Since its implementation, TPO reduced plywood scrap by 60%, Work-In-Process (WIP) parts inventory by 90% and reduced labor numbers at BernhardtHigh Point, North Carolina March 24th, 2010 – Bernhardt Furniture Company headquartered in Lenoir, NC reports an increase in production efficiency after implementing Plataine’s TPO WoodOptimizer (formerly NESTERwood) and Scheduler Solutions.
According to Larry Goad, Residential Upholstery Division Manager at Bernhardt, “WoodOptimizer with TPO Scheduler allowed us to be more efficient in both material and labor. The new software assisted us in switching from cutting weekly batches of parts to cutting frames Just-In-Time (JIT)”.
“Before implementing Plataine's products,” Goad adds “Bernhardt used to produce parts, place them in 32 different bins and then pull them later to build frames. Now, less than two months after the NESTERwood and Scheduler implementation, we were able to eliminate 90% of those bins. We’ve also become more efficient with our employees’ work processes, as there is no more need to stock bins and pull parts from them”
Plataine’s Total Production Optimization (TPO) solutions include WoodOptimizer for optimized nesting and cut-path and Production Scheduler for optimally assigning work to the appropriate work centers and machines.
WoodOptimizer enables upholstery manufacturers to respond to market changes and remain viable in an increasingly competitive global environment that includes customer demands for made-to-order, just-in-time products at competitive prices. WoodOptimizer's RollingNestTM automatically optimizes the placement of pieces from one or more orders on multiple sheets of plywood, resulting in material yields that are consistently higher than any other solution. By generating efficient tool paths, WoodOptimizer improves the productivity of CNC routers.
Production Scheduler, integrated with WoodOptimizer, provides an end-to-end automatic Scheduling Optimization solution for the frame production process. The solution is coupled with dedicated shop-floor terminals, providing manufacturing information to station operators and collecting progress reports in real time to allow for continuous monitoring and updates to the schedule.
According to Goad, company management is not alone in praising the system. “Our employees too, really like the system and think it is simple and friendly to use. They report it is very effective, eliminates mistakes as well as waste”.
“We are excited with the success of TPO at Bernhardt, where best of class optimization technology met Bernhardt’s continuous push to take production efficiency to the next level” says Avner Ben-Bassat, Plataine's President. “By offering the industry’s best integrated package for automatic Nesting, Programming and Automated Real-Time Scheduling capabilities, TPO enables Bernhardt’s management to concentrate more on their customers’ needs and reach their corporate goals in this volatile economic environment”.
About Bernhardt Furniture Company
Bernhardt Furniture Company, Inc., located in the foothills of Western North Carolina, is one of the largest family owned and operated marketers of fine wood and upholstered furniture in the United States.
Committed to high business standards and the principles of fine craftsmanship, the Bernhardt family has led this American enterprise, founded in 1889, to its current ranking among the top U.S. furniture companies in annual sales worldwide. Bernhardt collections have won multiple awards for outstanding product design, and Bernhardt brand loyalty is one of the strongest in the industry.
The company employs more than 800 people in the U.S. and abroad, with six facilities in Western North Carolina and five offices overseas. The company’s 75,000 sq. ft. showroom is located in High Point, NC.
For more information, visit http://www.bernhardt.com
About Plataine
Plataine is a leading provider of production optimization solutions for manufacturers of metal, wood, textile and composite-material products. Plataine’s production optimization solutions enable manufacturers to be more competitive by increasing material utilization, improving productivity, and shortening manufacturing cycles to ensure on-time delivery of products to customers. Plataine’s solutions are used by hundreds of manufacturers worldwide, including Bassett Furniture, Boeing, Century Furniture, Drexel Heritage, Ethan Allen, Ford, General Motors, The Gap, Hagger, Nike, and Wrangler. For more information, visit www.plataine.com or contact your local Plataine office.
