Shared Manufacturing: A Global Perspective

Shared manufacturing - the sharing of modern technologies, facilities, equipment, and management systems among manufactureres with similar needs - is an innovative way for small- and mid-sized manufacturers to increase their competitiveness in a marketplace dominated by global giants. This book provides executives and plant and production managers with a thorough introduction to the concept of shared manufacturing, establishes its rationale, and provides step-by-step guidance on how companies can enter into strategic alliances to cost-effectively develop and deploy new technologies to enhance productivity and quality. Using the recently established Pittsburgh Manufacturing Assistance Center as a model case, as well as case, studies of ventures in the United States, Germany, Taiwan, France, and Italy, the book discusses a methodology for target market selection and approaches for the development of shared manufacturing assistance centers (MACs); provides an overview of project management concepts; addresses managerial issues encountered in the development of MACs; examines various manufacturing strategies; and makes recommendations for working toward a national shared manufacturing strategy.