levels and take care of the entire management system. Able to integrate with Vidmar, Bin, Knack Box, and Connex, our team sets and continually updates a replenishment schedule based on the needs of the individual customer. Our customers are assigned a point person who is on site on a weekly basis, taking care of monitoring as well as purchasing so those in charge of performing actual work at the facility do not need to be bothered.
Accurately assessing and determining whether key performance indicators (KPIs) are met is another key benefit of the Inventory Management Services that Valin offers. Once on site, the Valin point person will strategize the best way to set up the various service areas around the location. By executing this segmenting exercise, our team is able to isolate costs. Specifically, if one department is only supposed to be spending “X” dollars on equipment or supplies, Valin’s program will shine light on the where the issue lies. Scheduled progress reports communicate inconsistencies and whether inventory reduction targets are being adequately met. Additionally, audits are scheduled regularly.
Once the storage areas are determined, Valin’s point person will facilitate proper shelving in these areas so parts and equipment are clearly labeled and easy-to-find. The sooner staff can locate what they need to perform a certain task, the sooner the task can be completed.
Valin’s Inventory Management Program was developed to be easily customized in order to meet your specific inventory management needs. Customers can choose how they want their program managed based on their current needs and technology capabilities. These programs can take the following forms:
- Vendor On site
- Replenishment Upon Visit
- Full Access to Inventory System
- Barcode, Images and Spreadsheets
- Vendor Leased Warehouse Space
Valin’s Inventory Management Program can also be adjusted based on a specific customer’s forecasting and demand. Valin can recommend or adhere to a number of different models: Keep fill, Order Quantity, Min/Max, Consignment Inventory Management, Cycle Counting or Bin Counting. There is also flexibility in terms of the method used.
The Periodic Method
Valin can use the “Periodic” method where a Valin employee is on site, manually counts customer storeroom inventory, fills out the replenishment purchase order and submits it to customer service to enter into Valin’s ERP system. Next, the product is delivered, and the Valin employee restocks the customer’s storeroom.The Perpetual Method
Another option is the “Perpetual” method. With this option, the customer will send the purchase through its procurement system. The Valin employee will then log into the customer system and manually enter the PO into Valin’s ERP system. As in the “Periodic” method described above, once the product is delivered, the Valin employee will restock the customer storeroom.The Barcode Method
The next option is the “Barcode” method where an onsite Valin employee manually reviews the customer storeroom inventory, scans the barcodes of the items that need replacement and then sends the PO directly to Valin’s ERP system. Then, again, the Valin employee restocks the customer storeroom once the product is delivered.The Automated Method
Finally, by using the “Automated” method, the customer storeroom utilizes RFID, scales, infrared or vending technology to automatically sense when a product needs to be replenished. As in the other methods, a Valin employee will restock the product in the customer storeroom.Through the Managed Inventory Program, customers have access to several of Valin’s services:
- Storeroom Consulting and Organization
- Employee Delivery and Bin Stocking
- 24/7 Support
- Product Technical Support and Repair
- Cost Savings Reports
- Usage History and Spend Assessment
- Inventory Rationalization
- Established MIN/MAX Replenishment
- Warranty Period Tracking
By taking advantage of Valin’s program, customers can be confident that their inventory management function is fully optimized. They can rest assured that the right parts will be in the right place right when they need them, while keeping the peace of mind that their transactional costs are being lowered and the KPI’s are being adequately analyzed.
Contact our Refining Knowledge Center at (855) 797-6388, or email us at refining@valin.com to learn more.
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