Research excellence
+ industry expertise

We combine world-leading research from the Institute for Manufacturing (IfM) with experienced and talented industrial experts to offer our clients a different approach.

By blending these key attributes, we empower our clients with the evidence, techniques and actionable strategy to move their organisation forward with focus and clarity.

We combine world-leading research from the Institute for Manufacturing (IfM) with experienced and talented industrial experts to offer our clients a different approach. By blending these key attributes, we empower our clients with the evidence, techniques and actionable strategy to move their organisation forward with focus and clarity.

HOW WE DO IT

We transfer and integrate world-leading knowledge and solutions to enable exceptional change.

We immerse ourselves in your environment by asking the right questions to understand the specific problems and challenges you are facing, as well as your longer-term aspirations. This helps us to build a bespoke programme of work built on rigorous academic research to suit your context and needs.

We utilise our unique network of experts across the IfM, the University of Cambridge and further afield to bring the right experience and knowledge to your project. Our approach is highly collaborative and flexible, designed to help you achieve your goals and build your capabilities.

Our practitioners have extensive industrial expertise and are highly skilled in designing programmes of work that deliver the outcomes you need. We work to deliver results quickly and efficiently, sharing IfM approaches with you so you can continue to use them after the project has finished.

Through building long-term partnerships and embedding approaches within your team, we bring clarity and purpose, leading to impactful and lasting change.

RESEARCH EXCELLENCE

The IfM is part of the Research Excellence Framework (REF) assessment for the University of Cambridge. For the REF submission, IfM Engage actively seeks impact statements from our collaborations within industry to evidence the impact of IfM research.

Below is a selection of the latest impact statements from some of the world’s largest multinationals:

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IKEA and IfM Engage have conducted a number of projects since 2014, adapting research-based tools for use in ongoing strategic development within IKEA Industry’s global manufacturing and supply network. Initial work focused on developing differentiated plant roles within the network design philosophy, which has more recently been extended to cover digital transformation under the banner ‘Manufacturing System of the Future’.

The work has informed 20+ plant investment programmes, with very good ROI and substantial impact on performance. IKEA is also a founding member of the Digital Supply Chains Consortium, supporting thinking in relation to the development of Industry 4.0 capabilities across their 40 manufacturing plants.

“We highly value our work with IfM Engage combining leading-edge research with access to non-competing peer insights. This applied science approach is a rare find in the domain of manufacturing.”

Per Berggren, Industrial Strategy Manager

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Grundfos and IfM Engage have worked together since 2006, involving the tailoring and embedding of research-based tools to help guide strategic development of Grundfos’s global manufacturing and supply network. This initially covered a number of global product categories, followed by regional studies, make vs buy analysis and culminating in global integration to support a major corporate transformation plan launched in 2015-2016. This transformation involves typical investment of 30-50 million € with targeted business benefits of 10-15 million €/yr. More recently, the collaboration has been extended to include support on Grundfos’s digital transformation programme, especially on a Digital Value Chain and Factory of the Future strategic initiatives.

 “We highly value our work with IfM Engage in Optimizing our Global Footprint. We also value IfM Engage for their great Operations training course and networking opportunities with other Industrial companies.”

Stéphane Simonetta, Chief Operating Officer

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Caterpillar and IfM Engage worked closely on tailoring and deploying an approach for defining their Global Manufacturing Network Strategy via a series of projects launched in 2004 and continuing to the present day. Using a range of tools and frameworks that emerged from IfM Engage research dating back to Shi & Gregory 1998, the results are embedded in Caterpillar’s standard strategy processes extending across the global enterprise, which involves sales of $55bn/yr. The approach is used amongst others to help guide ongoing investment planning and optimization for global manufacturing development.

 Over the last three years, Caterpillar has been a member of the IfM Engage Digital Supply Chain Consortium, involving deployment of novel, research-based tools to define a tailored digital transformation strategy across the end-to-end supply network of plants and multiple tiers of supply partners.

 “These research-based approaches from IfM Engage have helped provide external inspiration in the formulation of our supply network strategies, enabling us to align global operations with market and technological drivers and extend our competitive advantage in best products, tailored service and full-life support.”  

Haydn Powell, Digital Manufacturing and Supply Chain Strategy Manager

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“Emerson’s Measurement & Analytical Business Group has worked closely with IfM Engage during 2018, creatively applying their research-based framework to our global manufacturing footprint. While the overall project is just now entering the execution phase, the resulting strategy is helping guide our investment and optimization decisions for a network of over 30 plants. The IfM Engage methodology will also support the ongoing governance of this strategy, adjusting as market and business needs change. Initial estimates suggest savings of over $30M from the initial three-year phase of this new strategy. The engagement with IfM Engage was extremely helpful and productive. The outcomes will have a lasting impact on the cost position and speed of our global plant network and dramatically improve how we serve our customers around the world.”

Jim Schreiner, Senior Vice President, Global Operations/Supply Chain, Measurement & Analytical Group

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Signify and IfM Engage have worked closely on tailoring and deploying a range of approaches emerging from IfM Engage research for use in Global Manufacturing Network Strategy development with focus on three key areas. The first involved development of Manufacturing Footprint Strategy for the three main global business divisions within Signify during the period 2014-16. The second area of collaboration has involved Signify’s participation in the Digital Supply Chains Consortium (since 2016 and ongoing) where tools from IfM research have helped to guide the ongoing digital transformation programmes. The third area involves use of IfM Engage tools on Digital Supply Chains Modelling during 2018-19 to help formulate a major strategy for moving to a distributed manufacturing approach.

“We highly value our connection with the leading research at IfM Engage in helping to develop best practice in global manufacturing and supply chain strategy.”

INDUSTRY EXPERTISE

IfM Engage associates are highly experienced, with many previously holding senior positions within industrial roles at multinationals, combined with consultancy experience. From a wide global network of talented associates, our clients partner with the best individuals to suit their specific challenge.

GET IN TOUCH

If you are facing a specific challenge and require world-class insights, renowned techniques and knowledge transfer across your organisation to enable change, contact us to speak to one of our experts.