Taylor Power Systems located in Clinton, MS, shared their struggles with the supply chain and their inability to obtain needed parts as a part of the ongoing best practices networking coordinated by the Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems-Extension. During a plant tour, Taylor highlighted recent dashboard implementations, and how the company uses it to improve quality, and demonstrated how they use "kitting" to ensure that assemblers have the right parts at the right time to complete the production processes. Sandy Crist, Executive Director of the Mississippi Manufacturers Association-Manufacturing Extension Partnership, shared information with the group about the CONNEX™ online supplier capabilities database and MMA-MEP's plan for Mississippi to join the national network to help grow the state's manufacturing industry. The CONNEX™ platform will launch in June 2023. All Mississippi manufacturers will be able to utilize this platform to search and find qualified regional suppliers by certifications, equipment, services, location, materials, and more. They will also be able to find new business opportunities by posting and responding to RFIs, RFQs, RFPs, and other unique needs posted by other manufacturers.
Through these ongoing best practices events, companies are able to network and share their company's best practices through site visits at a manufacturer's facility. Milwaukee Tool, Viking Range, and Raytheon have hosted previous benchmarking meetings at their facilities to share their practices with other manufacturers.
For more information about the CAVSE Best Practices event, contact Billy Peacock at bpeacock@cavse.msstate.edu, or at 601.407.2767, or visit the CAVS-E website at cavse.msstate.edu
