Case Study: Greener Pastures (Indonesian Manufacturing Consultant)
The Problem
The supply chain management team at a global food manufacturing company decided to increase manufacturing capacity in Asia in response to increased regional market demand for their products. While exploring potential locations for the new factories, they were attracted to Indonesia due to its growing economy and the abundance agricultural commodities. Unfortunately, they had no previous experience in Indonesia – this would be their first time attempting to build a facility there. As a result, they knew very little about local business regulations, customs, environmental regulations, and engineering laws. Without this information, they had no way of knowing if constructing a new facility there would be feasible.
Issues
Local Regulation International Insights Cultural Awareness
The Solution
Maven launched a Telephone Consultation inquiry seeking professionals with experience establishing manufacturing operations in Indonesia. Several knowledgeable professionals from around the world applied for consideration, but one respondent stood out as unique – a former employee of their own company! Their former colleague had gone on to spend time managing manufacturing operations for another company in Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, and had directly relevant experience.
The team spoke with the Maven, who provided detailed insights on the Indonesian business climate, including relevant regulations and restrictions. Better still, she arranged key introductions to trustworthy local partners, one of whom was an Indonesian manufacturing consultant who joined Maven at her invitation. The supply chain team eventually retained the Indonesian manufacturing consultant for a long-term consulting project, ultimately resulting in the successful construction of the new factory.
“Finding out about our past coworker’s experience with Indonesian manufacturing was invaluable; it allowed us to skip several time-consuming steps and quickly get to the right contacts. We were able to cut through the red tape much more efficiently thanks to the insights and recommendations we received.” – Director of Supply Chain Management
