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Why (and How) to Take a Plant Tour

• David M. Upton
• Stephen E. Macadam

By adopting a systematic approach to plant tours, visitors can uncover and communicate a wealth of strategic and operating information.

In recent years, managers have recognized how manufacturing capabilities contribute to a company’s overall strategic strength. The ability to respond quickly to customers’ orders, to customize products to match customers’ exact requirements, or to ramp up production rapidly can be a powerful and difficult-to-imitate competitive weapon. But many corporate managers identify their plants’ capabilities only by accident—as a result of chance conversations with plant managers or operations specialists. Consequently, many managers do not have the information necessary to cultivate, shape, and exploit their company’s manufacturing capabilities. As plants develop, however, they need guidance to build capabilities that meet current and future needs. Plant tours can be a powerful way of providing factories with that kind of direction.

• David M. Upton is the American Standard Companies Professor of Operations Management at the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School.
• SM Stephen E. Macadam is a principal at McKinsey & Company’s Charlotte, North Carolina, office.

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Site Visit or Plant Tour: How to Maximize Its Effectiveness

• December 3, 2018
• Supplier Assessment , Supplier Sourcing

We’ve talked about why and how you should do a site visit before. Even though you know a site visit is of great importance in assuring you the quality and the consistency of your future products, you may still find it hard to put it to effective use. This is all the more true if you or your team have limited experience in conducting site visits or plant tours.

For some, especially those who are looking for overseas suppliers, site visits are both time and money consuming. Especially when you don’t have a local team to help you with that.

So what can you do to ensure an effective site visit? How can you maximize the effectiveness of the plant tours?

We’ve broken the whole site visit into the following 3 parts, so you’ll have a better idea of what to do in each phase of the site visit so as to make it effective as you hope.

Before the visit

Before going straight forward to the supplier, there are things that you can do to save time for the both parties. Such preparations are of utmost important in that they set the tone for the rest of the tasks that follow.

Prioritize your goals for the site visit

First, you need to know for sure why you want to do the site visit, what accomplishments you want to achieve, who do you think you should talk to if you want to get the problem solved.

Without knowing where to focus the time and effort, it’s almost unlikely that you will see a promising outcome for the site visit.

The last thing you want to do is to make the site visit just a day tour to the factory, only to discover that the site visit is but a tiring and non-effective waste of time.

Gather the right resources

Once you’ve set the goals for your site visit, it shouldn’t be hard for you to gather the right resources to actually going to the site.

For example, you should include a quality engineer in your site visit team if one of your priorities is product quality. And you should definitely include a sourcing professional if you want to make sure the product price is not off the chart.

It is, of course, very natural for you to include as many people who have site visiting experience as you can. Because the more site visits one has done, the easier for them to maximize the effectiveness of the tours. However, with the clear goals and structure set, it’s easy for even the young, in-experienced engineers to get the most out of site visits.

Do a joint preparation

When you have the goals and team set, the next thing you do is to start preparing for the visit. And we suggest doing a joint preparation, i.e. a joint meeting between you and the potential supplier.

In this way, you won’t have to explain to your supplier what exactly are you looking for at the site and waste the precious visiting time. And your supplier can prepare the required information such as data, numbers, figures when you ask for it at the site.

In addition, you can settle down on the detail schedule for the visit and propose changes to items that are of little importance to your visit goals.

During the visit

We’ve covered in the post Select the Ideal Supplier With a Site Visit  about what questions you should as during a site visit.

Here is just a screen shot for your reference. Feel free to give it a read if you’re interested in knowing more.

After the visit

When the visit ends, it’s crucial that you summarize the visit into a form of report and then send feedback to your potential supplier.

On the one hand, the site visit report is a good way to tell how well you and your team have achieved the goals you set before the visit. In addition, the report provides an objective insight of whether the visited supplier is a good fit for your product.

On the other hand, your potential supplier could use the feedback to improve their expertise and capabilities. Even though the supplier won’t be your choice at the end, it’s still good for your business to maintain a nice, friendly relationship with more potential suppliers.

If site visits are almost impossible…

There are many cases where site visits are almost impossible to be done. For example, when your potential suppliers are located somewhere across the world; when you don’t have the right resources to assess the potential suppliers at site; when the suppliers refuse any chance of site visiting from you…

If you’re still bothered by the above problems, feel free to reach out to us, and we’d be more than happy to fix the problem for you.

We have a team of engineers with decades of experience in field; we’re located in Asia so it’s easier for us to get around; we have great relationships with hundreds of suppliers in almost any industries… In a nutshell, we’ve got you covered.

Feel free to let us know what’s bothering you, and we’ll see what we can do to help.

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5 Key Benefits to Taking a Factory Tour

A factory tour? Thanks but no. You’re busy and have got better things to do than a factory tour – right?

Well, while you are busy and it’s easy to dismiss these events as a jolly, for us as interior architects & designers working on large-scale new build and refurbishment projects, continual professional development [CPD] is key to remaining on top of ever-changing design and technology developments in the industry.

Factory tours are one of the most valuable activities we undertake – and we’re always encouraging our clients to do the same.

If you’re a client developing a new hotel or new office project, it really does pay to visit your potential suppliers personally and find out more about their products and the way they work – and whether they are right for your project.

So what’s in it for you?

Well, to help you decide if you’ll accept your next supplier invite, we’ve compiled our list of the top 5 benefits of taking a factory tour with you and your busy diary in mind… take a look, discover what makes these visits so valuable and see for yourself the benefits they can bring to your project:

1. Relationships

Taking a factory tour is a wonderful way to build relationships with your suppliers and show them your serious about your project. Connecting personally and building great supplier relationships face to face leads to better service, better pricing and better outcomes for your project.

Earning your suppliers trust and involving them in your project from the earliest stages, ensures they become a strategic partner, vested in the project’s success.

2. Communication

Effective supplier relationships are all about excellent communication. Visiting your suppliers and seeing how they work is a crucial step in developing and agreeing on a communication style that leads to success for your project.

Moving from a purely transactional mindset and improving the way you connect and coordinate with your suppliers will lead to advantages in the speed and efficiencies of procuring products, reducing lead times and improving perfect orders.

3. Knowledge

Knowledge is power and Factory tours provide a powerful way to learn first hand how products come together.

Talking face to face with the experts, seeing the materials and activities that go into the manufacturing process and witnessing the final quality checks not only provides you with intimate knowledge of that particular product – the innovative manufacturing processes you witness may also inspire your thinking about your own working methods

4. Assesement

Evaluating a supplier and the products they produce from a distance is possible, but nothing will tell you the whole story like a factory tour.

You may already be familiar with the product range, but the benefit of a site visit to the factory and head office enables you to see – from the inside – the way the business works, how they manage their processes & production runs, what their quality management looks like and how sustainable and responsible their manufacturing is.

5. Negotiation

Strong negotiation can be the difference between a successful on budget project and a failed one. Where better to negotiate with a potential supplier than personally just after a factory tour?

As Ed Brodow, negotiation expert says “ Negotiators are detectives ” they ask the right questions and amass the right information to ensure they get the best deal. Knowing who you are dealing with and understanding their business personally will lead to smarter deals that benefit your project

A factory tour really is a great way to build balanced and sustainable supplier relationships that will truly benefit your projects. However, a visit is only as good as the planning and purpose you put into it, so before you go, organise your objectives and ask yourself a few key questions:

• Are you there to learn, to witness or to negotiate?
• Or is it all three?
• Are you looking to build relationships?
• Are you checking out capability or simply judging quality?
• What does a successful outcome look like for you?

Being clear on your objectives before your visit will ensure that you get the most out of the day and that your visit is productive and successful.

Find out more about our recent Hansgrohe Factory Tour and if you’re interested in taking some factory tours yourself, the RIBA CPD website is a great place to start.

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The Surprising Power of a Factory Tour

It’s not just about marketing; it’s about engaging people in solutions to real problems. 

Can something as simple as a factory tour play a role in solving some of the macro-level problems that plague the construction industry? The short answer may well be “Yes.”  

As the industry looks to its future, a number of issues sit in its metaphorical in-box waiting to be addressed: the labor shortage continues, with the number of job openings continuing on its increasing trend and reaching over 300,000 per month in mid-2021; productivity growth has continued to lag that of other industries ; and despite continuing adoption of sustainable construction practices, more improvement is necessary .

The good news is that there is a clear path to progress on each of these fronts, and that path entails increased use of prefab and modular construction methods. Yet many firms are setting foot on that path only hesitantly; while a reported three-fourths of firms have used prefab to one extent or another , for any individual firm that extent has not been great; only two in ten make use of prefab on half of their projects or more.

While legitimate concerns about the state of prefab and modular construction technologies have been expressed, it’s also clear that, as often as not, misperceptions about these techniques among firms, customers, and communities are the reason they’re not being used more.

Use Factory Tours to Build Engagement

The need, however, goes beyond education; it requires a real sense of engagement on the part of all stakeholders. It can be a challenge to generate and sustain that feeling of engagement in the bigger picture when people have day-in and day-out problems they need to solve. If you surveyed those who work in construction and related fields, the majority would almost certainly tell you they’d like to learn more. And that’s where a tour of a facility that manufactures prefab or modular units can be surprisingly effective. There’s no better way for any industry, or industry sub-sector, to build a sense of engagement than to make those stakeholders feel like insiders, to give them a peek behind the curtain in the form of a formal manufacturing center tour. And that benefits both the manufacturer and the customer alike.

There are a lot of ways tours can be designed to enhance the experience. Engaging all the senses makes everything more memorable. So does giving participants the chance to get a feel for the final product. At the Louisville Slugger factory tour, participants can handle the wooden rods that will soon become baseball bats, and in the process they’ll “smell the wood, and see the wood chips fly. ” The Harley-Davidson museum tour ends with participants being given a chance to settle into the saddle of a brand new motorcycle.   

But while the effectiveness of the tour’s script will be enhanced by any of these additions, the tour guide’s words are still the most important source of engagement. Those words should be written keeping in mind a simple idea from author Simon Sinek: “People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it.” And while your customers already know what you do, and any tour makes it more clear how you do it, the real benefit of a tour for both parties is to deeply and compellingly communicate why you do it.

Well, why do you do it? The answer is different for each company, but the answer must involve solving the customer’s problems.   

What problems can use of prefab or modular construction components solve?

Using prefab and modular components can not only increase labor productivity, it can result in improved scheduling, quality control, safety, and costs .

Using modular components can enhance sustainability by reducing waste, reducing disruption of the local community during construction, and reducing energy use during operation .

Modular construction does not result in “cookie-cutter” building design, and does not in fact have to reduce architectural creativity in any way.

This list of problems solvable through use of prefab/modular components actually looks a lot like the list of industry-wide “big picture” problems discussed above.

Use Tour Guide Headsets to Improve Communication

But there’s still one other critical consideration: none of this will work if the manufacturing floor is too noisy for the tour guide to be heard. Here the solution is straightforward: a wireless tour guide system that equips everyone involved with a comfortable headset and receiver/transceiver combination. The headsets are equipped with noise-reduction features, allowing the speaker’s voice to be heard clearly, right in the listener’s ears at normal conversational volume. And that creates the sense that the speaker’s words are directed at each person individually, almost more so than the group as a whole, which enhances the sense of engagement on everyone’s part.

Ultimately, the only truly effective marketing programs are those that communicate a solution to the customer’s problem. By ensuring that the message is heard, a wireless tour guide system empowers the client to use the company’s products to solve problems – not just day-to-day problems, but industry-wide issues as well.     

This is a guest post written by Rick Farrell, President of Plant-Tours.com .         

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Why and How to Conduct a Factory Tour

By Hale Foote, Scandic Springs

Reposted with permission of Springs  magazine, a publication of the Spring Manufacturers Institute (www.smihq.org).

Should you consider opening the doors of your manufacturing facility to visitors? And if the answer is “yes,” how can you best conduct a tour of the plant?

Why Let the World In?

Having visitors come to your manufacturing facility offers a unique opportunity to present the business in a favorable way. When properly planned and executed, it is among our company’s most potent sales tools.

Most sales in a technical field like ours involve plenty of education. An engineer needs to learn whether your capabilities are suited to the project; a buyer wants to make sure your business processes are up to the task. Spending time together in the factory lets them learn all they need to satisfy their requirements, and the factory setting provides a much richer environment, compared to a meeting over lunch or most email or telephone interactions.

Even when the visitors don’t have a specific part they are trying to source, we look at factory tours as effective marketing. Many times I have had a visitor exclaim something like: “I knew you were a spring company, but I now see that you also do tooling and stamping. My project has a new stamping, too.” Seeing our wide range of processes very often leads to more work from an existing customer.

We host several different types of visitors who are not customers at all, or at least not yet. These long- range prospects include engineering students and their professors from Stanford and Berkeley; Scandic is now established as part of their engineering curriculum, helping with senior design projects and giving free samples of materials. I have been invited to lecture and to participate in roundtable programs there, which I think of as leveraging the marketing impact of the plant tour.

We have even invited Boy Scout troops and high school manufacturing clubs (start them young!) to tour our facility. Some of these kids are future engineers and customers, and I feel the exposure also gets the word out about manufacturing as a career choice. One of our most unusual tours was a Family Day for employees’ families, with all the machines running. I overheard one say “it’s the first time in 25 years that my family has seen what I do for a living,” and his pride was obvious.

I am often asked about confidentiality concerns regarding customer identities and their information. Like many manufacturers today, we have nondisclosure agreements with most of our customers. My advice is simply to keep prints and specs covered; if there is a particularly sensitive part or process running, shut it down beforehand and don’t dwell in that area of the plant. Before we start, I ask visitors to respect the privacy of the information, and remind them that their data will be treated the same.

How to Structure an Effective Tour

Manufacturing plants can be complex and overwhelming to a first-time visitor. I have learned the hard way that a little preparation can make all the difference in a tour. First, what time of day is best? Consider your production shift schedule; most visitors will want to see machines in action and observe how your operation works, which is difficult outside of production hours. But be very aware of both safety and cleanliness: safety because that is paramount for everyone, and housekeeping because a dirty restroom can spoil an otherwise positive impression. Keeping the plant in a visitor-ready state contributes to safety, too. And consider whether distributing safety glasses is prudent.

Spend some time to rehearse your presentation until you get comfortable. Think about the message you want to send: Are you trying to demonstrate overall competency, or do you need to show expertise in forming a kind of part that this particular visitor needs?

Who should conduct the tour? It depends on the type of visitor, and what you are trying to convey. An account manager often handles a general introductory tour. A visitor with a specific design challenge will benefit from an engineering-focused tour given by a sales engineer or engineering manager. These kinds of visitors might concentrate their time in the area of the plant which would produce the part under consideration.

Note that a quality audit is a very different kind of visit, primarily involving your QA staff and concentrating on documentation and process controls. Quality audits are usually driven by the visitor’s checklist.

Plan the direction of flow, and try walking it to see where you can stop to talk safely. In our plant, where jobs are constantly being setup and torn down, I find it useful to review the production area right before visitors arrive to know what is interesting today and what areas to avoid.

Starting and ending in the conference room is useful but not essential. But be sure to pass through your well-organized shipping area. I can tell visitors that we ship about one million parts every month, but it is more effective for them to see the bar-coded boxes lined up to ship to locations around the world.

Because Scandic has five production departments (coiling, tooling, fourslide, punch press, secondary ops) we point out synergies between departments, such as: “These parts are blanked on this waterjet, and you can see them being formed on the brake press over there.” This kind of narrative will help you from forgetting to mention an important area. But recognize that for a new visitor, some processes are sexier than others; I have to tear people away from watching the CNC wireforming machines!

If you have a large group, break into smaller teams. Generally four to six is the maximum workable size per team, at least in our plant. Even with small groups, remember that the tour guide should enunciate toward the visitors, not to the machine! You don’t need to stare at the loud punch press while you describe it: direct your voice towards the listeners, and be conscious of noise levels. One technique is to introduce a process while standing away from a noisy work center, then allow visitors to approach closer (if safe). It’s even more interesting to visitors if you can pass around a warm part fresh off the machine. Engineers especially love to hold a progression strip and figure out for themselves how the part is being stamped. If your parts are small, send visitors home with samples; it helps to prolong their experience.

Finally, remember that people are the company’s greatest ambassadors. Identify department supervisors and/or line workers who are good spokespeople, and let visitors speak with them directly. The best salesperson is never as convincing as the technician who has mastered a process. Some operators enjoy demonstrating their skill, and having them describe their area to visitors lets them shine. It also demonstrates the depth of knowledge throughout the company, and your visitors will remember that more than the “sales talk.”

In a time when most communication is electronic, an in-plant visit delivers a powerful message about what we have to offer. Tours by prospects, current customers, and even members of the community are a great way to market the business. Plant tours can showcase capabilities that even an existing customer might not know about, but planning and preparation are essential to make the visit worthwhile.

About the Author: Hale Foote is the President of Scandic Springs, Inc. Scandic is the largest spring and stamping company in Northern California, making custom metal parts for companies in the medical, automotive and aerospace fields worldwide. He has used Scandic to work with students and teachers at local schools and universities to promote careers in manufacturing. He is also on the board of directors of Manex and other nonprofits. Before joining Scandic, he practiced law in Washington, DC.  

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Published August 6, 2015 and updated July 22, 2021

How to Give a Successful Plant Tour

If you work in manufacturing, plant tours are likely a part of your everyday job. While it might not seem like a process that requires much attention to detail, there are actually dozens, if not hundreds, of different factors to consider during a plant tour. This is especially true when it comes to safety and communication.

Whether you’re trying to teach a plant visitor about workflow process or impress a potential client, giving a quality plant tour is essential in vetting new business and maintaining current business. What is one of the biggest challenges of successful plant tours? Noise.

At Sonetics , we know all about that. So, allow us to break down the ins and outs of plant tours and show you why efficient, clear communication is so important. We’ll also provide you with other tips and advice for giving an all-around successful plant tour.

Know Your Visitors’ Objectives

First and foremost, you should know the objective of your group’s visit to your plant. Knowing this will help you understand where they will be directing most of their attention during the tour, letting you plan ahead for the specific features and details you might want to point out, and can help you anticipate potential questions.

Will your guests be checking to make sure the quality of your plant is up to par? Probably. Are they looking to outsource the manufacturing of their product to your plant? Maybe. Are they investors looking to back one of your current clients? It’s possible. This article will give you a better idea of what visitors might be looking for when they visit your plant and can help you plan the flow and highlights of your tour.

No matter their objectives, you should do your best to make sure you provide your guests with a quality experience. The easiest way to do that is to make effective communication your top priority.

Prepare for Effective Plant Tour Communication

Most plant tour directors know when they should or shouldn’t speak to their groups during the tour of their facility. Likely, there are quieter hallways or corridors where the tour guide talks to the group, explains where they’re headed, and allows for questions before heading into a high-noise environment. Sounds familiar, right? While this practice is considered a standard operating procedure, it’s not all that safe or efficient for your tour group.

Lapses in communication mean lapses in safety. To solve this problem, you need a comprehensive wireless communications system. Sonetics’  variety of products can level up your plant tour by allowing your guests to hear clearly as they move about your facility and learn about your manufacturing site. This will improve your tour group’s experience at your plant and the entire safety of your process.

In addition, your group might have immediate questions or concerns that need to be answered or addressed immediately. Whether it’s an important question about a piece of equipment, or a comment about your processes, being able to talk in real-time is key to running a successful operation. By the end of a tour, your visitors might feel a bit overwhelmed. Being able to take feedback and concerns in-the-moment is a definite advantage.

While operations like the Chocolate World Tour at the Hershey Plant may have the luxury of not needing two-way communication devices, if you’re running a real manufacturing plant, your situation is different. The solution is simple: use two-way headsets to allow for efficient communication.

Show Off Your Professionalism

We know that safety is the main reason to use plant tour headsets, however, there are a few more reasons to value advanced, two-way communication systems like those from Sonetics.

If you’re already using a clear communication system for your team, why not use it for your plant tours, too? This gives your visitors a more realistic experience and shows them what it’s like to communicate on the floor of the plant day-in and day-out. They’ll get a firsthand perspective on the operations of your facility.

If your visitors are checking for quality and safety, or are vetting your company for a particular investment or deal, being transparent about your safe and effective communications will help in the long run. You’re already showing off your state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, why not show off the state-of-the-art tools and technology you’re using to make it happen, too? Next thing you know, your tour might be the next Boeing plant tour.

Another great benefit of using wireless communication devices is the opportunity to make introductions on the plant floor in real-time. Rather than waiting until the end of a plant tour to gather people into an office or room for a formal meeting, you can introduce people organically, when it makes sense. This helps with the overall flow of your tour and will help your clients put a name with a face sooner.

So, are you ready to take the leap into safe, efficient, communication with plant tour headsets? Your manufacturing business will thank you. Check out what we offer and don’t hesitate to contact us with your questions or specific needs.

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Touring Your Manufacturer’s Facility: What are the Benefits?

A few weeks ago, I was in Washington, D.C., for the Cherry Blossom Festival, and my friend and I thought we’d stop and get cold drinks from a nearby food truck. 

I didn’t think much of it when I ordered mango tea, but as the man began pouring me a cup of plain coffee creamer, I realized we’d made a terrible mistake. 

Thinking back to the incident, I can now spot the dozens of warning signs I’d ignored. For starters, every other truck had a long line, while this ice cream truck was empty. However, in the simmering heat, I trusted them simply because they’d written “TEA” on the side in big, bold letters. 

Ordering from a flexible material converter without seeing the facility is like buying food from a mysterious food truck: you’ll get something, but it might not be exactly what’s written on the menu. 

Facility tours can be a priceless opportunity to see the machines up close and listen to your converter explain how they use different processes. At Strouse, tours are critical to fostering customer relationships by demonstrating our existing capabilities.

Knowing the benefits of touring your manufacturer’s facility will allow you to determine when facility tours are necessary and how to get the most out of future tours.

5 Benefits of Touring Your Manufacturer’s Facility

Touring your manufacturer’s facility is more than just establishing trust in their capabilities, it’s also a way to further your connections and generate future project ideas.

These benefits of touring a manufacturing facility will demonstrate whether it’s worth the cost to your company:

BENEFIT #1: VERIFY MACHINES AND EQUIPMENT

“Yeah, we can make that for you,” says some guy you met online.

 For all you know, this contact operates a single die cut machine out of his garage. Yet, when you invest in another company for your critical projects, you’ll want to have the utmost faith in their ability to deliver on time.

There’s a considerable difference between owning a single rotary die cut press versus multiple, and depending on where you are in the process, your project requires different capability levels. Not to mention, many businesses plan to scale up their production early.

Will you know whether the equipment they’re showing you is up-to-date rather than over a decade old? If you want to inspect a converter’s equipment, send one of your technical experts to check.

The company members you send on the tour will likely depend on where you are in the cycle. For example, if you’re designing for current projects, it could be helpful to bring your technical team. Meanwhile, if you already have a product planned, you might want to include your logistics or purchasing team. 

Verifying the machines and equipment of a converter is the first step to checking their capability claims and building trust in the legitimacy of their business.

BENEFIT #2: OBSERVE THE STATE OF THEIR FACTORY

Nobody wants their parts built in filthy conditions, yet many people order from manufacturers without ever seeing the inside of their factory. 

For certain products, cleanliness is a much higher priority than for others. For instance, medical tape, bandages, and other products should be produced and stored in a sterile environment. 

When walking through the factory, consider overall cleanliness, organization, material storage, safety measures, and waste disposal. Observe the condition of their factory, including their inventory, to determine whether your contact can safely store your materials and products.

Supply chain issues are commonplace in the manufacturing industry, and your converter might be unable to compete if it can’t order and store enough material to minimize the impact of supply chain disruptions.

Lastly, ask if your converter has immediate expansion plans. It could be a good sign if they’re building, renovating their facilities, or actively adding members to their team. If your converter is steadily progressing as a company and becoming a leader in their respective field, this has positive implications for the work they’ll be doing for you.

BENEFIT #3: MEET WITH YOUR CONTACTS

Meeting your contacts establishes trust between your companies and lets you witness how they operate and meet in the middle of your processes. 

Are they taking your project seriously? How have they handled the information you’ve presented them with so far? Do they ask questions about your current work and personalize the tour?

You can gauge a great deal about a company's culture based on the employees’ willingness to offer clear, insightful answers to your questions. In addition, it’s worth considering who you come into contact with on tour. 

Are you directly communicating with somebody who can answer your more technical questions, or do they leave you hanging? 

Touring a facility also lets you observe a company’s work environment and how the workflow is set up. While this might seem like a minor detail, it provides insight into their operations and inspires questions related to inter-team coordination.

Understanding how a potential partner operates may alter the way you coordinate, so it’s worth noting how the different teams are spread out. 

Is the factory located in a separate building? You may need to confirm whether this business is the one responsible for building your part or if they’re outsourcing engineering and labor. 

BENEFIT #4: INSPECT THEIR PRODUCT LEGITIMACY 

Receiving samples in the mail is all well and good, but it’s different from seeing a converter build parts in real-time. 

Watching rolls of material become products as part of a 1-pass production process will confirm that the machines are operational and that a converter knows how to set them up (which is arguably one of the most difficult aspects of flexible material converting) and build parts daily. 

BENEFIT #5: REFLECT ON YOUR OWN PROJECT 

Touring a manufacturing facility causes customers to reflect on their own project needs.

Firstly, you can rest assured that any product information you reveal will be strictly confidential if your converter suggests a mutual NDA . 

Strouse insists upon a mutual NDA before anyone enters our facilities to preserve the confidentiality of our processes and protect the details of any product, process, or material information you wish to discuss. 

At the end of the day, the question is: what are YOU hoping to get out of this? If you’re willing to travel to see our facility, we want to make sure you get to speak with whomever you’re hoping and see what you’d like. 

Secondly, if you’re hoping to make the most of your tour, it’s useful to warn your converter and let them know more about your project or the capabilities you want to see.

You might be worried that mentioning a specific ability will narrow a converter’s focus too much. From our perspective , it simply gives us a more precise idea of what to show you and how to frame our conversations to make them more useful to you.

Even if your tour guide focuses on specific capabilities, sometimes just seeing the other machines and hearing about your options can spark ideas for your product or manufacturing process.

Should I Tour My Manufacturer’s Facility?

No matter the outcome, you’ll always have a better idea of whether you should work with a particular manufacturer after touring their facility. 

In fact, even if you’ve been to a facility before, it can be beneficial to return  again every few years to discuss your current projects, witness the changes they’ve undergone, and guarantee your converter still follows good manufacturing practices.

The main downside to touring a manufacturer’s facility is figuring out when a tour is necessary and potentially wasting time and travel costs to visit a nonviable option.

If the cost of travel is too much, or you don’t have enough time, there are other ways to qualify the legitimacy of a converter. For instance, you could look online at reviews to see what other people are saying or utilize Google street view to observe the appearance of their address and scope out its size.  

There are three main outcomes of taking a factory tour:

• The manufacturer has your desired equipment and capabilities 
• They DON’T have your desired equipment and capabilities 
• There are some capabilities, but you want to find a better fit

If you can afford the travel costs, and you’re at the point of asking the question, “Should I tour this facility?” the answer is probably yes, you should request a tour.

Every manufacturer has limitations, and touring their facility is a straightforward way to visit, ask questions, and better understand where they focus primarily and how they’re expanding in the current market. 

Are you interested in witnessing Strouse’s manufacturing capabilities up-close and personal? Contact us to schedule a tour.

Lee K. House

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How to Visit a Factory

By bernard milian.

Factories prioritize value creation – the flow analysis from a factory determines the company’s ability to respond to its markets. 

When you visit a factory, beyond the state-of-the-art machines, the impressive technologies, and the exemplary 5S (or not), try to understand how these flows are connected to the needs of the company and its customers.

A visit is quick – an hour or two – and you should quickly try to extract a few key elements from it. 

When I visit a factory for the first time, I ask, if possible, to start at the end of the process, and work back upstream / to the raw materials.

We’re used to starting from the receipt of goods and following the processing stages, in the direction of the flow.

Starting with finished products, and the way they’re shipped to customers gives you a better understanding of your business model. This includes asking simple questions: do you manufacture to stock or to order? 

Surprisingly, the answer to this question isn’t always clear – you’ll have to investigate if, as I heard recently, the answer is “we manufacture to order based on forecasts” … I’ve also heard “we manufacture to order, based on the orders placed by our distribution network”. Hmm. 

By starting with finished products, we can ask questions about customer demand, the lead times they expect, load leveling options, and product variants to be delivered, and shed light on the upstream flow by giving it meaning – this flow has a purpose.

This approach will facilitate the identification of existing or relevant decoupling points to be inserted, differentiation stages, constraints in the flow – and the impact of these constraints (capacity, series changeover, campaign, sequencing, etc.) on the ability to meet customer requirements. 

An industrial operating model is not there to run machines or keep operators busy efficiently. It’s there to respond to customer demand and generate profit in that process. The primary meaning of “Demand Driven” is this: driving a flow to meet a customer demand, efficiently.

If, as you work your way up the factory flow, you see work-in-progress that bears no relation to your understanding of the customer’s request, or if you notice production schemes that don’t seem to be in line with expected lead times or changeover frequencies, ask questions!

In each workshop, a few key questions:

-Are we early or late here? How do I see it?

-What are we going to make next? Why make this? Are we ready for this next production run? How do I see it?

If you have the opportunity, before you visit a plant, gather information – the visit will be brighter if you’ve been able to prepare data-based questions beforehand.

In my experience, two types of data are invaluable:

-Daily sales or demand histories for the company’s finished products. By analyzing them and running simulations, you’ll be able to get an early indication of the signal to which the plant needs to respond – and your questioning will be more incisive.

-Transaction histories on manufacturing steps, for analysis through process mining. You will then visit the workshop with flow diagrams and queuing reports in front of you, enabling you to immediately engage in a well-founded discussion with your contacts.

In any case, at the end of the visit, and while it’s still fresh in your mind, draw a macro diagram of the flows you’ve just been through, identifying the key points: constraints, stacks, and queues.

These few principles also apply beyond the factory floor. If you’re looking at an end-to-end supply chain assessment, however complex, start at the end – with demand – major constraints identification, and draw up the macro flows. This support will then enable you to federate the players involved to identify the target model definition.

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Four tips to help organize a fantastic factory tour

With good planning, people should be able to organize a memorable factory tour for all visitors..

If someone is looking for a way to draw in new customers or investors, a factory tour might be just what someone needs. It’s an excellent opportunity to show off facilities and equipment and introduce the staff. On top of that, a good company tour will emphasize professionalism and help build a stronger bond with clients.

All that is only possible if the factory tour is successful. And factories typically aren’t particularly suitable for tours — they tend to be loud and full of activity. In such conditions, it can be difficult to deliver a good presentation and ensure that everyone in the audience hears it.

Still, there are ways to organize fantastic factory tours that clients and investors will remember for years. Not sure how to do that? Consider these four tips for making a memorable tour.

1. Try to understand factory tour visitors’ goals

In order to organize a successful tour, start by understanding the visitors. If a company knows what they want to see and hear, they’ll have an easier time satisfying the visitors, and they’ll leave feeling their time was well spent. Ultimately, that’s exactly what is wanted.

Of course, someone can’t be sure what each and every member of the visiting group wants to hear. But someone can understand the whole group’s goals. Both investors and clients will probably want to see that the factory is up to par and the product quality is top-notch. But some of their other objectives might not be the same.

For instance, investors are more likely to be interested in a company’s efficiency and financial performance. After all, they are here to decide whether they should invest their money or not. On the other hand, if the visitors are potential clients, they’ll want to know more about the production process, cleanliness and inventory.

Take that into consideration when planning a tour. And of course, if someone doesn’t manage to answer all of the visitors’ questions, give them an opportunity to ask.

2. Use a wireless factory tour guide system

Factories aren’t exactly quiet — machines and people working with them tend to make a lot of noise. Thus, they don’t make a great setting for giving presentations or tours . After all, what’s the point of showing visitors around if they can’t even hear?

And, of course, someone can’t stop all activity as they’re showing visitors around. That wouldn’t only be a waste of money and time but also counterproductive to the tour. The audience wants to see how the company operates on a regular day, not an empty factory that’s not working.

So, how does someone resolve the noise issue then? Well, someone could use a wireless tour guide system during the presentation. These systems contain earpieces and microphones, allowing everyone to communicate even in less than ideal conditions. So, no matter how noisy it is, the presenter doesn’t have to raise their voice. Just speak as one would normally, and everyone will still hear.

Wireless systems usually come in two forms — one- and two-way systems. If a company chooses a two-way one, their visitors will also be able to talk to the company. Depending on the kind of tour, that may be a good idea. Someone might want to hear the audience’s feedback or allow them to ask questions even as they are being shown around.

3. Warn employees in advance

While the goal is to show visitors a regular day at the company, measures should still be taken to ensure everything goes smoothly. One such measure is telling employees an important tour is coming up and instructing them on what to do. For instance, tell them to be quieter or make more room for the group at a specific time.

Warning employees about the tour also gives them enough time to plan their activities with that in mind. Thus, they can postpone anything that may get in the way of the factory tour, as well as any projects a tour might interrupt. So, let them know at least two weeks before the big day — that way, they won’t feel blindsided.

If someone wants any of their employees to talk to visitors and share their experiences, make sure to let them know on time. They ought to prepare themselves for the part they will play in the presentation. For example, they might need time to gather and organize some information the visitors could ask them to provide. And even the most eloquent people can sometimes get tongue-tied if they are suddenly put on the spot. That is why it is best to notify employees well in advance.

4. Prepare information booklets

If someone wants their visitors to remember their factory tour longer, prepare information booklets for them. Hand them out at the start of the tour or give them as gifts at the very end. That way, the company will come off even more professional and prepared, and this good impression will linger for a while.

People can choose all kinds of information to put in a booklet, of course. But in most cases, someone should include some basic information about the company, financial stats and details about the products and services. Adding a few pictures might be a good idea, too — it’ll make a booklet that much more engaging.

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Industrial Visits and Production Tours- for Holistic Learning

• What are industrial visits?
• Importance of industrial visits for students

Industrial visits are now a part of the holistic educational process. Educational institutions are now realising the importance of industrial visits for college students.

So much so, the curriculum has now evolved to include industrial visits in the course syllabus.

What Are Industrial Visits and Why Industrial Visits Are Important?

Industrial visits are tours to manufacturing, production or business sites. They can be for a short duration of time lasting for just a few hours in a day, to long tours spreading over a few days.

The objectives of industrial visits are to establish a link between theory taught in a classroom and actual practical concepts .

The importance of industrial visits for college students cannot be undermined. Industrial visits contribute to the holistic learning development of students. Let’s look at some of the reasons why industrial visits are important.

1. Eliminates Misconceptions

Students may have certain pre-conceived notions based on what they see on television or hear through peer group stories. Having industrial tours can help students get the right perspective of the working of an industry.

2. First-Hand Experience

One of the reasons why industrial visits are important is because it gives first-hand experience of the work atmosphere in an industry.

Students can witness live events and activities in a business space through industrial visits.

3. Reduces the Learning Gap

A brick-and-mortar type of learning can offer only limited knowledge to students. Combining industrial visits and production tours with classroom teaching can fill the learning gap.

Students will be able to combine theoretical knowledge with practical experiences and use this additional knowledge to build their skills. This is why industrial visits for college students is important

4. Encourages Active Learning

Another importance of industrial visits for students is that it encourages active learning. Classroom learning requires sitting for long hours throughout the lecture.

However, on industrial visits students take tours of the different departments of the industry. Here, students walk and observe each department. Students become attentive and vigilant during industrial tours.

5. Improves Technical Know-How

One of the learning outcomes of industrial visits is that it improves technical know-how. Students can now observe the live working mechanisms of machinery and equipment.

Textbooks only provide a written procedure of the working of machines, but industrial visits can offer live demonstrations. These live demonstrations improve the technical knowledge of students.

6. Insight Into the Future

7. Encourages Students to Study

Believe it or not but one of the reasons why industrial visits are important is because it encourages students to study. This happens in two ways

• Some students are so mesmerised by the working of an industry that they too want to work in a similar place after college. This desire encourages them to study hard to get into an industry of their choice.
• Similarly, students are encouraged to study hard after an industrial visit because of the interest that the industrial visit has kindled in them. On an industrial visit, students learn a lot of practical concepts. These practical concepts can kindle the interest of students in certain subjects.

8. Answers Directly from The Horse’s Mouth

The importance of industrial visits for students can be seen in the fact that students can directly clear any concept doubts that they may have, directly from the management or the person in charge.

In a classroom, the teacher will clear doubts of students . However, this information is limited to textbook information.

On industrial visits, students can clear doubts from the people directly working on the concerned matter.

9. Easy Identification of The Area of Interest

An industry has many departments. Each department works in coordination with each other to fulfil the objectives of the business. Every business or industry has more or less the following departments

• Administration

Site visits demonstrate the working of all these departments. Students can get an idea about which department they would like to pursue a career in. They get a rough picture of their prospective job .

10. Witness Change in Policies

Different companies follow different company policies to achieve their goals . Through industrial visits, students can witness different policies of the companies and why they choose to follow these policies.

Industrial visits for college students is important because it shows students how to adopt the best company practices to achieve the company objectives.

11. Develops Critical Thinking Amongst Students

Another reason why industrial visits are important for students is that it develops critical thinking power amongst the students.

Many times industrial visits come with certain case studies. These case studies make students think critically to solve issues.

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12. Corporate Training Opportunities

Industrial visits are an opportunity for students to strike a conversation with the management and administration of companies.

When students are on good terms with the management, it gives them a better chance of receiving corporate training and jobs after college.

13. Change Is Good

Studying in a classroom atmosphere for long hours can be dull. Industrial visits are a welcome change from the daily routine . It is a good way for students to get a good break from the classroom atmosphere.

14. Working Conditions

When students go on business tours or industrial visits, they get exposure to the current working conditions.

Whether it is a  labour centric industry or a white-collar type of company, students are exposed to the current working trends.

They can notice minute details like dress code , mannerisms of employees among other corporate trends.

15. Certification

Industrial visits are slowly becoming an integral part of the education system. Educators are now realising the importance of industrial visits for students.

Many schools and colleges have already adopted this system in their curriculum and are showing positive results.

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Plant Tour Guide

Showcase your plant, build relationships, and help students and educators.

Explore Careers: A Guide to Successful Plant Tours Conducting manufacturing plant visits for students, educators, parents, media, and elected officials is a good way to build relationships for your company, expose community members to high quality, good paying manufacturing careers, and educate people on the value of manufacturing. More than anything else, plant tours educate the community on the importance of manufacturing’s role in the economy and allow a first-hand look at how manufacturing has changed from most people’s 1950s impression. These visits can provide excellent press opportunities for your company. Better yet, your neighbors will have a better appreciation for your role in your community. This guide will help you plan, prepare for, and conduct a successful plant tour, as well as ensure your experience is as effective as possible. You will find a simple yet thorough checklist to follow to make sure your plant tour runs as smoothly as possible. Plant tours paint the perfect picture of manufacturing at work.

Download a printable version of this Plant Tour Guide

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Introduction

Checklist for Plant Tours

• Setting up the Plant Tour
• Planning for the Media
• Organizing the Plant Tour
• Preparing Displays & Literature
• Preparing for Arrival
• Conducting the Tour
• Following Up After the Tour
• Sample Invitation: VIPs
• Sample Media Advisory: Plant Tour

SETTING UP THE PLANT TOUR

• Decide Who to Invite . Consider starting with local school leaders, career and technical education faculty, and guidance counselors. Add local media, chamber of commerce executive, and elected officials.
• Send the Invitation . Send a letter explaining who you are and what you would like to showcase. Include directions to the plant, as well as a requested amount of time. Once a date is set, be prepared for last-minute schedule changes.
• Track and Confirm RSVPs, and Follow Up as Necessary . Call the invitees to make sure the invitation has been received. Make follow-up phone calls. Be flexible and persistent.
• Be Clear About the Length of the Event . Make sure everyone knows the timetable for the tour and other events you have planned.
• Distribute Memo of Visit to Employees . Share the news with employees of the visitor’s planned visit and encourage them to attend.

The ideal time to schedule a tour is during October, since it is Manufacturing Month. If you hold a tour at another time, some dates to keep in mind include:

•  Martin Luther King, Jr., Day (mid-January)
•  Presidents’ Day (mid-February)
•  Easter/Passover (March or April)
•  Memorial Day (late May)
•  Independence Day (July 4)
•  Summer (June through the week after Labor Day)
•  Rosh Hashanah (late September or early October)
•  Yom Kippur (10 days after Rosh Hashanah)
•  Columbus Day (early October)
•  Veterans Day (early November)
•  Thanksgiving (late November)
•  Christmas (late December)
•  New Year’s Day (January 1)

PLANNING FOR THE MEDIA

• Make attendees aware that media might be present . Once the date and time are set, contact your local media outlets, including large daily newspapers, as well as local weeklies. Offer to send your own report and photos to the paper.
• Draft a media advisory, if desired . Once the date is set, draft a media advisory containing the date, time, specific location, parking accommodations, and lighting requirements, if any. Note whether the tour itself is open for press coverage. Give the location. Email the advisory along with a press kit and company information to everyone on your press list.
• Prepare area for news media . Arrange for an area outside of your facility for presentations, ribbon-cutting (if appropriate), and informal discussions with the news media. This area should be in front of your company’s signage or logo.
• Prepare a message from the CEO . Prepare an “op-ed” or letter to the editor from your CEO to your local newspapers on an issue related to manufacturing and manufacturing careers.  Better yet, arrange a meeting with the newspapers’ editorial boards to discuss jobs in your facility. Reach out to local radio stations for an interview.

ORGANIZING THE PLANT TOUR

• Put together internal planning group, if necessary . The planning group should be responsible for organizing the logistics of the plant tour.
• Decide who will meet with the visitors . Your intent is to develop a good rapport with educators and others who may influence the future employees of your company and your industry.
• Craft VIP introductions . Decide who will provide remarks and the topics you want to cover in welcoming school leaders and others.
• Establish look and feel of welcome area . Determine how you want the entrance to your plant to appear when your guest arrives. Think about the type of signage you want to use and whether any displays will be set up here or somewhere else.
• Reserve a room for school leaders to talk with your staff . Determine the best room, set up a podium and microphone if necessary, and arrange seating. Determine if refreshments will be served.
• Create name badges for guests and staff . Name badges are a must for your plant tour. Create name badges for your guest and any staff that accompanies him or her, as well as employees of your plant.
• Determine required safety equipment . If your plant tour requires it, determine what safety equipment will be needed. These include construction helmets, safety glasses, gloves, etc.
• Brief tour guide(s) . Inform your tour guide(s) of what the plant tour will entail (what machinery, if any, will be shown on the tour, who the guest will meet with and where, the length of the tour, etc.)
• Craft tour script . Write an outline of what you hope to cover during the plant tour.
• Hire/designate photographer . Have a photographer on hand to take pictures of your tour event. These photos are excellent opportunities to publicize the event.
• Prepare an information package . Prepare materials for your guests that emphasize the benefits good manufacturing jobs bring to workers, suppliers and your area’s economy. Put together a one-pager that highlights your company’s characteristics and accomplishments.
• Research talking points, your company story, company employment needs, etc . Educate visitors on the great things manufacturing does. Share your personal stories; don’t just talk economic data or statistics.
• Prepare a map of the tour route . Consult with employees to determine a route for the tour, noting which areas contain top secret information or any safety hazards. These areas should be off-limits.
• Determine product display, if applicable . Proudly display your product for your visitor to see. A special exhibit, promotional materials, and company literature will enhance the visit.
• Gather company literature and background materials . This information helps tell the story of your business to your guest. Include the story on your company history, philanthropic efforts, employee team news, etc.
• Display materials showing your commitment to education . Displaying materials, literature, posters, etc. that show your commitment to training, your K-12 district, and technical college will serve as a reminder of your commitment to the future of manufacturing.
• Provide list of attendees’ names and companies . This is great to have for networking opportunities and putting names with faces.

PREPARING FOR ARRIVAL

• Designate a note taker . Assign a team member to take notes on any discussions, if possible.
• Determine what machinery will be in operation . This is important, especially if you plan to highlight or show a particular piece of machinery during the tour.
• Provide directions to the plant . Ensure your guests know what entrance to use; reserve parking spaces for them.
• Welcome guests on arrival . Greet officials at designated area. In the event of rain, provide an umbrella if possible. Hand out name badges. Prepare guests for the possibility of going through security before entering the plant.

CONDUCTING THE TOUR

•  Provide safety equipment to tour guests, if applicable . Provide your guest with any items necessary for a tour, such as a construction helmet, safety glasses, gloves, etc.
• Show guests how your production line works . Show your guest how your machinery works, how different items are put together, what new technologies are being used, and your workers’ overall productivity.
• Let your visitor be an active participant . If feasible without shutting down production lines, offer your visitor the chance to address your entire workforce. Have the guests do something “physical,” such as shake hands, participate in a ribbon-cutting, run a machine, examine your product, or look at a computer screen. These are prime photo opportunities.
• Success stories . Discuss how the plant has improved and contributed to the community. Inform visitors about your company’s history, including total investment in facilities and equipment.
• Products manufactured . Describe how the products are used and where they are sold. Include the value of products you export.
• Jobs . Discuss the number of people employed in your plant and others around the state or country; labor unions represented in your plant; and worker health, safety, and training programs.
• Payroll and benefits . Discuss wages and the types and value of employee benefits, including profit-sharing, recreational programs, voter registration activities, health or sports facilities, credit unions, child care, educational support and discount purchases of company products. (Remind your visitor that each wage dollar multiplies in the wage earner’s community in the form of rent, food purchases, clothing purchases, medical expenses, etc. before it goes to out-of-town suppliers.)
• Community impact . How much does your company pay in federal, state, and local taxes? What are your local expenditures to purchase supplies, materials, and services? Do you host town hall meetings? Does your company participate in community charities? What are you doing to support local education? Tell the guests about your active role as a good corporate citizen.
• Send thank you note to guest(s) . Write a thank you note reiterating any key issues discussed during the tour.
• Thank your own staff . Recognize employees who contributed their time and expertise to make the tour a success.
• Send photos to attendees . Many times photos you send to guests will show up in other periodicals.
• Tell WMC about the tour . To help WMC assist other companies, tell us how the tour went. Send us photos and press clippings. E-mail your information to Jim Morgan at [email protected] .
• Provide press coverage . Provide the school district, technical college, and local chamber of commerce with your company newsletter and other publicity the visit generated.
• Use social media to recap the tour . Publish photos, details, etc. on company social media platforms. Coordinate with WMC to post on any WMC platforms.
• Continue to communicate with the guests post-event . Keep them up-to-date on new activities at the company, and leave the door open for future visits.

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From training modules to promotional content, our skilled team creates compelling narratives that resonate with audiences, elevating your brand's presence and storytelling prowess.

Factory Tour Video Production for Manufacturing Companies Converts Leads

Video production for manufacturing companies has become a powerful tool to grab the audience’s attention and create meaningful engagement. Using video content strategically to communicate complex ideas, demonstrate expertise, and establish strong relationships with potential clients and partners is crucial for manufacturing companies.

Visual content reigns supreme , especially for manufacturing companies aiming to showcase their industrial manufacturing processes, facilities, and products. High-quality factory tour videos are among the most compelling ways to engage potential clients and partners. These videos offer an immersive experience, providing an inside look into the production procedures, technology, and craftsmanship behind a company’s operations.

Table of Contents

Definition of factory tour video, importance of visual content in the manufacturing industry, purpose of factory tour videos for manufacturing businesses, enhancing brand image and credibility, educating and informing potential clients, generating leads and increasing sales, pre-production planning, production phase, post-production and editing, components of an effective factory tour video, the human side of b2b sales: a journey of education and connection, tailoring videos for b2b audiences, choosing the right factory tour video production partner, conclusion:.

Factory tour videos are immersive visual narratives that offer a comprehensive view of a company’s manufacturing processes, technologies, and standards. These videos transcend mere demonstrations, effectively communicating a brand’s ethos, expertise, and dedication to quality.

In the fast-paced digital landscape, attention spans are shrinking. With its ability to captivate and convey information swiftly, visual content is pivotal in manufacturing industry strategies. It engages audiences, simplifies complex concepts, and fosters better understanding and retention of information.

Factory tour videos serve multifaceted purposes for manufacturing businesses. They act as powerful tools for establishing transparency and building trust. By offering an inside look at production processes and quality standards, these videos instill confidence in potential clients, showcasing a commitment to excellence.

Moreover, these videos are educational, enabling businesses to effectively communicate their capabilities, expertise, and unique selling propositions. They go beyond superficial marketing to provide genuine insights, enabling prospects to make informed decisions based on a deeper understanding of a company’s offerings.

In addition, factory tour videos play a pivotal role in humanizing the company. They add a personal touch by showcasing the hard work, dedication, and craftsmanship behind a product or service. This emotional connection resonates deeply with B2B clients, fostering stronger, more meaningful relationships.

Ready to elevate your video content? Let’s transform your productions together!

Establishing trust and other benefits of factory tour videos for manufacturing businesses.

Factory tour videos serve as a transparent window into a company’s operations. These videos foster transparency by showcasing manufacturing processes, quality control measures, and behind-the-scenes insights. They build trust by allowing potential clients to witness firsthand the dedication to quality, precision, and reliability ingrained in the business.

A strong brand image is pivotal in the B2B landscape. Factory tour videos contribute significantly to shaping a positive brand image. They portray a company as an industry leader, showcasing expertise, innovation, and a commitment to excellence. This portrayal boosts credibility and differentiates the brand in a crowded market.

In the complex world of B2B transactions, educating potential clients about a company’s offerings is crucial. Factory tour videos act as powerful educational tools, offering an in-depth understanding of products, services, and capabilities. They simplify intricate concepts, making them accessible and comprehensible, thus empowering clients to make informed decisions.

The ultimate goal of any marketing effort is to drive leads and increase sales. Factory tour videos have a proven track record of accomplishing just that. These videos serve as powerful conversion tools by engaging potential clients, establishing trust, and showcasing unique value propositions. They guide prospects through the sales funnel, leading to higher conversion rates and increased revenue streams.

Steps to Create Compelling Factory Tour Videos

Factory tour videos stand as powerful tools in the arsenal of B2B marketing strategies, offering an immersive glimpse into a company’s operations. However, creating a compelling Factory Tour Video requires a systematic approach. Let’s explore the step-by-step process involved in crafting these videos that captivate audiences and leave a lasting impression.

• Defining Objectives and Audience: Begin by outlining clear objectives for the video. Identify the primary message and the specific audience you aim to target within the manufacturing landscape.
• Scripting and Storyboarding: Craft a compelling script that aligns with your objectives. Storyboarding helps visualize the narrative flow and shot sequences, ensuring a coherent and engaging storyline.
• Selecting Suitable Locations and Shots: Choose locations that best showcase your manufacturing processes, technology, and quality standards. Plan shots meticulously to capture every aspect effectively.

• Capturing Engaging Visuals and Narratives: Focus on capturing visually engaging footage during filming. Ensure the narrative aligns with the script, portraying a cohesive story that resonates with the audience.
• Utilizing Advanced Equipment and Technology: Employ high-quality cameras, drones, and other advanced equipment to capture professional-grade footage. Utilize technology to showcase intricate details effectively.
• Conducting Interviews and Testimonials: Interviews with key personnel or client testimonials add credibility and a human touch to the video. Authentic voices can significantly enhance the video’s impact.

• Editing for Clarity and Impact: Edit the footage to maintain a coherent storyline, ensuring clarity in conveying the intended message. Remove any extraneous content to maintain a concise and impactful video.
• Adding Graphics, Music, and Branding Elements: Incorporate graphics, animations, and music that complement the narrative. Branding elements ensure consistency and reinforce brand identity.
• Optimizing for Different Platforms and Devices: Lastly, optimize the video for various platforms and devices. Ensure compatibility across different screen sizes and resolutions for maximum reach.

Crafting a compelling Factory Tour Video demands meticulous planning, skilled execution, and proficient editing. By following these steps diligently, businesses can create videos that not only showcase their expertise but also resonate deeply with B2B audiences, driving engagement and bolstering brand credibility.

When crafting a compelling factory tour video, the success lies in its intricate components. Each element weaves together a narrative that immerses viewers into your story, processes, and commitment. Let’s explore the essential components that shape an impactful factory tour video.

Storytelling and Narrative Structure: At the heart of a successful Factory Tour Video lies a compelling narrative. The story should engage viewers, taking them on a journey through the company’s ethos, values, and unique selling propositions. A well-crafted narrative captivates attention and leaves a lasting impression.

Showcasing the Manufacturing Processes: Highlighting the manufacturing processes is pivotal. The video should showcase the intricacies and precision involved, giving viewers a detailed understanding of how products are created, or services are delivered.

Highlighting Technology and Equipment: B2B clients often seek cutting-edge technology and innovative solutions. Showcasing advanced machinery, technologies, and equipment used in the production process emphasizes a company’s commitment to staying at the forefront of its industry.

Emphasizing Quality Control and Standards: Quality assurance is paramount in the manufacturing industry. Demonstrating stringent quality control measures and adherence to industry standards reinforces trust and reliability in the brand.

The world of B2B sales, it’s all about people. Forget the corporate jargon; it’s about real connections, sharing knowledge, and guiding each other in this business dance. Behind every business deal, there are people searching for answers, wanting to learn, and seeking someone they can trust. B2B sales are less about stats and more about understanding each other’s needs and offering a hand-tailored solution.

You’re not just selling a product; you’re solving real problems. It’s like telling a story where your solution is the hero, swooping in to save the day for your clients.

Ultimately, B2B sales compose a human symphony. It’s about the trust we build, the wisdom we share, and the solutions we offer. Because, beyond the business suits, there are people yearning for more than just a transaction; they’re looking for a connection, a companion in their journey.

When it comes to B2B marketing, the one-size-fits-all approach falls short. Tailoring videos to suit the unique needs and preferences of B2B audiences is paramount for success. Let’s delve into the strategies and nuances of crafting targeted, impactful video content that resonates deeply with businesses.

Addressing Industry-Specific Needs: Understanding the nuances of the industry is crucial. Tailoring the video to address industry-specific challenges, regulations, and trends ensures relevance and resonates deeply with potential clients.

Focusing on Client Pain Points and Solutions: Identifying and addressing client pain points is key. The video should illustrate how the company’s offerings solve these challenges, providing valuable solutions and positioning the brand as a problem-solving partner. Incorporating Testimonials and Case Studies: Testimonials and case studies from satisfied clients add credibility. Featuring real-life success stories and endorsements humanizes the brand and instills confidence in potential clients. Factory tour videos tailored for B2B audiences go beyond showcasing processes; they aim to educate, solve problems, and build trust. By blending compelling storytelling with a focus on industry needs and solutions, these videos become indispensable assets in the arsenal of B2B marketing strategies.

Selecting the perfect factory tour video production service partner holds immense importance in crafting compelling visual narratives. When choosing the ideal factory tour video production company, consider factors pivotal to your brand’s success. Assess their expertise, delve into their portfolio, examine previous client testimonials, and evaluate their capability to grasp your brand’s unique story and values.Partnering with a reputable factory video production agency ensures a seamless journey toward creating impactful visuals. Look for a factory video production service that aligns with your brand’s vision and understands the intricacies of your industry. Collaborating with a proficient factory tour video service can elevate your storytelling, amplifying your brand’s message and resonance.

Factory tour videos are crucial in building trust and brand image in the constantly evolving manufacturing industry. It’s important to understand that high-quality video production is essential, with every aspect, from scripting to distribution, playing a vital role. Take the proper steps now and partner with a Factory Video Production Service to transform your story. This will not only elevate your brand but also create long-lasting connections that go beyond mere transactions.

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BY Joel Junker

How to Successfully Interview During the Site Tour

During a follow-up interview with a company, you will likely receive a tour.  This is almost always the case for manufacturing or distribution opportunities where you will be given the chance to see the production line or warehouse/distribution center operations.  I have also known companies to give candidates tours of the office complex, oil and gas drilling sites, stores and call centers.  Although these tours are designed to show you the opportunity and the place you may work, they are also an occasion for the company to evaluate you.  To be successful, you must prove your interest and excitement about the site through your verbal and non-verbal communication.

Here are the keys to continuing to prove your interest and fit during a tour.

1.  Approach the tour with a curious attitude.  When you see equipment, people or processes, be curious, and ask questions to learn more.  When you see something that interests you, do not just take it at face value, ask the person giving the tour to provide more information.  A mistake some candidates make is going through a tour only listening the entire time.  Asking questions communicates interest.

2.  Take notes.  Taking notes also demonstrates interest and a desire to learn.  Additionally, at the end of the tour, you can refer to your notes to ask questions.  It is also possible that during one of your subsequent interviews, someone may ask you about the tour and what you learned.  They will be impressed when you whip out your notebook and refer to specific notes.

3.  Interact with those you meet.  Your tour guide will introduce you to people.  Ask them questions.  Find out what each person does, how long he/she has been with the company, what they like about working in the role, etc. 

4.  Understand how equipment, people and processes relate.  This is really for manufacturing, distribution and call centers.  You will see a “flow” on the tour.  Identify how things fit together and write it in your notebook.  Ask questions about the flow demonstrating that you see how things relate.  I remember one time a candidate took a tour of a new biopharmaceutical manufacturing facility. Outside the filling operation stood a big white board covered with equations and statistics.  He never asked about the board.  A simple question could have been, “Do the calculations on the board pertain to some of the filling operation?”  If the candidate had studied Six Sigma, a better question would have been, “Are those filling operation statistics to drive some sort of process improvement or Six Sigma initiative?”  I assure you the tour guide would have been impressed.

5.  At the end of the tour, be ready for the question, “Did you notice anything that we could do to improve or change?”  Recruiters want to know you took an active part in the tour and did not merely observe.  They also want to hire JMO candidates who focus on continuous process improvement.  When you answer this question, it is best not to be ultra direct in suggesting what could be improved.  Rather, you could phrase it, “Yes, I saw in the glass cutting line that the person stacked glass on the far wall.  It seems to me the near wall would be a shorter route and cut down on time.”  Notice how I did not tell but rather noticed and suggested.

The bottom line of the 5 points. Be an active participant not a passive one, ask questions, be “interested” and not “interesting.”

Joel Junker

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Example sentences factory tour

There are tasting sessions and a chocolate-making workshop, but it's not a factory tour - more the story of the city and names that made it.

The factory tour takes visitors inside the factory and covers history, harvesting, and production.

The app has tips on must-do factory tours, restaurants that serve the best millet, and where to rest your head after curfew.

Free factory tours of the plant are offered to the public.

Manufacturing companies offer factory tours as public relations.

Definition of 'factory' factory

Definition of 'tour' tour

COBUILD Collocations factory tour

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Meaning of factory in English

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• The factory supplies electrical components for cars .
• The report is highly critical of safety standards at the factory.
• The closure of the Manchester printing factory is the company's biggest single cutback so far .
• People who work with furnaces in a steel factory need to wear protective clothing .
• The company plans to shut down four factories and cut 10 000 jobs .
• assembly line
• chemical park
• conveyor belt
• industrial park
• multi-plant
• on the factory floor idiom
• packing house
• power station
• rolling mill
• slaughterhouse
• solar plant

factory | American Dictionary

Factory | business english, examples of factory, collocations with factory.

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on top of the world

extremely happy

Keeping up appearances (Talking about how things seem)

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Vote Your Tesla Shares and Win a Factory Tour with Elon and Franz

Win a tour of the Tesla Gigafactory with Elon Musk and Franz von Holzhausen in Austin, Texas! Tour the Cybertruck and Model Y manufacturing lines with Elon Musk and other Tesla executives with a private group of stockholders on June 12th, the day before the Annual Stockholders’ Meeting. You will also have a  reserved seat at the Annual Stockholders’ Meeting on June 13th.

To enter, simply vote your shares, submit proof of share ownership and voting below, and you will be entered to win. Or send a postcard as explained below. Only one entry per stockholder is permitted, and chance of winning is independent of how many shares you hold or how you voted your shares. Fifteen stockholders will be chosen at random to participate in the tour.

Instructions on How to Vote

You should only submit proof that you voted, not how you voted. You do not need to vote for or against any proposals to be eligible for entry. You are eligible to vote and to enter the drawing, only if you were a stockholder of record or a beneficial owner at the close of business on April 15, 2024.

The Gigafactory Tour will take place on June 12th at the Tesla Gigafactory in Austin.

Deadline to submit proof of voting is Friday, June 7, 2024, at 11:59 PM Central Time.

Don’t delay, vote today!

NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN.  A PURCHASE OR PAYMENT WILL NOT INCREASE CHANCES OF WINNING. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAW.  

For more information, read our  Official Rules .

• Choose a file
• PDF, JPG or PNG; max file size 10 MB
• The file exceeds the maximum allowed file size. (max {max})
• Proof of Ownership (March Statement)
• Proof of Vote
• Submit and Continue
• I understand and agree to the [Terms and Conditions](https://www.tesla.com/drawing-terms).

You'll receive confirmation through the email you provided if you are selected. 

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If you prefer to enter the drawing without voting your shares, please send a postcard to the following address: Tesla Gigafactory Tour, c/o FGS Global, 475 Sansome St., Suite 1750, San Francisco, CA 94111.  On the postcard, you must state your name, postal address and email address, and attest that you were a stockholder of record or beneficial owner as of the close of business on April 15, 2024.  Postcard entries must be received by June 7, 2024.

Elon Musk offers factory tours in attempt to win record-breaking pay package

Elon Musk is trying a new approach to get his $56 billion pay package from Tesla approved: a charm offensive.

The CEO of the electric vehicle manufacturer is offering a guided tour of the company’s production lines for the Cybertruck and Model Y in Texas on June 12, the day before the company’s annual shareholders meeting.

Only 15 shareholders will be allowed on the tour, and to be considered, they will have had to cast a vote on Musk’s pay package, which was struck down by a Delaware judge over governance flaws. The company says how they voted on the matter does not affect their chances of taking the tour. Winners of the contest will also have a reserved seat at the stockholder meeting in June.

Musk will be joined by Franz von Holzhausen, who leads design for the company, and other executives in giving the tour.

The move is part of a major push by the company to increase shareholder support for Musk’s pay package. The company says passing it is essential to ensure Musk’s focus stays on Tesla, and notes he has not been paid for any of his work at the company over the past six years. Additionally, it argued, Musk has agreed to a five-year lock-up period for his stock, which the company hopes will be more than sufficient time for shares to gain ground.

Critics, though, say Musk’s attention is split between the automaker, SpaceX , and Twitter/X. Vehicle sales are down and the stock has slumped this year , even with layoffs. New York City Comptroller Brad Lander has lampooned the deal , saying “There’s rarely been as egregious a flaunting of independent shareholder governance as this.”

Musk owns 13% of Tesla. The additional stock in this proposed pay package would raise his potential ownership to 23% of the company. He had threatened previously to build AI products outside of Tesla if he does not get 25% of the company’s voting power, which could impact its self-driving technology.

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Factory Tour Checklist: Free Template Download | Plant Tours

• April 16, 2021
• Rick Farrell

In many industries, factory or plant tours are commonplace events. In fact, in some industries, a tour utilizing tour guide equipment occurs on a regular and sometimes daily basis. Think back to when you were a kid and touring the Hershey chocolate factory in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

However, most of the factories and facilities to which we supply tour guide equipment, either as a sale item or rental , don’t have such a delicious product that they manufacture. However, even our favorite items from manufacturing providers don’t just magically appear! Lots of hard work goes into creating quality standards that result in what customers get to enjoy. To achieve this, most manufacturers will host meetings, training and tours for internal visitors.

Advantages Of Using a Plant Tour Checklist

These events focus on improving product quality as well as continuous improvement in the manufacturing process, especially at ISO 9001 plants. A factory audit for quality control purposes is instrumental in developing corrective action for quality managers by identifying non-conformances in performance. These managers can use the audit checklist to develop work instructions for frontline employees to improve processes in manufacturing in creating quality products.

There are now easy to use apps that can help with creating these checklists, especially if this is the first time you are generating one. GMS HR audits and Iauditor’s safetyculture are checklist and inspection apps to prove compliance with the latest industry guidelines. Following a template like this will result in lower costs and better products which in turn increases customer satisfaction.

So in this article, besides providing you with a free Factory Tour Checklist , we will guide you on how to plan an effective plant tour.

If you’re only interested in the checklist, just scroll down to end of this page and feel free to download it.

Factory Tour Checklist – 4Ps

We’ve formulated our checklist based upon what we call the “4 Ps.” They are:

• Preparation
• Presentation

And we’ll close the article with a step that many tour hosts omit: follow-up.

DETERMINE THE PURPOSE OF THE TOUR FIRST

There are a variety of reasons to conduct a plant or factory visit. They can range from investors interested in finding how their money is spent, to safety inspectors checking on plant operations to identify non-conformity and promote social compliance.

Common purposes for a plant tours:

• Product Inspection
• Quality Assurance
• Training Program (to update training records)
• New hire orientation and training
• Maintenance planning
• Lean operations development ( gemba walks to sustain kaizen)
• Media coverage for public relations
• Consumer or customer interest

So, ask yourself some very simple questions:

• Why has this tour been scheduled?
• Who will be in attendance?
• What outcome are we anticipating from the plant tour?
• When is the tour scheduled, including time of day?

Once you’ve determined the purpose of the factory tour , you can begin the next phase: planning.

PLANNING IS VITAL FOR RUNNING A SUCCESSFUL TOUR

Now that you’re armed with the purpose, it’s time to make suitable plans for success. It’s easier when you know what needs to be accomplished. For example:

Does the tour need to visit every part of your facility? If there’s a specific purpose defined, you may find a better path, rather than touching on the necessities. A plant map helps in this planning.

Knowing what areas the tour will visit helps determine whether PPE (personal protective equipment) must be supplied to the attendees.

If the tour is more of a fact-finding visit, how will attendees interact with the tour guide? It might mean that you need to choose between one-way or two-way tour guide equipment .

Who best knows the area to be toured? Finding the right guide or guides is essential to a successful plant tour … and satisfied attendees.

These questions, along with understanding who will be attending and their purpose for visiting will help you plan a successful tour.

Now, you’re ready for preparations that will ensure a good experience.

PREPARATION ENSURES A SUCCESSFUL TOUR

As the saying goes, you never get a second chance to make a good first impression. You want to make sure everything looks good and the tour is run as efficiently as possible.

Make sure the grounds around the facility look their best. Here’s a little tip: If the lawn needs to be mowed or shrubbery must be trimmed, try to get this done at least a day or two in advance. This gives plenty of time to get grass clippings and other debris cleared from sidewalks and paths.

Clean The Production Area

In addition to the facility grounds, the production area must be cleaned and organized for the event. Incoming materials such as the raw materials used in the production line need to be neatly stored near where production processes take place or in storage areas.

prepare for the arrival of guests

If you have a location that the attendees will gather before the tour, make sure it’s clean and ready for them. This could include tables for ID tags, tour guide headset systems, snacks, and more.

Here’s something most won’t mention. If your attendees are coming in from distant locations, particularly by tour bus, make sure your restrooms are clean. That might be the first thing they want to see!

TOUR GUIDE EQUIPMENT FOR YOUR TOUR

Make sure you have the proper tour guide equipment for the tour. Your guests want to hear your message, loud and clear! If you don’t conduct regularly scheduled tours, consider a Tour Guide System rental .

Make sure it fits the purpose of the tour . You might want to get a demo kit with various options. That way you can choose the proper equipment for the event, including a tour guide microphone system. A tour guide rental system can include both one-way and two-way systems, as well as configurations for other needs, such as integration with any PPE that may be required. The staff at Plant-Tours.com can help you find the best option, whether a purchase or a rental, to fit your needs.

Speaking of tour guide equipment, make sure it’s functioning properly before the event takes place. Hunting for working headsets is not conducive for a good experience right before the event. That’s one reason we send our Service Representatives to your tour event. They help make sure everything’s set up and running smoothly.

Are there any brochures or other documentation needed? If so, make sure you have adequate quantities available for all attendees.

Finally, relax! If you’ve got everything done ahead of time, you can feel good about your opportunity to showcase your factory or facility. And a relaxed host is a more effective host.

Then… the time arrives and you’re ready for the final P: Presentation.

PRESENTATION IS WHERE IT ALL COMES TOGETHER

As mentioned, you only get one chance to make a good impression. So make sure you have team members greet your guests at the door. For larger groups, you may need several to ensure that attendees are made comfortable and welcome.

In bad weather, attendees may need help with coats and other outer garments. Anything you do above and beyond the norm impresses your guests. If you’ve secured coat racks or have a coat room, make sure the attendees can find them quickly.

Your tour guide should explain how the tour will progress. When you’re ready to begin the actual tour, have enough help to get the audio tour guide equipment handed out and working.  For large events, Plant-Tours.com provides the expert reps to do all this for you.

That’s why it’s so important that we often send our own company reps to assist, particularly with our tour guide system rental customers. Getting your message across and encouraging attendee participation in the discussion is vital for success.

Make sure your tour guide is prepared to answer questions. However, this is one time where people working in the areas toured can help. No one knows the operations better than the person performing the work. Tap that valuable resource whenever possible.

For them, it may be enough to have a spare headset available with a hand-held microphone. Above all, make sure your attendees are satisfied with their tour, getting their important questions answered.

DON’T FORGET THE FOLLOW-UP

Once the tour is over, you’re still not done. Following up with attendees is a personal touch that we recommend you implement in your factory tour checklist. Something as simple as a hand written postcard makes a lasting impression.

In the case of investors, it’s one more touch point for ensuring a successful and profitable outcome. It will also help build a successful relationship with potential suppliers which can help supply chain sourcing efforts. Lowering the cost of goods, especially costs from importers, will help profits over the long term.

It also gives you the chance for feedback. In some cases, this can be used to help promote your facility in the media and improve future tours. And always remember… good press, including posts on social media, can be beneficial to your facility in the long run.

Perform an Internal Audit of the tour

Finally, an internal audit of the tour/event will allow you to reflect on what went well and what could be improved at future events. For example if the event involved EH&S managers gathering at a factory site to do a safety & quality audit of manufacturing processes, the organizer of the event should schedule a post event review. By involving other organizers, managers and participants there will be a wide perspective of what went well and what didn’t go well in the audit report. Feedback regarding how the quality audit checklist was created, the auditing itself and the proposed quality management system could reveal best practices and future opportunities for upcoming events.

Whatever the frequency or needs of your tours, get the right tour guide equipment that’s suitable and proven to make your event successful. If it’s your first time, consider a tour guide system rental, along with a demo kit, to get the best possible equipment for your location. Here at Plant Tours , we offer top notch headsets and communication equipment that ensures your tour goes off without a hitch! Contact us today and find the tools you need to complete your plant tours checklist.

Make sure your message comes across… loud and clear!

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Tesla is luring Chinese customers with the possibility of a free tour of its Fremont factory if they buy a car

• Tesla is courting its Chinese customers aggressively. 
• Besides price cuts, the EV giant says it's holding a lucky draw for customers. 
• The company says it will fly winners to the US, where they will tour its Fremont factory. 

Tesla is pulling out all the stops when it comes to courting Chinese consumers.

The EV giant said in a Weibo post on Sunday that Chinese customers who take delivery of their Teslas between May 25 and June 30 will stand a chance to win a factory tour in Fremont, California .

According to the company's poster, Tesla will cover the winner's air tickets, transportation costs, and insurance. In addition to the trip, Tesla said its customers could also win 10,000 kilometers in free mileage on the company's Supercharger network.

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The promotion comes just a day after it said customers could win a free two-day, one-night trip for two to Gigafactory Shanghai if they took a test drive in any Tesla store in China before June 30.

Tesla said the winners would be chosen via a lucky draw but didn't specify how many would be picked.

Representatives for Tesla didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from BI sent outside regular business hours.

The company's shift toward aggressive promotional tactics comes as it struggles with slowing sales and heightened competition in the Chinese market.

EV makers hoping to conquer the lucrative Chinese market have been locked in a brutal price war over market share.

In March, Chinese automaker BYD launched a cheaper version of its Yuan Plus car. BYD priced the vehicle at 120,000 yuan, about 12% cheaper than its predecessor .

In April, Tesla announced a 14,000 yuan or $1,930 price cut for its Model 3, S, X, and Y cars in China . The company also introduced similar price cuts in the US and Germany .

"Other cars change prices constantly and often by wide margins via dealer markups and manufacturer/dealer incentives," Tesla CEO Elon Musk said in an X post on April 21. "Tesla prices must change frequently in order to match production with demand."

Watch: How did Tesla's bulletproof Cybertruck become so expensive and so delayed?

• Main content

Trump press conference livestream: Watch as former president discusses conviction

One day after he was found guilty on all 34 counts in his New York criminal  hush money trial , former President Donald Trump is expected to give a press conference Friday morning.

USA TODAY is providing live coverage of Trump's press conference, which is scheduled to begin Friday at 11 a.m. ET in Trump Tower. You can watch live at the embedded video live at the top of the page or on USA TODAY's YouTube channel .

Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, was found guilty by a jury Thursday of falsifying business records to hide a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election. He is the first former U.S. president to be convicted of a crime.

Donald Trump's guilty verdict: How will it hit his reelection bid? Is his political fallout here?

“This is just a disgrace,”  Trump told reporters  in the hallway outside the courtroom after he was convicted. “We didn’t do anything wrong. I’m an innocent man.”

Prep for the polls: See who is running for president and compare where they stand on key issues in our Voter Guide

It was the closure to a more-than six weeks-long trial, the first criminal trial in U.S. history against a former president.