location – OM in the News

In Search of the Perfect T-Shirt Made in the U.S.A.

According to one of Buck Mason’s founders, “there is nothing more essential to the American wardrobe than a white tee.”

The company was started with the objective of making a first-class t-shirt, a well-established product already manufactured by a myriad of competitors worldwide. The majority of the t-shirts are made in the U.S.A. with fabrics also made in the U.S.A. The founders are very involved in the production process and quality control which, they believe, enables them to […]

By Corinne M. Karuppan, Ph.D.|2023-09-11T14:58:50+00:00September 13, 2023|Tags: insourcing, location, product quality, sourcing|

US Coal Fields Potential Sources of Rare Earth Minerals

The US Department of Energy is offering $32 million in funding for the production of rare earth and critical minerals, mainly cobalt and lithium, from coal-based sources to reduce dependency on China and other countries.

The funds come from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which aims to build mineral processing sites across the US, enabling more control of supply and pricing. Money from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law may be used for engineering analyses, design studies, development of facilities for domestic production and refining […]

By James Kirby Easterling|2023-08-08T04:36:26+00:00August 9, 2023|Tags: capacity, energy, facility layout, location, process selection, project management, renewable resources|

The Scoop on Tillamook’s New Factory Location

A Tillamook ice cream factory is opening in Decatur, Illinois, in 2024.

With a $50 million investment, Tillamook is upgrading an old Prairie Farms facility to better serve the growing Eastern US ice cream market. The Tillamook factory will revitalize the Decatur area with new jobs and economic development.

Video Spotlight:

Behind The Scenes at The Tillamook Creamery (July 27, 2022, Tillamook)

This post is based on the WCIA.com article, West Coast ice cream factory […]

By Anita Lee-Post, Ph.D.|2023-04-12T07:40:04+00:00April 12, 2023|Tags: capacity planning, facility location, location|

Furniture Glut in Silicon Valley

One man’s loss is another man’s gain.

The rise of remote work, an economic slowdown, and tighter access to capital have forced tech companies to retreat or disappear. The situation is especially dire in the San Francisco area where prime office space has been vacated. Once destined to the landfill, the barely-used furniture is now finding new homes thanks to resellers capitalizing on the excesses of a certain corporate culture and oversized operations.

Video Spotlight: Is Herman Miller […]

By Corinne M. Karuppan, Ph.D.|2023-03-18T16:54:05+00:00March 19, 2023|Tags: carbon footprint, competitivness, forecasting, job design, location, product design, strategic capacity management, sustainability, value analysis|