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Control+M Solutions, LLC, provides support and in-depth Plex expertise with system and module implementation, optimization, and training.
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OWS Foods is a premier manufacturer of sauces, dressings and marinades, and seasonings, rubs and dry mixes.
- No single tool to view and forecast customer demand
- Manual scheduling system
- Data from multiple sources
- Employee efficiencies
- Single source supply chain visibility
- Demand forecasting accuracy increased by 25%
- Customer lead times reduced by 33%
- Improved employee recruitment and retention
Back in 2022, we spoke with OWS Foods about their recent acquisition of Head Country Bar-B-Q. The acquisition brought together the two manufacturer’s complementary dry and wet capabilities and products.
“With dry manufacturing we use a split-by-batch operation from our individual control panels with non-fixed sizes, meaning operators can vary the product sizes they pull,” explains Christopher Marks, the company’s ERP manager at the time. “With our wet facility, we have more of a fixed batch size, meaning we can schedule individual batches. We can go from 5 to 50 batches, all with a fixed set so we can scale our operation and the product effectively.”
Christopher and his team took advantage of Plex System’s wide range of solutions to integrate the manufacturing operations.
“Plex is part of our enterprise PCN (process control network) structure and has done a great job of providing a holistic view of our business from accounting to raw materials, to quality, to SPC check sheets and EDI,” Christopher says. “That structure gives us the ability to bolt on an additional manufacturing facility.”
OWS was able to get the newly acquired facility operational within 6 months. This quick transition meant more time producing!
Challenge
In 2024, we caught up with OWS Foods again. This time we spoke with Michael Farrow, the company’s IT Director as well as Patti Nowak – the owner of Control+M Solutions.
“Nearly a decade ago, we started working with OWS to put them on a path to use Plex to acquire and grow organically themselves versus having to rely on an external partner,” Nowak said. “Once we started working together, we began to find other ways Plex could benefit their business including a recent project focused on their scheduling system.”
Automate scheduling process across facilities
OWS operates dry and wet manufacturing facilities in both make to order and make to stock environments. Make to order is producing product when the customer requests it while make to stock is producing product beforehand in anticipation of customer need.
“The main scheduling lead is procurement of raw materials and packaging supplies. If you can properly put that lead time in the system then you can plan accordingly and bring that procurement in when you need it,” Farrow explained. “But previously we had a manual scheduling system with lots of Post-It notes on the monitors and no single way to see and plan for demand.”
Solution
Plex Supply Chain Planning provides supply chain visibility
With Control+M's guidance, OWS implemented Plex's Supply Chain Planning to automate and improve scheduling, planning and procurement.
“Plex's Supply Chain Planning provides OWS with a scientific approach to forecasting customer demand,” Nowak said. “Now they can view procurement requirements for both their wet and dry facilities at one time in one place so they can get economies of scale and purchasing, reduce expedite fees, and achieve other related benefits.”
Added Farrow, “We see all our procurement and scheduling information on one screen instead of trying to find multiple sources of data.”
Employee involvement key to success
Employee input was an important first step in the new system’s development.
“OWS held a two-day scheduling summit with the procurement and scheduling people. Everyone pertinent to the situation was in one room taking the time to review the processes and how they could be better,” Nowak explained. “If more companies had the time to do that, they might see some of the success that OWS Foods did.”
Result
Exceed customer expectations with reduced lead times
The results have been significant.
“Our forecasting accuracy increased by about 25% and we reduced our lead time for some make to order customers from 42 days to 28 days,” Farrow explained. “By being able to plan and schedule in line with demand, we can promise that order to the customer a little bit sooner than they might expect.”
For OWS, system automation has also allowed scheduling employees to focus their time and efforts on more meaningful tasks.
“What took a lot of human effort is now close to being fully automated,” Nowak said. “Which means schedulers can spend their time doing value-added activities.”
Improve employee recruitment and retention
Nowak noted that OWS’s use of Plex’s smart manufacturing platform makes the company a more attractive employer to young adults who expect their hiring organizations to be current with today’s technologies. It also enhances employee retention and advancement.
“We pride ourselves on giving opportunities within the company. We’ve had many people move up from the shop floor into the office for planning, scheduling and procurement roles,” Farrow explained. “Now they get the opportunity to work within one tool, see everything on one screen, and speak the same language together, which also adds a lot of value to the business.”
Learn more about the other forward-thinking ways OWS Foods uses Plex to digitally transform its operations and why this manufacturer is a previous Plex Industry Leader Impact Award winner.
Published January 27, 2025