Why I Developed QRM

Lead time is much more important than most managers realize. Long lead times create many organizational costs -- more than just WIP and Finished Goods! Such costs can be four to five times labor costs. Reducing lead time not only shrinks these large costs but also provides opportunities for increasing sales through quick response to customers. Higher sales and lower costs mean a big increase in the bottom line!

QRM transforms traditional functional departments into an organization consisting of "QRM Cells." Although the cell concept has been known for some time, QRM Cells are more flexible, more holistic, and apply outside the shop floor too (for example, in office operations).

By getting managers to understand how capacity, batch sizes and other factors impact lead times, QRM enables them to make improved decisions that result in shorter lead times.

QRM is not just a shop floor approach, it is applied throughout the enterprise. This includes material planning and control, purchasing and supply chain, quoting, order processing and new product development. QRM provides a single, unifying approach for the entire enterprise.