JUNE 4, 2001
BUSINESSWEEK E.BIZ -- WEB SMART COMPANIES
Turn the knob, and water comes out. How hard can that be? In truth, it
takes hundreds of parts to make a faucet. That's why Moen is using the
Internet to cut the time it takes to get a new faucet on store shelves to
16 months from 24 months. Here's how:
FAUCET DESIGN: THE OLD WAY THE NEW WAY
STEP ONE Designers send a CD with Moen posts the 3-D design
a drawing of a new faucet of a new faucet on the Web,
to parts suppliers world- where all the suppliers
wide, taking up to a week have instant access to it.
to reach them.
STEP TWO If suppliers can't meet On the Web, suppliers can
Moen's specs, they make make design changes instant-
changes and send a new CD ly. They don't have to wait
to Moen, taking another to see if they work with
week. other changes.
STEP THREE Moen works the changes in- Moen folds the changes into
to a new design. If the a master Web file. Adjust-
changes cause other pro- ments can be made instantly.
blems, the process starts Time taken so far: two to
again. Time taken so far: three days.
up to 16 weeks.
STEP FOUR Suppliers make the tools to New laser tools and Web
produce the parts. If they files are more precise, so
do not meet specs, they have the supplier gets it right
to start over. Time taken: the first time. Time taken:
up to 24 weeks. another four to five days.
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Copyright 2001 , by The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. All rights reserved.
