Many people arrive at the position of senior manufacturing leader as a rewarding (if chance) consequence of their career progression, though they did not have that end in mind when they started. This is also true for many business leaders who find themselves at the head of the manufacturing business without significant manufacturing leadership experience. Some may have had assignments in lower positions in Manufacturing, but still did not have the development path that assured them they would succeed when they were ultimately responsible for the success of the entire Manufacturing organization. This book is for those people or people like them that need an understandable source of information that ties it all together methodically so that the job can get done professionally and reliably. As with many subjects many people know a lot about it superficially but relatively few understand what a truly complex social-technical organism Manufacturing is and what it takes to make it the asset it should be for the business. The book details the role of Manufacturing in the greater business, expectations for it and its leaders, the sub functions, and how to set up a management control framework and process that will keep Manufacturing in synch with the rest of the business. The integrated performance of the function is the focus. It is written so that the fundamental principles that must be understood are identified and then processes for implementing them described. Real life examples of what can happen when the principles are not understood or are violated are distributed through the text along with wry comments from various sources lending some humor to the subject.
About the Author: Mr. Burkhammer began his career in 1972 at FMC's Link Belt Chain Division in Indianapolis, Indiana as a process metallurgist after graduating from Purdue University with a B.S. in Metallurgical Engineering. The company was a very high volume producer of power transmission chain. Later transferring to FMC's Naval Systems Division in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1974, he spent the next 16 years in heavy weapon system manufacturing in a heavy manufacturing job shop environment. While there he earned an M.B.A from the University of Minnesota, and, based on the demonstrated ability to solve technical and organizational problems effectively, progressed from managing metallurgical departments to industrial engineering development assignments, managing welding operations, manufacturing engineering, quality assurance, and finally, a major weapons program. Since then he has led many types of multi-plant manufacturing operations, some international in scope, in pure job shops producing heavy shipboard machinery, small medical devices, and construction equipment; a mass customizer of top quality office furniture, and a technical window films producer. Many of the assignments required the turnaround of poorly performing operations. All were successful. Each provided new insights and more experience in processes, project management, quality improvement, Lean Manufacturing, and constructive, collaborative leadership. He lives with his wife Mary in Martinsville, Virginia.