Ramping Up Mask Manufacturing at 3M

Ramping Up Mask Manufacturing at 3M

March 17, 2020
Lisa M. Spencer

One of 3M’s largest manufacturing facilities, located in Aberdeen, South Dakota, has ratcheted up production to try to catch up with the growing demand for its N95 respirator masks.

Since there is no vaccine for COVID-19, the masks provide an important first line of defense in keeping medical and other emergency care employees protected while they tend to the needs of infected patients.  At the same time that demand has surged in the medical community, individual consumers have snapped up any available masks for their own personal use, despite the CDC’s claims that healthy individuals need not wear them.

Video Spotlight: 3M ramping up respirator production due to coronavirus (Feb 21, 2020, KSTP)

This post is based on the CNBC article, 3M ramps up N95 respirator production as demand surges from global coronavirus outbreak, by Seema Mody, February 28, 2020; the BBC article, Coronavirus: Sharp to use TV factory to make surgical masks, March 2, 2020; and the YouTube video featured in the Video Spotlight. Image source: Travel mania/Shutterstock.

Discussion Questions:

1. How has 3M been able to rapidly increase its capacity?

Guidance: 3M was not fully utilizing its mask production facility, so it Continue reading →

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Forecast: Red Hot Valentine’s Day Spending

Forecast: Red Hot Valentine’s Day Spending

February 23, 2020
Lisa M. Spencer

Following a strong holiday spending season, Valentine’s Day forecasts by the National Retail Federation promised that cupid would deliver strong sales as well.

Surveys indicated that for the 55 percent of the population who celebrate Valentine’s Day, spending in 2020 was due to be up an average of 21 percent to $196.31 over 2019’s record $161.96.

Fifty-two percent of the spending is for spouses and significant others, a smaller share than in the past, but shoppers have broadened the range and amounts they spend for those in other categories, including pets!

Video Spotlight: Valentine’s Day spending trends

This post is based on the National Retail Federation article, Confident consumers and broader buying lead to record Valentine’s Day spending plans, by J. Craig Shearman, January 30, 2020, and the YouTube video, Valentine’s Day spending trends, by 41 Action News, February 14, 2020. Image source: picalotta/Getty Images

Discussion Questions:

1. What does the Retail Trade Association claim are the variables that affect its forecasts for Valentine’s spending? On what will the money be spent?

Guidance: The same strong employment figures and higher incomes that brought a great holiday season for retailers in December 2019, should also buoy purchases for Continue reading →

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Coronavirus Pushes Construction of New Hospitals

Coronavirus Pushes Construction of New Hospitals

February 20, 2020
Lisa M. Spencer

How long did it take project manager, Fang Xiang, to build a 645,000 square foot hospital with beds for 1,000 corona virus patients in Wuhan, China?

Using a team of 7,000 workers laboring around the clock, the monumental task was completed in just ten days.  About 1,400 military doctors and medical staff, many of whom worked with SARS patients in the past, have been brought in to help treat the patients.

Additional posts on OM in the News discussing the coronavirus and supply chain management can be found here.

Video Spotlight: Time-Lapse Video shows Around-The-Clock Construction Of Chinese Virus Hospitals

This post is based on the NBC News article, China’s coronavirus hospital built in 10 days opens its doors, state media says, by Yuliya Talmizan, February 3, 2020, and the YouTube video, Time-Lapse Video shows Around-The-Clock Construction Of Chinese Virus Hospitals, by NBC News, January 31, 2020. Image source: sfam_photo/Shutterstock.

Discussion Questions:

1. What special challenges did Xiang face in the rush to build this project?

Guidance: Xiang reported that normally it would take at least a month to build a temporary facility of this size, and two years would be required to build a Continue reading →

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