Production Planner jobs
In any manufacturing/production situation, from a workshop to a high-volume production line, there is a fine balance between producing items much faster than they can be sold and going too slow to keep up with demand. In the ideal zone there needs to be a slight leeway, with any slack taken up by warehousing, but since this has a series of cost implications of its own, it needs to be minimised.
The production planner will be in charge of ensuring productivity is always at an optimal level to meet all demands while cutting out overproduction. Where products are perishable or otherwise time-sensitive this would simply not be an option as overproduction is pure waste. But even making things that will sell eventually but slowly will be a drain on the company’s credit and cash flow.
Using materials requirements planning (MRP) software and systems, the production planner will stay in tune with current stock levels, raw materials availability and customer demands to ensure that as productivity rises and falls, all stock levels are optimised. The planner will be in touch with several parties on a regular basis, most notably forecasters, sales and marketing teams, warehousing staff, suppliers and the factory floor. This is all to gain the best possible insight into the ability to meet customer demand and to guide productivity as it rises and falls throughout the year.
The skills required
The main personal characteristic of a production planner will be a logical, analytical mindset. This he or she will engage to perform the mental juggling act that is production planning. Business understanding will be highly valued, as there is little to distinguish running a business and keeping abreast of the costs and planning production based on the best intelligence. Plans will be being made weekly or monthly, but they will always be subject to change as the situation changes – the good planner will be able to take these changes, and all their after-effects and permutations, in their stride.
There are several popular MRP solutions on the market, and there is a good chance any large company will use one of them, so experience in using one would certainly help. A good working knowledge of all the main spread sheet and word processing solutions will also be helpful for analysis and communication.
Production Planner Jobs in West Suffolk
Established in 1889, West Suffolk was an English administrative county until it was combined with East Suffolk in 1974 as part of the Local Government Act 1972.
Although it's no longer an official county, the various settlements in what was once West Suffolk still offer plenty of options for job seekers looking for Production Planner positions. Indeed, just some of the towns and villages include Bury St Edmunds - the former county town of West Suffolk - Sudbury, Newmarket, Haverhill and Mildenhall.
Historically, West Suffolk was known for producing cloth and during the Middle Ages, there was a thriving cloth trade in the region.
Brewing and malting have long been important industries for the region, while sugar beet processing has also given a boost to the local economy.
Greene King - the UK's largest British-owned brewery - was established in West Suffolk in 1799, while smaller names include the Old Cannon Brewery and Bartrums Brewery.
British Sugar was established in 1936 and it has been processing sugar beet for the Silver Spoon brand at a factory in Bury St Edmunds since 1925.
Other notable businesses include chocolate company Hadleigh Maid, biotech firm Genzyme and International Flavors and Fragrances.
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Production planner recruitment at Cast UK
Whether you’re working for a company looking for a production planner or you’re an experienced production planner yourself, Cast UK wants to hear from you. We deal with talent at this level of expertise every day, and we know exactly what kinds of candidates clients are looking for. Your manufacturing operation could really benefit from forming a relationship with Cast UK – please call us on 0333 121 3345 or get in touch here for more info.
For production planners looking for new challenges – please follow the link below and register your details with us. We know there are companies looking for your talents right now, so it could be the smartest thing you can do for your career.
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