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 Lancashire
Situated in the North West of England, Lancashire - sometimes called the County of Lancaster or simply Lancs - includes cities like Preston , Chorley, Burnley and Lancaster. Meanwhile, Blackpool and Blackburn are unitary authorities that are often grouped with the area.
Founded in the 12th century, the region played a pivotal role in the Wars of the Roses in the 1400s.
During the Industrial Revolution, the county began to grow in prominence, especially in regards to the shipping, coal, textile and metal industries. The Manchester Ship Canal passes through the region on its way to Merseyside, while a number of other canals create a network of waterways that were especially important during the late 1800s and early 20th century.
Today, Lancashire is home to a huge number of companies ranging from manufacturing to financial, education to travel and energy to defence, making it a great choice for those seeking Production Planner jobs.
Indeed, some of the top name brands that can be found in Lancashire include Leyland Trucks, Baxi, Crown Paints, Hanson plc and Thwaites Brewery, as well as Xchanging and National Savings and Investments. There's also BAE Systems Global Combat Systems, which produces military vehicles, and Rolls Royce.
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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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