Before:

After:

Below is a brief history of recent past and current projects I and my group have been and /or are working on. As a point of reference, my core group consists of myself whose primary expertise is Operations, an engineer whose primary expertise is Space Analysis and Materials Handling Equipment, and an IT consultant whose primary expertise is networking communications, systems integration, etc.

My Engineer has spent the past 23 years working for various consulting groups, among them Sigman/Kaiden Consulting which was a 45 year old New York based consulting group that specialized in physical distribution and materials handling. His experience has taken him to industries that include publishing, military logistics, cosmetics, giftware, pharmaceuticals, consumer electronics, etc

My IT associate has spent 20 years as IT Project Leader in various industries implementing and integrating ERP, MRP, and E-Commerce systems. His experiences for the last 8 years have been mostly in the gift and apparel industry, where he has implemented cradle to grave technology overhauls. Some of his past experience includes stints with Norel Systems as a Systems Engineer and Integrator, Naco Data Systems as a Systems design and Implementation Engineer, Lifetime Hoan Corp as a Project Leader, Lollytogs Children’s Uniforms as a Project leader, just to name a few.

My personal experiences for the past 25 years have had me directing manufacturing and distribution operations, both in house and outsourced, for various organizations. I have spent time working either as an in-house director or as a consultant in the jewelry, timepiece, giftware, food, and consumer electronics industries. 

Unlike other groups that deal in generic “theoretical consulting” and write reports telling clients what they should be doing, I am a very hands-on goal and results oriented operator who enjoys working in an environment where I or my group act as the clients de-facto management team until we are able to walk away and leave it running effectively under the control of the client’s internal team.
I have also been a guest speaker at a User’s Symposium for TECSYS Systems in northern Montreal and did a presentation on systems upgrades and the maximization of efficiency by implementing a combination of technology and proper processes and procedures.

We are also members of and affiliated with the RFIDBA (RFID Business Association), which is an organization catering to the education and implementation of RFID technology to all types of businesses as that technology becomes more mainstream and required.

Some recent project history:

Home Décor/Giftware import and distribution operation.
I was called in to do a study of their internal systems/operations and am working with them to determine the pros & cons of whether to stay with their current systems or transition to a new system.
This project is still in its infancy and I cannot yet say where it will go or if it will happen.
References: Upon Request

NYC based manufacturer and distributor of Wall Art/Home Décor.
In the need to compete with overseas imports, they originally brought me in to streamline their manufacturing processes, help them define their future needs/goals, implement a new ERP/MRP system (Navision), and set up a remote storage facility for them to use as a raw materials replenishment center to draw from. This project is currently at the stage where I have reduced their multiple shifts and combined them into 1 shift, leading to a reduced overhead and increased productivity. I also helped them select a Director of Operations and will be slowly reshaping their entire operations management structure.
We are now also discussing the possibility of expanding the scope of the project to include preparing a plan to move the entire manufacturing operation to their New Jersey storage facility.
References: Upon Request

A major internet/mail order based electronics vendor doing approximately $100M in sales.
My project with this organization involves re-organizing their internal structure, reducing overhead, and selecting a software solution capable of changing their current situation of operating on multiple systems, 1 for their web interfaces and 1 for their ERP/Distribution needs, to a fully integrated Web/ERP/WMS system capable of handling their current needs and their projected growth.
I am also actively involved in most major decisions being made by the company as their de-facto Chief of Operations.
References: Upon Request

A $250M-$300M meat packing/distributing operation with 3 facilities around the country.
My group completed a thorough site assessment of their New York distribution center and submitted a proposal to install a completely new LAN to replace the aging, dysfunctional technology currently in place. We also selected and installed a new RF scanning system in their New York distribution center to replace their old system.
As part of my project I interviewed approximately 10 key software vendors specializing in the fresh food industry to select one that would be able to replace their current company-wide system which is incapable of handling their current needs, let alone their projected sustained growth. I brought the company to a point where they unanimously agreed on 2 vendors that made the final cut.
While this project is currently on hold due to un-related internal issues, the ultimate goal here once it resumes, will be to link all 3 of their remote locations and their truck fleet to their main office with a completely integrated system including GPS, CRM, TMS, WMS, ERP, & MRP.
References: Upon Request

A major consumer electronics / scuba gear retailer selling direct to consumer via retail outlet, mail order, and internet sales.
They were located in approximately 40K sq. ft scattered over a few locations. My group helped them define the final layout for their new facility which is a single level distribution center. We are currently working with them to either define the needs for an internally written WMS, or to select and implement a canned WMS solution integrated with automated conveyor systems to increase their throughput while reducing their overhead.
We are also working with them to analyze product positioning and forward pick parameters to help them maximize their picking efficiency.
The last phase of the project will employ automation to tie everything together seamlessly
References: Upon Request

One of the largest importers and distributors of Christmas ornaments in the United States.
The company was, as early as 2 years prior to my being brought in, working without e-mails and on a green screen system with dumb terminals. Their warehouse was, up until that time, a manually run distribution center operating in a paper environment.
An IT consultant was brought in to take them off of a “dumb terminal” DOS system and set them up on a PC based network with redundant servers in their corporate offices and in their remote distribution center.
I was called in to jumpstart a failing/failed implementation of their recently purchased WMS, set proper internal operating guidelines, setting the business rules, and establishing the controls that would ultimately lead the company to begin to realize their ROI on a sizeable investment in hardware and software.
Their distribution center is currently running on a WMS which is fully integrated with their ERP system and my efforts have put the company in a position where it is enjoying significant reductions in their office and distribution payroll, with increases in productivity brought about by the implementation of controls, the streamlining of procedures, and vastly improved data integrity. Part of my project was the implementation of an automated shipping process linked to “smart conveyor” which has already and will continue to add greatly to their payroll reductions in the coming years while allowing for dramatic increases in throughput should the business enjoy growth.
I have only recently disengaged myself from active involvement with this client and am “on-call” with them, should they need assistance.
References: Upon Request

Home Décor / Giftware import and distribution
When I was brought in, they had just gone thru a major meltdown in operations and had to abort a failed attempt to purchase and implement a new ERP system.
After righting their operations, I researched various software solutions and re-started negotiations with their original choice of software providers. I set training and implementation schedule, helped trim their staff, and trained an in-house operations manager to carry on after I left.
References: Upon Request

A $150M importer and distributor of lower end timepieces and clocks.
They originally did all their distribution out of their own 200K sq. ft. facility in New York. At the time they had a back end distribution payroll of approximately 350 employees. I slowly segmented the back end of the company and began to consolidate functions that were being duplicated.
Ultimately, over the course of a 2 year period, I outsourced the entire distribution side of the business enabling the company to focus on their core competency which is sales and marketing.
In the process, I negotiated their ocean freight, trucking, and brokerage fees to get reduced rates, secured appropriate 3PL’s to handle their work, and negotiated their entire fee structure for all aspects of 3rd party distribution.
By the time I was done, they had moved into a 30K sq. ft. space, relieving them of most of their rent overhead, and had a total staff of approximately 100 front end employees.
References: Upon Request