Peek Behind The Mask

摘要

Materials handling systems suppliers are going to heroic lengths to solve customer problems these days. Part of that is because companies like yours are cutting their vendor lists and those vendors are looking for ways to stay "relevant," if not heroic. An investment banker with expertise in the materials handling sector told me there's a lot of pressure on these suppliers to be invaluable members of your team (see "When outsiders become insiders," p. 33). "Technology is enabling remote monitoring and sensing of systems out in the field for an affordable cost," says Jim Lavelle, managing director and co-head of the Industrial & Environmental Technologies group for the investment banking firm Houlihan Lokey. "Customers have been pruning their manufacturing staffs and now they want to focus their resources on their primary business and have their systems managed and supervised and maintained by outside vendors. The services side will be a very nice supplement for this sector."