Prod Management
ISL 223E FUNDAMENTALS OF PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT
CASE STUDY 2[1]
Due Date: 17. 10. 2011 – until at 17.00 to Room B408[2]
NorSal TRONDHEIM
NorSal Trondheim operates a salmon processing facility where fish are purchased from local sources along the North Sea, processed at the facility, and sold to customers for distribution. The plant manager, Inger Hansen, is contemplating a plant modernization to upgrade the technology in the plant. While the plant performs well enough now, modernizing equipment would allow the plant to increase capacity per hour, which is particularly advantageous because the factory has enough demand to cover the additional capacity. Currently, the plant operates five days a week, two shifts of 30 workers per shift. The workers are paid $10 per hour. Adding a third shift is not possible because the plant is cleaned during the third shift.
The firm is contemplating a plant modernization to upgrade existing equipment, which should increase the plant’s output while lowering energy costs. Using the current equipment, around 1.500 pounds of salmon can be processed each hour, while the new plant would be able to processed each hour, while the new plant would be able to process 2.000 pounds per hour. The updated equipment is made by the same manufacturer as the existing equipment, and the new equipment quickly. For this reason, costs to train personnel are assumed to be negligible. The production manager, Bjorn Pedersen, is skeptical about undergoing the plant modernization. The older equipment, he argues, is already paid for, and new equipment would cost $10.000 per week. This cost is comprised of both principal and interest, and includes manufacturer installation of the equipment. The controller, Maret Karlsen, cautions that all decisions related to costs should be included in the analysis and that because the energy consumption would be different, this must also be accounted for in the decision. Energy costs are presently $10 per unit,
CASE STUDY 2[1]
Due Date: 17. 10. 2011 – until at 17.00 to Room B408[2]
NorSal TRONDHEIM
NorSal Trondheim operates a salmon processing facility where fish are purchased from local sources along the North Sea, processed at the facility, and sold to customers for distribution. The plant manager, Inger Hansen, is contemplating a plant modernization to upgrade the technology in the plant. While the plant performs well enough now, modernizing equipment would allow the plant to increase capacity per hour, which is particularly advantageous because the factory has enough demand to cover the additional capacity. Currently, the plant operates five days a week, two shifts of 30 workers per shift. The workers are paid $10 per hour. Adding a third shift is not possible because the plant is cleaned during the third shift.
The firm is contemplating a plant modernization to upgrade existing equipment, which should increase the plant’s output while lowering energy costs. Using the current equipment, around 1.500 pounds of salmon can be processed each hour, while the new plant would be able to processed each hour, while the new plant would be able to process 2.000 pounds per hour. The updated equipment is made by the same manufacturer as the existing equipment, and the new equipment quickly. For this reason, costs to train personnel are assumed to be negligible. The production manager, Bjorn Pedersen, is skeptical about undergoing the plant modernization. The older equipment, he argues, is already paid for, and new equipment would cost $10.000 per week. This cost is comprised of both principal and interest, and includes manufacturer installation of the equipment. The controller, Maret Karlsen, cautions that all decisions related to costs should be included in the analysis and that because the energy consumption would be different, this must also be accounted for in the decision. Energy costs are presently $10 per unit,