10 Years of Friendship & Partnership
December 23, 2024
As we celebrate the holidays, Kormac is especially grateful to one client partner who has been with us every step of the way: Oceaneering. We recently sat down with Oceaneering’s CEO, Rod Larson, to reminisce and thank him for his steadfast trust and partnership….
Small, Expert Teams Achieve More
December 20, 2024
In partnership with our clients, we make their organizations more efficient, effective, profitable, and resilient. The secret to our shared success is talent. Our consultants bring an average of 33 years of experience and have previously served as CEO, President, SVP, VP, and GM at leading organizations worldwide….
Leadership from Prototype to Production
December 6, 2024
During a period of transition, a global engineering company turned to Kormac for interim operational leadership. We provided a proven Operations Director with 30 years of industry experience to support our client partner as they navigated the journey from prototype to full-scale production….
Facility Moves, Expansions, & Transitions
November 15, 2024
The “Reshoring Renaissance” is picking up steam! Several of Kormac’s manufacturing client partners have asked for our assistance in supporting greenfield and brownfield U.S. plant expansions. Around the world, conditions are accelerating shifts toward localized, more controllable manufacturing and supply chains….
Category Management
November 8, 2024
We recently partnered with a leading industrial components provider to reduce costs by developing and institutionalizing a rigorous Strategic Sourcing process. In the first spend category, we immediately revealed a 13% to 16% cost reduction opportunity. We’ll soon address major spend categories representing 40% of our client’s annual COGS….
Engaging Employees for Sustainability
November 1, 2024
Lasting change starts from within. That’s why our change management approach harnesses the collective wisdom of front-line employees. To ensure our projects have “no bystanders or victims,” we seek employee input and participation every step of the way….
Design for Manufacturing
October 25, 2024
858 parts. 145 suppliers. 1 mission: Dramatically cut costs. A global tech company turned to Kormac for assistance in reducing unit costs on a new electrical systems product. Through Design for Manufacturing assessments and strategic sourcing, we reduced materials cost by $53K per unit and achieved a 33% reduction in total unit cost….
Automotive, Chemical, and Industrial Sectors
October 4, 2024
Kormac is pleased to welcome Steve Henderson to our team! His diverse manufacturing career spans leadership roles at Leggett & Platt, Dow, and Essex Specialty Products. Steve will support client relationships and value delivery across the Automotive, Chemical, and Industrial sectors….
Process Definition & Documentation
September 27, 2024
A leading distributor of industrial fasteners and components turned to Kormac to standardize and document their Quote-to-Cash processes. Developed as dynamic tools, the collaboratively developed materials are improving clarity and efficiency across the organization. As one employee put it, “This makes our life so much easier!”…
Global Supply Chain
September 20, 2024
From China+1 to “friendshoring,” supplier diversification is hot. Tariff talk and geopolitical tensions are prompting plans for greater geographic supply diversification. We enjoy helping our client partners build secure, flexible, and adaptable supply chains suited for our increasingly complex global business environment….
Contract Manufacturing of Autonomous Vehicle
September 6, 2024
After completing a yearlong manufacturing readiness and nearshore production transfer of an autonomous industrial vehicle, our clients had only wonderful things to say: “Amazing job … Fantastic … In awe of the knowledge, composure, credibility, and competence … ”…
Welcome Patrick Hastings!
July 29, 2024
Kormac is pleased to welcome Patrick Hastings to our team! His leadership career spans roles at Labcorp, Eli Lilly, Mossberg Labs, Bayer Healthcare, and Merck & Co ., with deep expertise in lab and pharmaceutical operations, manufacturing, engineering, and supply chain. …
Supplier Development Program (SDP)
July 25, 2024
Many of our client partners are turning to their supply base for collaborative performance improvements. Formalizing a Supplier Development Program can transform transactional relationships into strategic partnerships delivering outsized mutual benefit….
Achieved Elusive Inventory Management Target
May 5, 2023
To improve cash flow while mitigating risk, many companies are reevaluating their approach to inventory management. Excess materials and persistent shortages remain despite the overall recovery from pandemic constraints. When times were tough, gaps in inventory management discipline magnified the impact of constrained supply chains. As conditions improve, discipline gaps still leave...
Kormac helped a foundry maintenance operation establish critical KPIs and a sustainable maintenance system
April 20, 2023
A leading supplier of metal components to the mining industry was struggling with manufacturing variability in its foundries. The president turned to Kormac for help in improving operational stability and predictability, including maintenance, operations management, and employee training and retention. Our initial foundry analysis revealed an understaffed and undermanaged maintenance...
Life's too short for toxicity.
March 31, 2023
No one wants to work with jerks. Unfortunately, some industries are rife with them, and consulting tops the list. Kormac’s founders previously served at several firms with abusive colleagues and/or leaders. They decided life was too short for toxicity and committed to creating the kind of heart-led organization they always...
![Nearshoring to Mexico Nearshoring: ¡Vamos a México! Driven by federal incentives, geopolitical risk, and pandemic aftershocks, restoring and nearshoring continue apace. [Screenshots of various article titles about restoring and México] Kormac's senior operational experts have diverse experience designing, launching, and operating manufacturing facilities south of the border](https://kormacgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Mexico.jpg "Mexico")
Nearshoring: ¡Vamos a México!
March 15, 2023
Driven by federal incentives, geopolitical risk and pandemic aftershocks, reshoring and nearshoring continue apace. For manufacturers compressing supply chains, nearshoring to our southern neighbor provides a comfortable, cost-effective option. Companies of all size are feeling the pull – even 88% of small and medium sized businesses are “reshuffling their supply...
CNBC State of Freight: What the latest warehouse data is signaling about inflation and the economy
February 27, 2023
CNBC’s recent “State of Freight” updates reveal “High inventory levels are limiting [warehouse] capacity, and combined with less new square footage coming into the market due to higher interest rates, are keeping prices up even as the economy slows.” Kormac has sensed those headwinds as many manufacturing leaders have recently...
Inventory Reduction Precision
February 8, 2023
As supply chain disruptions ease, many organizations are left holding excessive inventory accumulated during the turmoil. Our Inventory Intelligence Surgical Strikes provide a path out of the wilderness toward optimized inventory and availability. While inventory executives can typically slice and dice data to reveal relative performance and volumes, they often...
"Boomers are (finally) retiring. That could reshape the economy for decades."
January 19, 2023
As home value appreciation and pandemic risk prompt more seniors to permanently exit the labor market, companies are facing an experiential “brain drain.” Many teams rely on informal knowledge and know-how trapped in the heads of tenured employees. When we analyze organizations, we often find huge gaps between processes as...
![Interim Leadership Transforming a Plant as Interim GM When an integrated contract manufacturer lost its GM, Kormac provided a skilled interim leader Client Gratitude: Farewell messages to Kormac GM from dozens of plant employees [overlayed on top of image of the letters] On site for 10 months, our interim GM dramatically improved plant performance and morale](https://kormacgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/interim-leadership.png "interim-leadership")
Transforming a Plant as Interim GM
December 22, 2022
We all lose our heads sometimes, but it’s big trouble if a factory does. When a leading manufacturer of aerospace fabricated assemblies lost its facility general manager, executives knew it could take months to find a qualified replacement. Unfortunately, their 50,000-square-foot integrated contract manufacturing facility needed a leader immediately. Kormac...
Good People Doing Good Work
December 10, 2022
Leaders engage consultants for countless reasons, but how often do they actually enjoy the collaboration? We frequently hear stories of client trauma inflicted by consultancies that left behind unresolved problems or cultural damage. Why? Too many consultants prioritize their own business needs over their clients’. Inverting that myopic approach, Kormac’s...
Reduced manpower requirements by 33%, cut warehouse overtime, and optimized off-site storage locations
November 30, 2022
As US manufacturers consider reshoring, they’re often prompted to reevaluate the configuration of existing facilities, including storage. We help such leaders develop detailed plant scenarios and models to guide recommendations on combining, consolidating, redesigning, and/or automating plants, including estimated costs and savings for each scenario. To follow is a chemical...
Geopolitics Drive Nearshoring & Reshoring
November 15, 2022
“Geopolitical risk and the advantages of domestic manufacturing are motivating more and more companies to move production back to the U.S., driving job announcements to record-breaking highs.” Assembly Magazine’s October assessment reflects our own experience: reshoring’s proximity to end-use customers provides compelling relief from logistical issues, risks, and costs. Kormac...
Resource Whiplash: From Ferocious "Battle for Talent" to Hasty Job cuts
November 1, 2022
Got whiplash? We went from a ferocious “battle for talent” to talk of widespread job cuts in the span of just a few weeks. A recent CEO survey found that 80% of leaders are or will consider downsizing their employee base in the next 6 months. But before we resort...
![Recession Resilience Fortifying for an Uncertain Future Doomsday talk is everywhere, but businesses that cultivate resilience are positioned to thrive in good times and bad [Screenshots of various news article titles about recessions and the economy] Optimized SIOP extends the horizon of forecast accuracy to minimize risk, increase agility, and improve execution in any business climate.](https://kormacgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/resession-resilience.jpg "resession-resilience")
Fortifying for an Uncertain Future
October 24, 2022
The R-word is everywhere, and advisors are touting tips to make businesses “recession proof.” Unfortunately, that concept is more myth than reality. Instead, our objective – in good times and bad – is to cultivate resilience. A “recession resilient” business has implemented comprehensive sales, inventory, and operations planning (SIOP) to...
Maximizing Throughput and Flow
October 12, 2022
A leading automotive aftermarket manufacturer was facing large impending order volumes and turned to Kormac for help in improving throughput, quality, and facility flow. Together, we developed a future vision for one-piece flow through their entire operation. Because new equipment proved cost prohibitive, Kormac and the client team sought to...
![Cost Management Rebalancing the margin tug-of-war Does your organization struggle to achieve financial goals in an increasingly volatile marketplace? [iconography of two teams playing tug of war, with the target margin in the middle. Text above the image reads "Kormac Rebalancing"] Cost Pressures: Labor, Materials, Logistics, Real estate, Technolgy Market Pressures: Pricing, service delivery, quality, lead time, social responsibility Kormac's Surgival Strike Methodology™ delivers the agility you need to meet your financial objectivers.](https://kormacgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/cost-management.jpg "cost-management")
Rebalancing the margin tug-of-war
October 4, 2022
As the labor and supply cost rollercoaster continues, we are working with several clients to identify new management levers. Among them: Increasing the frequency of cost reviews to ensure faster customer price adjustments and/or tying customer pricing to component market indices Executing Value Analysis and Value Engineering efforts to drive...
Maximizing On-Time Delivery
September 13, 2022
Customer delight begins with honoring our commitments. With that truth in mind, a leading healthcare services company turned to Kormac for help in improving its on-time delivery to customers. From forecasting and purchasing to inventory management and product delivery, our client sought to deliver an outstanding experience for its pharmaceutical...
Evaluating Options for Underperforming Organizations
August 19, 2022
Inside most companies – no matter how successful – are underperforming units or subsidiaries. When ignored, these underperformers cost more than just money – they consume resources better invested elsewhere. For one recent automotive aftermarket client, Kormac analyzed an underperforming business unit contributing only 3% of company revenue. The unit...
Lean as Resource Liberator
June 10, 2022
As manufacturers grapple with rising material and labor costs, we’re seeing renewed interest in Lean. Kormac has decades of experience in employing Lean/Six Sigma/Kaizen methodologies to boost quality, productivity, and speed while reducing cost, backlog, and facility floor space. We begin each Lean engagement by analyzing our client’s product line...
Addressed $11.1 MM+ overage in raw material components and $5.6 MM+ overage in finished goods inventory
April 12, 2022
Supply chains have proven a compelling scapegoat, but many of the recent challenges reveal underlying dysfunction that preceded the pandemic. For one medical device manufacturer, supply chain (SC) complexity was creating costly overages in materials and finished inventory. Their build-to-order SC process optimized part and component costs, but did so...
SIOP: Advanced Planning Delivers Agility and Responsiveness
September 28, 2021
Is your organization suffering from SIOP myopia? In our client assessments, we find that 90% of supply/demand discussion focuses on the near-term, neglecting longer term risks and opportunities. Optimized SIOP extends the horizon of forecast accuracy to increase agility and avoid looming constraints. Kormac’s supply chain convergence approach powers an...
Reduced airfreight costs by 43% ($47 MM) with increased component visibility
September 7, 2021
Continuing our discussion of current supply shortages and bottlenecks, Kormac excels at helping clients cultivate supply visibility and reliability amidst challenging conditions. For example, a global manufacturer of vehicle seats sought to maintain 100% OTIF (On-Time and In-Full order fulfillment rate) but suffered from inadequate visibility to component suppliers’ capacity...
August 17, 2021
Temporary supply shortages are making economic headlines as drivers of inflation and order backlogs. Kormac addressed the same uneven supply availability during the last recovery. One of our clients, a global Oil & Gas heavy equipment manufacturer, lost critical suppliers when the 2008 economic crisis drove many small machine shops...
Seeking 'Gigafactory' Plant Manager
August 4, 2021
Kormac is assisting a client partner in identifying exceptional candidates to serve as Plant Manager of an innovative new battery ‘gigafactory.’ This role offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to join a fast-growing company that is shaping the future of advanced energy storage. The factory will be a greenfield or brownfield startup...
A variety of Interconnected trends and disruptors are shaping this recovery
July 7, 2021
While some aspects of life and work are returning to the “new normal,” others are more disorienting than ever. Kormac is helping organizations cultivate resilience, foster innovation, and identify new talent to face the continued onslaught of complex disruptors. If you feel flat-footed when you ponder some of the trends...
Facility Consolidation Best Practices
June 4, 2021
“As companies try to tempt workers back to the office … a huge uncertainty hangs over them: will enough people come? Even as vaccinations progress, workers have been slow to return. In early May only one in 20 buildings in America had occupancy levels above 10%.” – The Economist, June...
Fast, Cost-Effective Product Delivery
May 7, 2021
Last week, I introduced “The Hidden Factory,” the notion that all organizations have the potential to deliver more output from existing assets. Easier said than done when demand is spiking, so here's a story of how we released capacity hidden within a bedding manufacturer’s warehouse operations. A bed-in-a-box manufacturer urgently...
![Executive Opportunity Seeking S&OP Leader Opportunity: Associate Director, Sales & Operations Planning, Covance by Labcorp Build and implement a world-class Sales & Operations Planning process across the enterprise to improve customer satisfaction, profitability, inventory turns, lead times, quality and resource planning. [Covance by Labcorp logo appears on the bottom of the image]](https://kormacgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/executive-opportunity.jpg "executive-opportunity")
Seeking S&OP Leader
April 28, 2021
Calling all world-class S&OP executives! Covance by Labcorp, a leading global life sciences company and friend of The Kormac Group, is seeking candidates for an Associate Director of Sales & Operations Planning role.
Contact Kormac at +1.704.266.3555 for more information…
Unlock Hidden Potential
April 27, 2021
The US and global economies appear to be accelerating at breakneck speed. Many companies are suddenly faced with high demand for products and services, but it’s not yet clear if this represents a spike or sustainable volume. As executives consider whether to add capacity – through new facilities, machinery, employees,...
We're Growing & Seeking Top Talent
April 15, 2021
Can you feel the economy kicking into high gear? We can. Consulting has long proven a bellwether, and Kormac is seeing an unprecedented level of new initiatives. Accordingly, we’re hiring! After an intense year, we know some executives are ready to step off the corporate track. Consulting with Kormac offers...
Uncertainty: A Liberating Force
April 8, 2021
Remember when the status quo was good enough and straight-line forecasts proved accurate? Neither do we. While our current moment feels more uncertain – with our business, political, and cultural worlds in flux – it was always uncertain. But uncertainty need not be paralyzing, especially given the opportunities to embrace...
Actively Seeking Small A&D Acquisition Opportunities
March 30, 2021
Kormac is assisting a client partner in identifying small acquisition opportunities in the Aerospace & Defense sector, specifically aircraft lighting, avionics, cabin electronics, and related products. Our client’s intent is to acquire a more robust aircraft electronics portfolio to complement its existing energy storage offerings. The client is open to...
Virtual Ideation Workshops
March 12, 2021
Open the floodgates: innovation is for EVERYONE! Kormac is working with a top manufacturer in the commercial vehicle sector to foster innovation across its global workforce. At an inflection point with electrification, digitalization, connectivity, and autonomous driving, our client needs every employee to find new ways to learn, work, and...
Securing Commitment
February 1, 2021
Fifth in our series of sales effectiveness tips is Securing Commitment. After demonstrating value comes earning the client's wholehearted commitment. Why wholehearted? Because lasting success requires their engagement and advocacy, especially if their decision may face internal resistance. Related Insights Sales Gift #1 Sales Gift #3 Sales Gift #2 Sales...
Prove Your Mettle
January 19, 2021
Next in our series of sales effectiveness tips is Prove Your Mettle. After qualifying and confirming a client’s need, the next step is demonstrating qualification to meet that need. Below are a few prerequisites for a compelling value proposition. The Kormac Group meets clients at their point of need with...
Qualify the Need
December 30, 2020
Next in our holiday series of sales effectiveness tips is Qualification of Need. After listening and establishing credibility with the client, the next phase of relationship development requires thorough investigation of client needs, expectations, and motivation. Ideally, this exploratory process engages both buyers and authorizers to qualify the need. Related...
Establish Credibility
December 22, 2020
Sales is the watchword this winter, so we’re continuing our series of sales effectiveness tips as holiday gifts to our network. Beyond listening as a superpower, here are critical ways to establish credibility during the sales process. Related Insights Sales Gift #1 Sales Gift #4 Sales Gift #3 Sales Gift...
Start by Listening
December 8, 2020
Sales is the watchword this winter. As companies strive to rebuild momentum, many executives are realizing that their sales teams consist of more “farmers” than “hunters.” Teams that performed well in a favorable market are now struggling to deliver fruitful new relationships. Therefore, we’re sharing some sales effectiveness tips as...
November 25, 2020
Expanding on last week’s post, to follow are Kormac’s best practice supply chain features by function. From demand planning through execution and logistics, we apply our proven framework to optimize client processes and improve service performance. For one global manufacturer of optical and ceramic products, we delivered an actionable, comprehensive...
November 19, 2020
As we face the greatest supply chain challenge in modern history — the global rollout of a coronavirus vaccine — we felt compelled to share our best practices. Below are some of the critical features Kormac designs and incorporates into supply chains to ensure seamless, sustainable, agile performance. Next week,...
Employee voices, votes, vision
November 3, 2020
Akin to the U.S. election underway, organizations must embrace constituent voices and vision during their own inflection points. Kormac understands change management, and we know that sustainable change requires employee ownership and participation. Our collaborative model involves early employee engagement, frequent check-ins, and close collaboration for final project design and...
![Orange County Chapter A & D Forum Private Equity Strategy for Navigating the A&D Market in 2021 Panel Recap [Photograph of airplane taking off] BOB Search Est. 1979 The Aerospace and defense executive search firm](https://kormacgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/A_and_D.jpg "A_and_D")
from Komac CEO Stan Gwizdak
October 21, 2020
Aerospace & Defense Industry Insights: As a former unit president at General Electric Aircraft Engines, I enjoy keeping abreast of the sector and collaborating with A&D executives. To follow are my take-aways from a recent A&D private equity panel discussion: Companies and investors are looking for resilience in their product...
Delighting Goldilocks
October 7, 2020
The Kormac Group meets clients at their point of need with a fully customized engagement approach, project scope, and elite team. We have no minimum or maximum engagement size, so we can engage to address any client requirement. We can serve as: Leaders and drivers of the change initiative Member...
October 1, 2020
Sur·gi·cal [/ˈsərjək(ə)l/] adj. – characterized by extreme precision or incisiveness. Kormac’s laser-focused Surgical Strikes target specific client needs and deliver accelerated results. Clients are consistently impressed by the speed and scale of results achieved by our small teams of experts that do more with less. For detailed case studies describing...
Our Spirit of Service
September 25, 2020
"It's not what you know, but who you know." We’ve all heard the old maxim, and executive connections are among The Kormac Group’s most meaningful gifts to the business world. Leading with our hearts, we seek to genuinely help every executive we meet, and we NEVER charge for introducing leaders...
Checklist for Remote Consulting Engagement Success
September 20, 2020
Remote work is common now, but transforming organizations from afar remains a challenge. To help executives struggling within the current constraints, Kormac has composed a checklist for remote engagement success based on our collective experience. We hope these tips for “Achieving Real Change with Virtual Teams” support you in achieving...
from Chuck Davison, COO of Oceaneering
September 16, 2020
We’re grateful to all the executives who entrust us with their organizations, especially those who engage us year after year. As an implementation consultancy, Kormac works side-by-side with client staff at the point of execution — nowadays, often virtually — to achieve and sustain results together. Thank you, Chuck, for...
New Rules (Same as the Old Rules)
September 2, 2020
Kormac is helping several leading organizations to grow revenue despite the challenging market conditions. Some are expanding through strategic acquisition – especially vertical integration – while others are focused on shifting from transactional sales to subscription/annuity models. For those with B2B salesforces struggling to find traction, to follow are a...
![Automation Acceleration The pandemic has drastically altered tech implementation timelines from just one year ago [contents of an inlaid graph start here] Timeline for acquiring new automation tech (2019); Survey of warehouse managers - 23% already have - 8% have, looking to upgrade - 10% within 12 months - 21% 1 to 3 years - 8% 3 to 5 years - 3% over 5 years - 26% not looking [end contents of inlaid graph] Rapid, results-driven implementation to lower costs, increase throughput, and deepened value chain insights](https://kormacgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/automation-acceleration.jpg "automation-acceleration")
The pandemic has dramatically altered tech implementation timelines from just one year ago
August 25, 2020
COVID-19 laid bare systemic weaknesses around the world, especially in functions and processes requiring physical proximity. Given this tragic catalyst, Kormac is witnessing and supporting dramatic accelerations in automation and technology adoption. Artificial intelligence, robotics, big data analytics, and IoT (Internet of Things) are among the powerful tools available to...
from the director of a publicly traded offshore energy company
August 18, 2020
Affordable consulting?! According to one of our current clients, Kormac is “the best money ever spent for consulting services.” Our laser-focused Surgical Strike Methodology™ empowers us to meet targeted client needs at a lower investment point, ensuring client ROI of 3:1 to 9:1. Our smaller teams of highly qualified consultants...
Embrace "outsider voices"
August 11, 2020
Regardless of how well your organization planned for 2020, this year’s surprises demanded constant recalibration and innovation. As we approach the Fall planning season, continued uncertainty demands a robust process to shape 2021 strategic direction and objectives. Engaging “outsider voices” in your plan development will help your executive team avoid...
Transformed B2B warehouse to support rapid B2C delivery
August 4, 2020
Pandemic retail disruptions have prompted many manufacturers to dramatically scale up direct-to-consumer sales. Kormac recently helped a consumer packaged goods manufacturer to transform its B2B logistics operations to support rapid, cost-effective B2C delivery. With our guidance, the client improved warehouse throughput from 3,500 packages per day to 24,270 per day...
July 30, 2020
Since our formation, Kormac’s Surgical Strike Methodology™ has empowered us to meet client needs with exceptional speed and precision. In today's volatile environment, we have seized market share from many of the large consultancies by fielding smaller teams that deliver big results. We have a shiny new website, but our...