MAINTENANCE, REPAIR & OVERHAUL (MRO) SUPPLY SHIFT FROM SUPPLIER TO PARTNER
Amir Wagenstein, Group Supply Chain & Logistics VP at Rubix
business and keep relationships as purely transactional.
By consolidating the supply chain and changing this traditional approach to inventory management, innovative vending solutions are able to play an active role within manufacturing businesses, helping to keep essential components on hand, accurately track the use of consumables and save businesses money.
Amir Wagenstein, Group Supply Chain & Logistics VP at Rubix, explores how the company’s choice of inventory management solutions help strengthen a manufacturer’s performance and bottom line
lobal competition, shifting customer requirements and sweeping changes in the political landscape are just some of the factors that are changing the face of manufacturing today. Against this backdrop, manufacturers need to manage their costs, deliver consistently high levels of quality and improve their agility in order to quickly adapt to market demands. This challenging landscape means gone are the days of straightforward transactional relationships, as manufacturers move in favour of dynamic partnerships that see greater levels of integration and value-added services that elevate performance and, ultimately, the bottom line.
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Manufacturers are no longer just seeking components from their suppliers. In a world where every second counts and every penny matters, suppliers are increasingly being relied on to support broader efforts to maximise efficiency, productivity and profitability. It is no secret that unplanned downtime is one of the biggest costs for manufacturers. When machines aren’t running as they should, production grinds to a halt, customer deadlines get tighter and, often, more resource is required to deliver on time. All of this squeezes margins, reduces profitability and even compromises long-term stability. To reduce levels of unforeseen downtime, a key requirement is to have the right
32 JUNE 2025 | PROCESS & CONTROL
components on hand exactly when they are required. This can ensure operations continue to run smoothly as operators have all the tools and components they need.
Achieving this position requires a complete understanding of the business and its critical operations. Being able to anticipate which parts will be required most frequently, how many components are needed, and how to efficiently store them is a complex undertaking – but it’s one where suppliers’ expertise can be most valuable.
Traditionally, keeping adequate levels of spare components on site has led to severe inefficiencies for manufacturers. Firstly, purchasing components long before they’re needed requires up-front investment – only for that resource to sit unused for several weeks, months or even years. On top of this, monitoring levels of consumption and maintaining effective inventory management have led to parts going unnoticed and unused. Investing in components ahead of time, using valuable space to store them, and needing to invest in further technology to accurately maintain inventory translates into significant costs.
These processes are further complicated when multiple suppliers are used. As well as creating greater complexities within the supply chain, the use of several suppliers can limit the level of knowledge and insight each holds on a
Having partnered with some of Europe’s busiest and most demanding manufacturers, Rubix has seen what it takes to keep things running smoothly. As a result, the business has developed three inventory management solutions that can be adopted by businesses to improve their operations. With each tailored to the specific requirements of a manufacturing business, these inventory management solutions provide a cost-effective way to stay in control by leaning on the expertise of a supply partner. Supporting manufacturing businesses to achieve greater purchasing efficiency, maintain lower inventory and replenishment costs and keep productivity on track, Inscan is an accessible inventory solution for manufacturers of all sizes.
Based on barcode scanning technology provided by Rubix, the system allows the ongoing monitoring and replenishment of stock. In practice, when critical equipment is running low, stock is topped up to ensure availability around the clock – whether that’s at a central location or individual manufacturing sites.
On top of this, the technology harnesses valuable data through the usage of consumables. This means comprehensive reporting can track key data for the business, enhancing understanding of operations and potentially identifying areas for improvement. For manufacturing businesses with high consumption of critical parts, holding stock on- site is the only way to guarantee availability exactly when it’s required. Done correctly, this can elevate efficiency and ensure cost efficiency. Invend – an industrial vending solution from Rubix – ensures critical parts are available 24/7.
To understand what components need to be stocked, Rubix’s team work to understand the nature of the business and identify the most frequently used products. With vending
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