Timing Is Everything

摘要

In the world of business, much like in everyday life, timing is everything. It can be one of the most critical factors to the success or failure of any company. And more often than not, every company experiences unexpected events, setbacks, and generally, just bad timing. This was the case for a subsidiary of one of the world's largest metallurgical coal producers for the global steel industry when, in summer 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) informed the manufacturer that the current operating facility that was housing its centrifuge was no longer up to code and meeting current safety requirements. An upgraded facility would need to be constructed and the centrifuge transferred to this new location. As a major manufacturer of blast furnace and foundry coke, the Alabama-based subsidiary operates three batteries with a total of 120 coke ovens that produce approximately 460,000 tons of coke each year. The company is also a major producer of industrial coke, egg coke, buckwheat coke, nut coke, light oil, and coal tar. So needless to say, building a new facility for the centrifuge and moving the operation to this new location without effecting productivity was going to be no small feat.