Operations+Management+Materials

MATERIALS MANAGEMENT  Materials management is the system of planning, organizing and controlling the organizations materials inputs. This involves planning stock orders and the maintenance of existing stock. A manager uses three plans to help organize and plan the materials need and how they will be used. The first is the **Production Plan ** ; this is a basic outline of the activity or procedure to produce the product. The second is the **Master Production Schedule **  this plan specifies what and how much of a raw material is needed, how when and where the procedure will be done and the number of people, machines and skills needed to complete the task. The last is the **Materials Requirements Planning ** ; this is the exact list of information detailing, each material and their quantities needed for production.  Inventory control is about maintaining a constant and reasonable amount of stock. Overstocking of perishable items will lead to waste of product and money. Under stocking of any material will slow production and cost time and more money. Organization use stock takes to keep accurate records of what stock they currently have. This can now be done digitally with the help of barcodes, which hold information on the items age type and price etc. whereas before they stock take was done manually. The just-in-time system is a method of balancing and predicting when stock will run out. Then ordering more stock just as the old stock is sold. This process minimizes wastage and amount of stock maintain or store. This system requires quality relationships with suppliers and a reliable mode of transport, otherwise you can be left without a product to sell.

TOM TERLAAK