Flevy Management Insights Case Study
Operational Efficiency Strategy for Building Material Manufacturer in North America


Fortune 500 companies typically bring on global consulting firms, like McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Deloitte, and Accenture, or boutique consulting firms specializing in Enterprise Asset Management to thoroughly analyze their unique business challenges and competitive situations. These firms provide strategic recommendations based on consulting frameworks, subject matter expertise, benchmark data, KPIs, best practices, and other tools developed from past client work. We followed this management consulting approach for this case study.

TLDR A leading building material manufacturer faced challenges with aging infrastructure and rising operational costs, aiming to optimize its enterprise asset management for improved efficiency. The organization successfully reduced unplanned downtime by 15% and improved production efficiency by 20%, highlighting the importance of Strategic Planning and Digital Transformation in achieving operational goals.

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Consider this scenario: A leading building material manufacturer in North America, struggling with optimizing its enterprise asset management to maintain competitiveness.

The organization has witnessed a 7% increase in operational costs and a 5% decline in production efficiency over the past two years. Challenges include aging infrastructure, underutilized assets, and misaligned maintenance strategies. The primary strategic objective of the organization is to enhance operational efficiency and asset utilization to reduce costs and improve production capabilities.



Despite being a leader in the production of high-quality building materials, this organization's profitability and market position are being undermined by inefficiencies in asset management and operational processes. Initial analysis points towards outdated enterprise asset management practices and a lack of integration between production technologies as critical areas for improvement. The company's focus on short-term fixes rather than strategic long-term solutions may be contributing to the current state of affairs.

Industry & Market Analysis

The building material industry is experiencing steady growth driven by increasing construction activities across residential and commercial sectors. However, this growth is accompanied by rising operational costs and a push towards sustainable production practices.

Understanding the competitive dynamics involves analyzing key industry drivers:

  • Internal Rivalry: Moderate, with a few large players dominating the market and many smaller companies catering to niche segments.
  • Supplier Power: High, due to the reliance on a limited number of suppliers for raw materials critical to production processes.
  • Buyer Power: Increasing, as customers demand more sustainable and cost-effective building solutions.
  • Threat of New Entrants: Low, given the significant capital investment and regulatory approvals required to enter the market.
  • Threat of Substitutes: Moderate, with emerging materials and technology offering alternative solutions.

Emergent trends in the industry include the adoption of green building materials and digitalization of production processes. Changes in industry dynamics present both opportunities and risks:

  • Increased demand for sustainable materials opens new market segments.
  • Technological advancements in production can significantly reduce operational costs but require substantial upfront investments.
  • Global supply chain disruptions pose a risk to raw material availability and cost.

STEEPLE analysis highlights significant economic, technological, and environmental factors influencing the industry. Economic volatility affects project financing and construction demand, while technological innovations offer opportunities for efficiency improvements. Environmental regulations are pushing manufacturers towards more sustainable practices.

For effective implementation, take a look at these Enterprise Asset Management best practices:

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ISO 55001:2014 (Asset Management) Awareness Training (60-slide PowerPoint deck)
Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) Implementation (27-slide PowerPoint deck)
Asset Management - Implementation Toolkit (Excel workbook and supporting ZIP)
ISO 19770 - Implementation Toolkit (Excel workbook and supporting ZIP)
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Internal Assessment

The organization possesses strong capabilities in product development and customer service but falls short in enterprise asset management and operational efficiency.

Benchmarking Analysis against industry peers reveals gaps in asset utilization rates and maintenance strategies, leading to higher operational costs and lower production efficiencies.

Gap Analysis indicates a significant disconnect between current asset management practices and best-in-class standards. There is a critical need for upgrading technology platforms and integrating digital asset management solutions.

Value Chain Analysis suggests inefficiencies in inbound logistics, production processes, and maintenance operations. Streamlining these areas through better asset management practices and technology adoption can drive substantial cost savings and productivity gains.

Strategic Initiatives

  • Implement Advanced Enterprise Asset Management System: This initiative aims to modernize asset management practices, improving efficiency and reducing downtime. The expected value comes from optimized asset utilization and lower maintenance costs. Resource requirements include software implementation, staff training, and process redesign.
  • Digital Transformation of Production Processes: By integrating IoT and AI technologies, the organization can enhance operational efficiency and product quality. This initiative will create value by reducing waste and accelerating production cycles. Resources needed encompass technology investments, change management, and skills development.
  • Develop Sustainable Product Lines: Responding to market demand for green building materials, this initiative focuses on diversifying the product portfolio. The value lies in accessing new markets and premium pricing opportunities. It requires R&D investment, supplier engagement, and marketing campaigns.

Enterprise Asset Management Implementation KPIs

KPIS are crucial throughout the implementation process. They provide quantifiable checkpoints to validate the alignment of operational activities with our strategic goals, ensuring that execution is not just activity-driven, but results-oriented. Further, these KPIs act as early indicators of progress or deviation, enabling agile decision-making and course correction if needed.


If you cannot measure it, you cannot improve it.
     – Lord Kelvin

  • Asset Utilization Rate: Measures the effectiveness of the new asset management system in optimizing asset use.
  • Production Efficiency Improvement: Tracks the impact of digital transformation initiatives on production speed and quality.
  • New Product Revenue Share: Quantifies the success of sustainable product lines in capturing market share.

These KPIs will provide insights into the strategic initiatives' effectiveness, guiding further optimization and adjustments to ensure alignment with overall strategic objectives.

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Enterprise Asset Management Best Practices

To improve the effectiveness of implementation, we can leverage best practice documents in Enterprise Asset Management. These resources below were developed by management consulting firms and Enterprise Asset Management subject matter experts.

Enterprise Asset Management Deliverables

These are a selection of deliverables across all the strategic initiatives.

  • Enterprise Asset Management System Implementation Plan (PPT)
  • Digital Transformation Roadmap (PPT)
  • Sustainable Product Development Framework (PPT)
  • Operational Efficiency Metrics Dashboard Template (Excel)

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Implement Advanced Enterprise Asset Management System

The organization opted to apply the Resource-Based View (RBV) framework to guide the implementation of the Advanced Enterprise Asset Management System. RBV focuses on leveraging a company's internal resources as a source of competitive advantage. It was deemed particularly useful for this strategic initiative as it emphasized the importance of efficient and effective asset management as a critical internal resource. The process was as follows:

  • Conducted an internal audit to identify and categorize the organization's assets based on their potential to provide sustainable competitive advantages.
  • Assessed the current state of asset management practices and identified gaps in technology, processes, and human resource capabilities.
  • Developed a targeted improvement plan focusing on upgrading technology, optimizing processes, and enhancing staff skills in line with identified high-value assets.

Additionally, the organization employed the Theory of Constraints (TOC) to further refine the implementation of the asset management system. TOC is a management paradigm that focuses on identifying the most significant limiting factor (constraint) that stands in the way of achieving a goal and then systematically improving that constraint until it is no longer the limiting factor. In the context of this initiative, TOC was applied as follows:

  • Identified the most critical constraints in current asset management processes that were causing inefficiencies and increased operational costs.
  • Implemented changes in the asset management system to address these constraints, focusing on technological upgrades and process re-engineering.
  • Monitored the impact of these changes on overall asset utilization and operational efficiency, making further adjustments as needed.

The results of implementing both the Resource-Based View and the Theory of Constraints frameworks were significant. The organization saw a marked improvement in asset utilization rates and a reduction in unplanned downtime. These changes led to a decrease in operational costs and an increase in production efficiency, aligning with the strategic objective of enhancing operational efficiency through better asset management.

Digital Transformation of Production Processes

To support the digital transformation of production processes, the organization applied the Diffusion of Innovations (DOI) framework. DOI explains how, why, and at what rate new ideas and technology spread through cultures. This framework was instrumental in understanding the adoption lifecycle of the new digital technologies within the organization. The team executed the following steps:

  • Mapped out the innovation-adoption lifecycle specific to the organization's context, identifying early adopters and laggards within the company.
  • Developed targeted communication and training programs to address the concerns and needs of different employee segments regarding the new technology.
  • Implemented pilot projects in selected areas to demonstrate the benefits of the new technologies and gather feedback for broader roll-out.

In parallel, the organization utilized the Dynamic Capabilities framework to ensure that its resources could adapt to the rapidly changing technological landscape. Dynamic Capabilities refer to the organization’s ability to integrate, build, and reconfigure internal and external competences to address rapidly changing environments. This was applied as follows:

  • Assessed the organization’s current capabilities in terms of technology, processes, and human resources.
  • Identified areas where capabilities needed to be enhanced or developed to support the digital transformation.
  • Implemented training programs and strategic hiring to build the necessary capabilities for the digital transformation.

The combination of the Diffusion of Innovations and Dynamic Capabilities frameworks led to a successful digital transformation of production processes. The organization experienced a smoother transition with higher employee buy-in and faster adoption rates. The initiative resulted in improved production efficiency and a reduction in waste, contributing to the organization’s strategic objective of operational excellence.

Develop Sustainable Product Lines

For the development of sustainable product lines, the organization applied the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) framework. TBL is an accounting framework that incorporates three dimensions of performance: social, environmental, and financial. This holistic approach was crucial for ensuring that the new sustainable product lines were not only profitable but also environmentally responsible and socially beneficial. The implementation process included:

  • Conducted a comprehensive sustainability assessment of the proposed product lines to evaluate their environmental impact, social benefits, and financial viability.
  • Engaged with stakeholders, including customers, suppliers, and community representatives, to gather input and build support for the sustainable product initiatives.
  • Developed marketing strategies that highlighted the environmental and social benefits of the new products to attract eco-conscious consumers.

Simultaneously, the organization embraced the Circular Economy framework to further enhance the sustainability of its product lines. The Circular Economy aims to redefine growth, focusing on positive society-wide benefits. It entails gradually decoupling economic activity from the consumption of finite resources. This was operationalized by:

  • Identifying opportunities to reduce waste, reuse resources, and recycle materials throughout the product lifecycle.
  • Collaborating with suppliers to ensure the use of recyclable or renewable materials in the new product lines.
  • Implementing take-back schemes to encourage the return and recycling of used products, thereby closing the loop.

The application of the Triple Bottom Line and Circular Economy frameworks significantly contributed to the successful development and launch of sustainable product lines. The initiatives not only enhanced the organization's environmental and social contributions but also opened up new market segments, driving financial growth in line with the strategic objective of diversifying the product portfolio.

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Key Findings and Results

Here is a summary of the key results of this case study:

  • Optimized asset utilization rates, resulting in a 15% reduction in unplanned downtime.
  • Implemented digital transformation initiatives, leading to a 20% improvement in production efficiency.
  • Launched sustainable product lines, capturing a 10% new product revenue share within the first year.
  • Achieved a 5% overall reduction in operational costs through enhanced enterprise asset management practices.
  • Increased employee buy-in and faster adoption rates for new technologies, attributed to targeted communication and training programs.

The strategic initiatives undertaken by the organization have yielded significant improvements in operational efficiency, asset utilization, and market diversification. The 15% reduction in unplanned downtime and a 20% improvement in production efficiency directly address the primary strategic objective of enhancing operational efficiency. These results were achieved through the successful implementation of advanced enterprise asset management systems and digital transformation of production processes. The launch of sustainable product lines, capturing a 10% new product revenue share, demonstrates effective market diversification and responsiveness to growing demand for eco-friendly building materials. However, while these results are commendable, the 5% reduction in operational costs, although positive, fell short of the ambitious targets set at the outset. This shortfall suggests that there may have been underestimations of the challenges involved or overestimations of the immediate financial benefits of these initiatives. Additionally, the rapid adoption of new technologies, while beneficial, may have placed undue pressure on certain departments, highlighting areas where further support and adjustment might be necessary.

Given these considerations, the recommended next steps include conducting a thorough review of the operational cost reduction strategies to identify areas of underperformance and potential for further optimization. It may be beneficial to explore additional technological or process improvements that could yield greater cost savings. Furthermore, to support the ongoing digital transformation and technology adoption, additional resources should be allocated to employee training and development, ensuring that all departments can fully leverage new systems and processes. Finally, considering the success of the sustainable product lines, further investment in R&D for green building materials could capitalize on this momentum and strengthen the company's position in this growing market segment.

Source: Operational Efficiency Strategy for Building Material Manufacturer in North America, Flevy Management Insights, 2024

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