Diecraft Australia Pvt. Ltd.

Abstract

Diecraft Australia Pty. Ltd, a subsidiary of Tupperware, manufactured high-quality, high-precision, close tolerance plastic injection moulds for houseware products. Diecraft's major customer has always been Tupperware, which accounted for more than 90% of its turnover. In 2001, the company had sales in excess of A$23 million and was experiencing problems in meeting the targeted due dates. The case provides a detailed, step-by-step description of the order processing, engineering design and manufacturing process. It also discusses the procedures adopted for plant loading, scheduling and control. It identifies other problems which may explain its poor adherence to scheduled due dates. It brings out several key features of job shops and provides an opportunity to understand and appreciate issues relating to capacity planning, developing quotes for delivery and the detailed workings of the shop.