The latest attempt by manufacturing companies to improve productivity is material offshore sourcing. (Photo courtesy of the S.C. State Ports Authority)

For companies such as Daimler Chrysler Corp., Bosch and Ford Motor Corp., getting supplies to the right place at the right time is more than a critical success factor. It is the foundation of the manufacturing process, particularly in the automotive industry, which relies so heavily on timelines and delivery schedules to meet production goals.

It wouldn’t be the first time industry sought ways to get more done with less in a more efficient manner. All of manufacturing seems to be in a permanent state of self-improvement, with a series of tools and systems to increase productivity and efficiencies in processes.

First there was total quality management, followed by just-in-time supply chain sourcing, then LEAN manufacturing and Six Sigma systems.

The latest attempt to improve is material offshore sourcing, designed to improve business procedures and information driving the intercontinental shipment of goods through multiple business partners, from the foreign supplier to the domestic “ship to” party. A planning team has been created to represent the Material Offshore Sourcing project, a program of the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

The companies comprising the MOSS project team, brought together to improve information processes in the supply chain, include the Automotive Industry Action Group, Bosch, Daimler Chrysler Corp., Ford Motor Corp., General Motors Corp. and Honda of America Mfg. To ensure security measures are part of the processes, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection also sits on the planning team.