Time-Based Process Mapping for Lead Time Compression in the Apparel Supply Chain: A Case Study

Abstract

Fashion industries are highly globalized as designing, manufacturing and selling are performed in different countries. As a result, it has a long supply chain and long lead time. Identification of value-added time through-out the supply chain is a key research area in apparel industries. This case study investigated detailed activities of thirty contracts of an apparel supply chain by considering the manufacturer as a coupling point of upstream (suppliers) and downstream (buyer). The contract frequencies were analyzed based on lead time and quantity. Each contract was analyzed using a time-based process mapping (TBPM). TBPMs of all contracts showed that overall 45% were non-value-added activities throughout the chain. It was also identified that the non-value activities were independent of the contract volume. This study recommends time compression methodology to reduce the non-value-added activities by using advanced manufacturing technologies. The methodology and recommended time compression ways of this study can be applied to other supply chains.