Stephen Ndirangu Thuita

 Students Name Institution Course Professor Due Date Executive Summary "Curling Problem" was the most significant challenge Preston Plant faced, reported in 2008. This problem resulted in huge losses, where the plant recorded a total loss of 10 million dollars in a year. Therefore, this made the plant management implement measures to reduce costs and maintain good relationships with its customers. For example, establishing quality-based principles and setting "The Viper Project." Also, a new appointment was made, and new mitigation measures were implemented. However, there were adverse effects linked with these changes; for example, some employees were laid off. Also, some of the projects were dismissed because the plant couldn't meet them due to its limited capability. TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary…………………………………………………………………….2 Introduction…………………………………………………………………………….4 Most significant events………………………………………………………………….4,5 Process under control…………………………………………………………………….5 Benefits of bringing process under control……………………………………………….5,6 Strategic consequences of gaining control……………………………………………….6 Strategic benefits of gaining control………………………………………………………6 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………………6,7 Recommendations………………………………………………………………………….7 References……………………………………………………………………………………8 Introduction Business is a sector that every investor wants to venture into. Therefore, any business's success determines its profit margins and the products it intends to produce in the future. However, there are no smooth runs in business because they must deal with the challenges they face by implementing the best mitigation measures. In this case, Preston Plant is well known for the quality of the products it produces. However, in 2008, Hewlett Packard reported the "curl problem" the plant faced. This problem was hardtop be identified because there were no customer complaints about the quality of the papers. Later on, Hewlett Packard noticed that the humidity levels of the papers were not okay and, therefore, brought the matter to the attention of the plant managers. In 2009, after the pant implemented mitigation measures for the problem, there were noticeable changes in the quality of the products. Quality-based principles, the most significant events, and SPC systems played a critical role in the operations of the Preston Plant, as will be evident in this paper. Most significant events According to (Jakoyo, 2021), the "curl problem" resulted in huge losses of approximately $10 million dollars in a year. Therefore, it was the role of the plant directors and managers to develop the best mitigation measures for curbing the problem. One significant event in the story was the appointment of Tom Branton as the COO. Also was the implementation of quality-based principles. Here, the regulations aimed at reducing production costs by increasing the line speed. This helped in raising productivity levels. Also, data presented by Hewlett-Packard played a critical role in improving plants system. In this case, the data indicated the vast losses the plant was making without anyone noticing it. Therefore, qualified personnel were hired to improve productivity levels, who played a critical role in reducing damages, thus reducing losses. In addition, another significant event was the establishment of a new project referred to as "The Viper." This project aimed to produce high-quality papers at affordable prices that would meet customers' needs. Also, the project helped in the innovation of high-quality new brands. Finally, the ownership of the organization was changed. Here, Rendall Group took over and found the plant was in a total mess. Their role was to change everything in the plant and bring stability. Process under control Bringing the process under control is one of the most significant challenges many plants experience. Preston plant first changed its organizational system by appointing Tom Branton as the COO (Jakoyo, 2021). Even if the plant had solved its important issues, Tom made the managers understand that the crisis was severe. Therefore, they considered increasing the line speed crucial in expanding the plant's productivity levels. Also, Tom ensured that there were proper procedures to be followed when changes were being made; for example, the criteria to use when analyzing data that Hewlett Packard was presenting had a crucial role in determining the effectiveness of the plant's operations. In addition, the process was controlled when the plant ventured into a different kind of project commonly referred to as "The Viper." These printers were effective in producing high quality, thus reducing production damages. Also, control of the plant was gained when the Rendall Group acquired its ownership. Holding meetings also played a critical role in bringing the plant under control. In this case, a meeting was held in Chicago, where the process data was analyzed. Benefits of bringing process under control Gaining control helped in reducing production costs. Here the productivity was increased by increasing the production line speed. Also, installing high-capacity printers helped reduce wastage because the papers' quality was maintained. In addition, fewer systems were used in production, which helped reduce production costs. This enabled the plant to make more profit. Also another benefit of gaining control was making employees understand their roles in the plant. In this case, technicians were advised to stop the machines when they felt the quality of the products was compromised. This helped in maintaining the customers. Also, making the employees understand their roles increased productivity levels, thus increasing the profit margins. However, better marketing strategies must be implemented for the plant to make remarkable profits. This is evident when the plant's COO went to the market to get a response from the customers on how they felt about their products. Therefore, better marketing strategies were implemented. Strategic Consequences of gaining control Despite the numerous advantages of gaining control, there are also some unfavorable effects. First was the Viper Project's dismissal because the products' quality levels had been compromised. Reports indicate that in September 2009, the plant recorded a total loss of 10 million dollars. Also, many employees were laid off; for example, quality technicians were reduced from 22 to 9. Also, the operators were laid off from 22 to 6. Generally, the company laid off employees by approximately 40% (Taylor, n.d.). Also, some ideas need to be implemented due to the plant's limited capability. For example, some projects, e.g., "Ecowrap," was impossible. Strategic benefits of gaining control First was the improvement of production processes. Here, fewer damages were recorded during production because the effectiveness of the production process, such as the quality of the products, was improved. Also, the plant made various brands and supplied them to the market. Also, another strategic movement was the appointment of Tom Branton, who played a critical role in making essential changes within the plant. For example, implementing proper process monitoring techniques helped improve product quality. Conclusion As I conclude, Preston Plant faced a lot of challenges. One of the most significant challenges was "The Curl Problem," which recorded a total loss of $10 million annually (Taylor, n.d.). However, this raised many concerns among the stakeholders; therefore, various changes were made to improve the operation process. The first was the appointment of Tom Branton as the new COO. Second was the implementation of quality-based principles and the implementation of new projects which focused on establishing new products. However, despite the numerous advantages of these changes, there were also some adverse effects; for example, 40% of employees were laid off, and the Viper Project was dismissed due to low-quality levels. Recommendation The plant should hire skillful and competent staff to help reduce production costs. Also, the team can produce high-quality products that will meet customers' needs. Also, adopting new technologies plays a vital role in determining the success of organizations; for example, automation of processes helps improve the monitoring process's effectiveness. Also, a thorough market analysis should be done before the plant ventures into the new business of making various brands. Here, the plant can identify which products will be prioritized and how much income they will generate. Also, risks associated with establishing new developments in the market will be recognized early. Therefore, the organization can make appropriate mitigation measures before production. WORD COUNT 1133 References Co, T. D. (2020, July 6). Case Study: Turn around at the Preston Plant. UK`s Best Assignment & Dissertation Help Company - TheDocumentCo. https://thedocumentco.com/case-study-turn-around-at-the-preston-plant/ Jakoyo, P. (n.d.). CASE STUDY Turnround at the Preston plant. Www.academia.edu. Retrieved April 20, 2021, from https://www.academia.edu/-/CASE_STUDY_Turnround_at_the_Preston_plant ‌ Operation Management Preston Plant Turn Around Case Study Discussion. (n.d.). Www.studypool.com. Retrieved November 13, 2022, from https://www.studypool.com/discuss/-/formal-report-of-1000-words-addressing-the-questions-as-given-at-the-end-of-the-case-study Preston Plant - A case study solution - Preston Plant’s History and Management Essay 1. What are the - StuDocu. (n.d.). Www.studocu.com. https://www.studocu.com/en-gb/document/northumbria-university/global-supply-chain-management/preston-plant-a-case-study-solution/- Preston Plant’s Challenges and Strategic Decisions - 545 Words | Case Study Example. (n.d.). Free Essays. Retrieved November 13, 2022, from https://ivypanda.com/essays/preston-plants-challenges-and-strategic-decisions/ Taylor, J. (n.d.). MGT-370: Turnaround at the Preston Plant Case Study - Essay Typing. https://www.essaytyping.com/mgt-370-turnaround-at-the-preston-plant-case-study/ The Preston Plant’ Strategic Control Case - 522 Words | Case Study Example. (n.d.). Free Essays. 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