When a fully operational plant factory exceeds its limits

Hello everyone! I’m Shohei.
This column is written mainly based on my field experience.
After being on site for over 10 years, there are truly many things that happen. I’m writing about things I remember, as they come to mind.
Well, please read it casually, like “Oh, so that’s how other factories are.”

When a Fully Operational Plant Factory Exceeds Its Limits

“Can you add 200 more cases by the weekend?”
A sudden call from Mr. A in the sales department. I went pale for a moment. The factory was already operating at full capacity. It was like shouting “One more person can fit!” on an already packed train.

Have you ever seen such a scene at your workplace? The confrontation between sales and production departments. This “sacred battle” seems to be a common occurrence throughout the manufacturing industry.

A Confrontation Between Two Completely Different Worlds

Sales continues to climb the mountain of sales targets, while the production department desperately maintains the balance of efficiency. These two departments are like different creatures, fundamentally different in their way of thinking.

The salesman who walks cutting through the wind with his shoulders, saying “Sales is all about selling!”
The production manager who clutches the production schedule, saying “Quality and efficiency are life!”

And our plant factory was no exception.

Between “Impossible” and “Somehow”

“Can’t you somehow ship more?”
Every time I hear these words, my stomach aches a little more. Even if we ask the leafy vegetables illuminated by LED lights to grow a little faster, there are physical limits to plant growth.

But I can’t easily refuse by saying “It’s impossible.” It’s a matter of trust with customers. When faced with a sudden increase in orders from a client, sales finds it difficult to say “That’s impossible at our plant factory.” It’s like saying “Today’s lunch is sold out” at a restaurant. Just imagining the disappointed face makes my heart ache.

The Pitfall of “We’ll Manage Somehow”

If you casually answer “We’ll manage somehow,” another problem awaits.
Because what does “We’ll manage somehow” really mean?
“We’ll make employees work overtime”
“We’ll sacrifice tomorrow’s production plan”
“We’ll skip some quality checks”

Such responses are like taking on debt. You might get by temporarily, but eventually repayment comes with significant interest.

Even more frightening is the “lesson” that the sales side learns:
“Even if they say no at first, if you push, they’ll manage somehow”

Inwardly, I wanted to shout, “Putting pressure on plants won’t make them grow faster!”

From Confrontation to Cooperation

What is the key to resolving this eternal battle?
It’s for both departments to accurately understand the “limitations of the factory.”

At our plant factory, we began sharing growth data in weekly production meetings. By showing specific numbers such as the relationship between LED light intensity and growth rate, predictions of harvestable quantities, and limitations in personnel allocation, the sales department came to understand, “I see, so this is the limit.”

With data as a common language, we can have calm discussions rather than emotional confrontations.

To exceed the factory’s limits, perhaps it begins not with forcing things, but with accurately knowing the limits.

Are there such departmental conflicts in your workplace? If so, how do you resolve them? Please let me know. Plants don’t grow faster when pushed, but wisdom grows when shared.

This column is sourced from a collection of know-how for improving field operations

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