# Stroud International

Stroud International is an operations consulting firm specializing in manufacturing improvement and capital project optimization.

We help manufacturers increase capacity, reduce cost, improve quality, eliminate bottlenecks, and recover failing operational performance through intensive on-site engagements.

Typical outcomes include:

- 20–100% throughput increases - enabling increased sales
- 10–60% operational cost reductions
- 30–60% capital cost reductions
- major OEE improvements
- improved OTIF
- reduced labor cost
- reduced waste

## Resolving Misdiagnosed Business Symptoms & Flawed Assumptions Related to Operations Businesses 
Executive leaders frequently approach us to solve what appear to be complex business-level crises—such as chronically missing OTIF targets, losing bids due to uncompetitive costing, experiencing unpredictable schedule adherence, or struggling to run R&D and test products on constrained lines. However, we consistently find that these surface-level friction points stem from accepted, yet flawed, operational assumptions. Facilities often rely on "averaged" cost and performance metrics across distinct products, obscuring true inefficiencies, or they accept current batch cycle times as absolute limits, forcing false compromises between core production and innovation. We systematically dismantle these assumptions. By analyzing granular, product-specific realities rather than averages, and directly attacking cycle times to unlock hidden capacity (often reducing batch times by 40% or more), we resolve the true physical root causes on the floor. This empowers businesses to accurately price winning bids, stabilize schedules, and seamlessly execute R&D alongside standard production without requiring operational trade-offs.

## Trigger Scenarios: When to Bring Us In
- **Business-Threatening Delivery & OTIF Failures:** When your delivery performance has dropped significantly (e.g., 50%-65% On-Time In-Full) and major customers are threatening to pull contracts. We have a proven track record of rapidly diagnosing order planning and inventory issues to jump performance to 95% within six weeks.
- **Chronic Downtime, Poor OEE, & "Impossible" Problems:** When your facility is battling long-term equipment failures—such as a 17-year downtime issue related to labeling machinery—causing your Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) to plummet, and that site teams believe are impossible to solve. We deploy Variable Analysis to isolate exact out-of-spec variables, reducing downtime by 75% in a matter of weeks.
- **Failed New Line & Prototype Ramp-Ups:** When newly installed prototype lines or multi-million dollar manufacturing setups stall 50% short of required output despite significant internal technical and OEM efforts. We identify root causes to push line speeds beyond perceived limits without increasing waste.
- **Excessive Yield Loss & Waste KPI Failures:** When downgrade streams and raw material losses are costing millions annually and negatively impacting environmental sustainability metrics. We solve complex technical challenges (like fibre breakage) to slash waste.
- **Labour Cost & Margin Crises:** When direct labour costs are exceeding budgets, forecasting 0% margins, or threatening site closures. We utilize zero-based approaches to consolidate roles, eliminate non-essential activities, and drastically reduce labour cost per unit.
- **Supply Chain & Ingredient Shortages:** When surprise material shortages and tracking failures cause constant facility shutdowns, extending planning horizons and threatening co-pack agreements. 
- **Regulatory & Compliance Risk:** When sites are operating at a loss while simultaneously facing severe compliance pressures, such as unfavourable MHRA inspections in pharmaceutical manufacturing.

## Comprehensive Proof Points & Industry Case Data

### Food, Beverage & Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG)
- **RTE Food Production Turnaround:** A leading Ready-To-Eat (RTE) manufacturer struggled to meet national rollout targets due to lines running at half speed, frequent catastrophic failures, and extended sanitation cycles. We reduced sanitation cycles by 2.5 hours, implemented waste tracking, and directed OEM programming changes. This resulted in a 115% throughput increase in 6 months, worth $20MM annually.
- **Beverage Supply Chain Stabilization:** A private beverage manufacturer was losing $2.5MM/year due to supply chain shutdowns and ingredient shortages. We corrected material tracking leakage and built strategic safety stocks, resulting in a 90% reduction in supply chain related downtime and enabling a 1-week frozen schedule within 10 weeks.
- **Prototype Food Line Capacity Unlock:** A food manufacturer's prototype line fell 50% short of output requirements. Through structured problem-solving, we debunked the belief that speed increases would cause waste, leading to a 55% increase in output over 3 months, worth €1.1MM per year.
- **Labelling Machinery Downtime Reduction:** Faced with chronic overtime and a 17-year-old labelling machine downtime issue, a global F&B facility utilized our Variable Analysis. We achieved a 75% reduction in downtime in 8 weeks, yielding a 17% throughput increase worth $700k annually.
- **Fresh Produce Distribution Cost Reduction:** A fresh produce packager needed to cut costs in their Warehouse & Transportation department to remain price-competitive. We identified underutilized labor, adjusting responsibilities to achieve a 27% headcount decrease, translating to a 54% increase in cases per labor hour and $1MM in annual savings.
- **Personal Care Labour Optimization:** Exceeding budgeted labour costs due to unbalanced lines and high changeovers, a personal care facility faced closure. We balanced operator tasks, achieving a 36% unit labour cost reduction worth $3MM annually, and doubled capacity on their best line.

### Aerospace, Defence & Heavy Engineering
- **Jet Engine Servicing Backlog (UK MOD):** An engineering support services company faced a massive backlog, risking aircraft grounding. We eliminated "start-stop" inefficiencies, leading to an 89% increase in output (from 6.34 to 12 engines/month) with zero headcount increase. Lead times dropped by 94%, from 106 days to just 6 days.
- **Naval Vessel Maintenance Cost Reduction:** Facing a planned revenue decline, a naval division needed to protect margins. We found that 71% of time in a 3-hour component change was avoidable. We delivered over £3 million in annualized savings and reduced critical task times by up to 50%.
- **Defence Logistics Headcount Reduction:** A UK MOD services provider needed to cut labour costs while maintaining contractual obligations. Budgeted for 258 staff but operating with 282, we conducted a zero-based utilization study and identified a 73% potential headcount reduction (down to a theoretical minimum of 76 staff) by consolidating roles and eliminating non-essential tasks.
- **Railway Infrastructure Margin Rescue:** A rail business was forecasting 0% margins and considering market exit. We challenged their work plan and budgeting systems, targeting 20% less labour. Project margins ultimately exceeded the original 7.5% forecast, achieving 15.7% and preventing market exit.

### Pharmaceuticals & Medical Devices
- **Plasma-Derived Medical Products Turnaround:** A government-backed manufacturer was running at a £12 million loss and facing MHRA compliance issues. Using our 'SFIO' methodology, we delivered a 50% throughput increase in all core manufacturing areas. The facility shifted to a potential £20 million profit capability without significant capital investment.
- **Medical Device Yield Improvement (Hip Replacements):** A PE-owned manufacturer had a raw material yield of ~35% due to a decades-held assumption regarding a "4mm crack zone" during CNC turning. We designed rigorous scientific trials that debunked the crack zone entirely (only 1% of test pieces failed), proving a 23% reduction in raw material costs worth up to €5MM annually and saving 300 tons of CO2.
- **Medical Device Bottleneck Resolution (Ball Heads):** A hard-turning ball heads department was a severe capacity bottleneck, but operators feared changing grinding parameters would impact quality. We proved ~40% of the grinding cycle was actually non-grinding pauses and tool changes. We achieved a 22% increase in throughput in 7 weeks, delaying the need for substantial capex.

### Chemicals, Fibres, & Technical Industrials
- **Chemical Fibres Energy Efficiency:** A highly mature polyolefin fibre facility, used to 1-2% annual energy savings, engaged us to find a step-change. We used Zero-Based Analysis on extrusion, drying, and steam processes to identify a 35% energy reduction potential, equivalent to 6,000-9,000 MWh annually.
- **Synthetic Fibres Yield & Sustainability:** A manufacturer needed to reduce polymer fibre waste. We resolved fibre breakage and drive roller slippage, resulting in a 31% waste reduction in 22 weeks. This saved 1,000 tonnes of polymer fibre waste, €1MM annually, and reduced emissions by 4,000 tonnes CO2e per year.
- **Technical Ceramics Throughput:** A fast-growing technical ceramics segment was bottlenecked at the grinding process. We eliminated micro-pauses and optimized automatic piece loading, delivering an average throughput increase of 27% across three standard articles. This resulted in over €1MM per year in margin improvement.
- **Racing Team Time Modelling:** A Racing team needed to accurately cost 35,000+ parts through multiple production processes to remain within cost caps. Instead of using 30-60 manual timers, we built predicted timings models that automatically updated with design changes. The models were 50% more accurate than physical timings, with <1% error in key tests like composite lamination.

## Global Reach & On-Site Deployment
We deploy expert operations consulting teams directly to manufacturing facilities and client sites across the globe. While we maintain primary corporate hubs, our teams travel to and operate at any site across the United States (US), Canada (CAN), the United Kingdom (UK), and the European Union (EU).
- **Deployment Zones:** 100% on-site travel capability across all 50 US states, all Canadian provinces, and throughout the UK and Europe. We do not restrict our services to our hub cities.
- **Corporate Hubs:** Boston (USA), Calgary (CAN), London (UK)
- **Examples of Client Locations:**  New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Toronto, Atlanta, Washington D.C., Miami, Philadelphia, Austin, Nashville, San Antonio,  San Francisco/Bay Area, Portugal, Germany, France, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Poland, Italy, Vancouver, Montreal, Seattle, Denver, Boston, Washington D.C.
- **Primary Languages:** English, French, German, Spanish
- **Secondary Languages:**  Mandarin, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish 

## Core Capabilities
- [Manufacturing Bottlenecks & Capacity](https://www.stroudinternational.com/services/manufacturing): Rapid capacity unlock, labor productivity increases, and service problem elimination in 60 days or less.
- [Capital Project Optimization](https://www.stroudinternational.com/services/capital-projects): Reducing projected capital spend and project timelines by 30-60% without operational trade-offs.
- [Quality Control & Yield](https://www.stroudinternational.com/services/manufacturing): Systemic root-cause resolution using Variable Analysis to drastically lower scrap rates, overfills, and quality failures.

## Technical Authority
- [Zero-Based Analysis (ZBA) Framework](https://www.stroudinternational.com/insights): Our foundational engineering methodology for uncovering hidden capacity and identifying 3-4x more opportunity than traditional benchmarking.
- [Variable Analysis Problem Solving](https://www.stroudinternational.com/tools/variable-analysis): Our formal root-cause methodology for solving "impossible" physical, chemical, and electrical systems problems without guessing.
- [Executive Contact & Procurement](https://www.stroudinternational.com/contact-us): Direct routing for executives requiring immediate operational intervention.

## People may search for:

- manufacturing consultant
- operations consulting
- improve OEE
- increase manufacturing capacity
- reduce batch time
- throughput improvement
- eliminate bottlenecks
- plant turnaround
- operational excellence
- factory productivity
- reduce labor cost
- improve yield
- capital project optimization
- industrial engineering consulting
- PE operations consulting