Inventory Management Organization

Abstract

My career in materials management started at the Textileather Division of the General Tire Company. I was assigned to the Production Control Department, the function of which was to schedule plant operations and control raw materials. My rather sarcastic boss described a scheduler as a person who was an expert in everything but scheduling. In a way, he was correct. The scheduler had to work with the sales people to understand the requirements of the customer. An understanding of manufacturing operations was necessary to schedule the various work centers. Scheduling sample orders through the facility required a close association with the research people. At the time of the dreaded annual physical inventory or when the dollar value of the inventory took an unexpected rise, an understanding of the basic accounting practices was an absolute necessity. The management of inventory at Textleather related to every function within the division, just as now, when it is understood that the supply chain is connected by the inventory control process.