Stockouts of small but essential consumables can bring production to a halt. Brian Meyers from Fat American Manufacturing shares how a simple Kanban system keeps consumables in check, preventing costly delays.
Traditionally, managing consumables in an ERP system is inefficient. As Brian explains, “It’s really hard to use consumables in an ERP system because it wants to consume the parts.” Instead of waiting for staff to report missing supplies, a visual Kanban system signals when to reorder, ensuring stock is always available.
The impact is significant. “You can let a $7 flap disc disrupt several thousand dollars’ worth of order being processed today,” Brian highlights. By eliminating stockouts, teams can keep production running without unnecessary interruptions.
Production consumables – a great place to get started with Kanbans
Introducing Kanban can feel overwhelming, but consumables provide a perfect starting point. They are non-production-critical, yet running out of them can still cause disruptions. Unlike complex assemblies and manufacturing processes – consumables are simple, repeatable, and predictable – ideal for testing and refining a Kanban system before expanding it to other areas.
By starting with consumables, teams see immediate benefits: fewer interruptions, less time spent tracking down missing items, and a smoother workflow.
Once the system is in place and working, it’s much easier to scale Kanban principles to production parts, inventory, and even entire supply chains.
A Kanban system for consumables might not be the most obvious place to start, but it quickly removes inefficiencies and keeps operations flowing smoothly.