Kitting supports assembly and production processes in the warehouse or on the manufacturing line. Kitting is an excellent logistics strategy that involves grouping together individual parts or components with individual SKUs into one package or kit with one SKU. The kit includes all items needed at a particular assembly or manufacturing station where operators have everything they need to assemble or contribute to final product production.
Kitting in a warehouse for assembly significantly improves lean processes as workers do not need to search and find necessary components to support their process. A kitting strategy improves lean processes and reduces errors at the same time. When workers have everything they need in a kit that has already passed inspection, they know these parts are the correct items and meet quality standards.
Assembly lines are common in many manufacturing segments such as automotive, aerospace, medical components, appliances, furniture, and more. Grouping products together for smooth operation only makes sense to keep these processes on task with a streamlined flow of goods. Kits that support these manufacturing processes are sequenced to move along the assembly line as required were numerous components that could not be marketed separately or joined with other processes to form a final product or contribute to the manufacturing process.
Outsourced Kitting Provides Many Advantages
Kitting provides many advantages with a streamlined flow of goods and supports lean manufacturing and production operations. Performing kitting in-house, however, poses many challenges for companies. Businesses that wish to incorporate kitting in their process to reap the many benefits with improved flow of goods must first determine the products to be kitted, and set up an internal kitting station that requires capacity and labor.
Outsourcing kitting to a contract kitting and assembly provider alleviates these challenges and provides additional benefits to companies. Contract kitting service providers already have the capacity and systems in place to perform reliable, kitting and assembly of products received. This allows companies to focus on their area of expertise and niche manufacturing, warehousing, or retail operations.
Some of the most important advantages of outsourcing kitting include:
Reduced movement and optimized work time
– when assembly workers do not have to gather and prepare items for their station, the reduction of movement and time to look for materials optimizes productivity.
Eliminates errors
– workers that receive kits already assembled can have confidence in having the right parts at the right time that have already passed quality inspections. This eliminates human error in picking incorrect products and ensures quality assemblies.
Increased productivity
– kits delivered to the right station at the right time with the right products significantly boost productivity to ensure uninterrupted, continuous assembly.
Maximizes capacity
– companies that outsource kitting maximize facility capacity without the need to dedicate workstations just for kitting. Space can be allocated strictly to necessary assembly and production without wasting valuable resources on a subprocess.
PPS Offers Contract Kitting and Assembly with Value Added Services
Peoria Production Solutions, PPS, supports a variety of warehousing and manufacturing operations with experience in kitting and assembly services. We offer more than 80 years of expertise in meticulously assembling kits for a variety of market segments. Our modern, state-of-the-art facility provides ample capacity to dedicate workstations for high quality and controlled kitting. We offer a variety of value added services to meet specific customer requests, such as sewing, various packaging solutions, wrapping, palletizing, and shipping.
Our Enterprise Resource Planning, ERP, system provides tight quality control with full accountability of all customer-supplied material and lot code traceability. We practice strict quality policies with top-down involvement, and invest in our skilled and dedicated staff with ongoing training and cross-training programs. PPS practices lean operations and Value Stream Mapping, VSM, exercises to ensure the most efficient kitting and assembly to support timely delivery of quality products.
PPS is recognized as a leading kitting and assembly provider, offering solutions to a wide range of industries and applications. We partner with our customers to provide customized kitting solutions that meet your needs and exceed your expectations. Contact us to learn more about optimizing your process with an experienced contract kitting provider.
Kitting is the process of combining related items together, taking multiple SKUs, and creating one SKU in one kit. Kitting products is common practice in many retail market segments but kitting also provides many benefits in a manufacturing environment. Kitting tools together for easier usage in the manufacturing process supports lean production processes with everything operators need at the assembly or production stage.
Determine Which Automotive Tools to Kit Together
Kitting tools for automotive applications is similar to how a mechanic keeps his toolbox. Everything that is needed for a certain process is organized and readily available. Automotive manufacturers need to determine the exact tools on hand, where they are located, and where they are needed. Do these tools need to travel to other departments? Should they stay at one particular workstation? Which tools should be used together, and what are the storage capacities?
Specific work instructions should document kitting and production procedures at each stage of the manufacturing process.
Kitting for Quick and Accurate Assembly
The most important reason for kitting in automotive is to support just-in-time manufacturing with kits of materials delivered to the right location at the right time for maximum efficiency. This is also called offline kitting. When manufacturers determine the exact components required for kitting, outsourcing to a contract kitting and assembly provider can even further optimize the process for lean production.
Outsource Kitting to Optimize Automotive Manufacturing
Kitting is an inventory management technique that supports faster production and assembly lines with lean storage and streamlined processes. Once automotive manufacturers determine the exact tools and components that should be kitted, outsourcing kitting to a contract kitting and assembly provider provides many benefits.
Manufacturers that receive fully stocked kits of all of the parts needed can direct them to the proper location quickly, without allocating floor space and labor to perform the kitting in-house. This saves on labor expenses and allows manufacturers to focus on their niche product production. Partnering with an experienced contract kitting and assembly provider provides even more benefits with in-depth expertise in kitting and packaging techniques.
PPS Offers Kitting and Assembly for Automotive Tools and Components
Peoria Production Solutions, PPS, is an experienced contract kitting and assembly provider, offering solutions to companies of all sizes, including automotive manufacturers. We offer more than 80 years of experience in performing contract kitting, assembly, packaging, and other secondary production services, allowing us to enhance our customers’ productivity and profitability with quality products delivered on time.
PPS has the capacity in our large, modern facility to set up dedicated workstations to ensure quality and timely kitting and assembly. We follow strict quality policies aligned with our ISO9001:2015 certification and enjoy a dedicated workforce committed to performing high quality, meticulous work to exceed customer expectations. With decades of experience and continual investment into the latest technology to support automated processes, we are experienced in kitting with various types of packaging such as in tool boxes, foam holders, secondary and flexible packaging, wrapping, and palletizing.
PPS offers kitting solutions for companies of all sizes and applications, such as for order fulfillment, warehousing, manufacturing, and various market segments, such as automotive, medical applications, consumer goods, and more.
PPS is recognized as a leading production solutions provider with vast experience in secondary production services, including kitting, assembly, sewing, packaging, repackaging, palletizing, and more. We ensure high quality work with a skilled staff and tight quality control with automation tools such as our ERP system. Contact us to learn more about improving your automotive process with kitting and assembly from an experienced contract kitting provider.
Companies practicing lean manufacturing experience many benefits with improved process efficiencies, inventory management, lead times, and profitability. Assembly and kitting are practices that contribute to lean production operations when designed and implemented properly. Hand assembly and kitting can be labor-intensive and monotonous for manufacturers.
Outsourcing assembly and kitting can improve your own lean operations, and when contract kitting suppliers practice lean operations, you can have confidence in receiving quality products on time.
Identify Waste in Lean Production
Lean principles and practices can be applied to any industrial process with the main focus on eliminating waste in production. Identifying inefficiencies and waste is key to implementing lean practices and improvements. Hand assembly operations can introduce various inefficiencies with intricate, time-consuming tasks that can create bottlenecks in your process.
The 8 Wastes of Lean, as identified by SixSigma.us, follow the acronym TIMWOODS and include:
Transportation
Inventory
Motion
Waiting
Overproduction
Over-Processing
Defects
Skills
All of these areas should be evaluated when identifying inefficiencies or waste in hand assembly and kitting.
Critical Steps to Lean Hand Assembly and Kitting
Careful evaluation of these areas will help contract kitting and assembly providers to eliminate waste with lean hand assembly processes.
Transportation – the distance required to transport work in process from one department to another is a key area of improvement. Simple production compositions with the shortest transportation distance available promote lean operations.
Inventory – assembly and kitting providers that maintain enough inventory for the process without creating excessive over stocking situations are most efficient. Inventory is an asset, although excess inventory is considered wasteful.
Motion – unnecessary movement required of employees, machinery, or equipment is wasteful. When workers need to stretch, reach, lift, walk, or bend in excess, these extra movements add up to wasted minutes and hours and could create repetitive stress on personnel. Reducing motion waste improves efficiencies and increases employee health and safety.
Waiting – when employees are waiting on material or equipment that is sitting idle, this waiting halts production and disrupts efficient assembly and kitting. Designing processes to ensure continuous flow prevents unpredictable bottlenecks.
Overproduction – producing products with the “just in case” theory instead of “just in time” may keep an idol workforce busy, but overproduction creates excess inventory that is wasteful. Lean assembly and kitting follow the rules of lean manufacturing, where products should be produced to order, not prior to demand.
Over-Processing – overprocessing includes performing added functions over requirements. Companies that utilize a Kanban system experience benefits from an effective tool that supports smooth running production and highlights lead times and cycle times for improvement.
Defects – recognizing a defect in an assembled component after assembly is extremely wasteful and requires disassembly of the entire unit. Every workstation and every kitting and assembly process should display clearly defined work instructions, including any critical dimensions that should be checked and images of common defects. All employees in every stage of the assembly process should be performing visual inspections or taking measurements as required.
Skills – not utilizing the human talent and ingenuity present in employees is a waste of skill. Companies that engage employees in the process allow for improvements.
PPS Practices Lean Assembly and Kitting
Peoria Production Solutions, PPS, is an ISO9001:2015 certified contract assembly and kitting provider, following a strict quality policy with top-down involvement and employee engagement. We support lean production for some of the largest Fortune 100 companies in the country, as well as small to medium-sized businesses. PPS helps companies of all sizes to improve lean operations with reliable, high-quality contract kitting and assembly services.
Our Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system provides complete traceability and full accountability of all customer-supplied material. We practice Value Stream Mapping to improve process efficiencies and eliminate bottlenecks for a streamlined workflow. Cross-training of a skilled work staff improves efficient product flow, supporting lean assembly and kitting practices.
PPS is recognized as a lean assembly and kitting provider with more than 80 years of experience, automated equipment, and a skilled work staff. We have the capacity to set up dedicated assembly workstations, allowing you to free up capacity to focus on your niche manufacturing process. Contact us to learn more about our lean practices and how we can add value to your supply chain with lean hand assembly and kitting services.
Kitting and assemblyare two terms that are often used interchangeably, although they actually refer to different processes. Kitting and assembly are used to improve efficiency in manufacturing or to package pre assembled products for consumer convenience.
What Is the Difference between Kitting and Assembly?
When determining the best production or fulfillment solution for your operation, you may want to evaluate the efficiencies that kitting and/or assembly can provide and learn the difference between the two.
Kitting
Kitting is a process that bundles two or more items together to create one single, ready-to-ship, or ready-to-use kit with a new single SKU. Kitting products together helps manufacturers when several components are required during a manufacturing process to have all the tools and materials needed at the right place and time to facilitate efficiency. Kitting helps inventory tracking by compiling all components into one new SKU to simplify inventory management.
Kitting is also used to satisfy end-user consumer needs with several components sold together as one kit. Many examples of this include subscription boxes, cosmetics, hardware, and direct mail kits, the list is endless.
Assembly
Assembly is a process that involves combining two or more separate components together to create one product that is then sold or used as a single item. Assembly lines are used in many fulfillment centers when products must be assembled in bulk. Assembly lines are common in production facilities and provide efficiency to manufacturers for mass production of various components from small items all the way up to automobiles.
Kitting and Assembly: In-House Or Outsourced Process?
Both kitting and assembly are processes that are commonly performed in-house, at the place of fulfillment or manufacture. Many companies, however, are realizing the benefits of outsourcing kitting & assembly to experienced providers.
Kitting and Assembly In-House
Companies that perform kitting and assembly as part of their own production process must allocate resources to support the in-house process or sub-process. Resources include the space to perform kitting and assembly processes, employees to perform the kitting which involves training and labor expense, and time allocated to manage the inventory and logistics of all products.
Kitting and Assembly Outsourced
Companies that outsource kitting and assembly processes can realize significant benefits when evaluating the process thoroughly and putting a cost to the time and effort of in-house operation and management. When production lines can simply pack parts in bulk and ship to a kitting provider, rather than take up their own floorspace to combine their own parts into a single unit, they can allocate that space to other production processes. This helps to grow their business and focus on their niche product market.
Partner with a Kitting and Assembly Provider
When evaluating kitting and assembly providers, look for a company with experience, attention to detail, capacity, a proven quality track record, and the willingness to partner with you for ongoing success. Peoria Production Solutions, PPS, has been providing kitting and assembly services for more than 80 years. With a large, state-of-the-art facility featuring 17 shipping and receiving bays, we have the capacity to dedicate kitting and assembly workstations to ensure an optimized flow of material.
PPS is committed to total customer satisfaction by investing in our staff with ongoing training and development and a focus on high-quality work processes. We enjoy extremely low turnover, and a dedicated team committed to providing efficient, quality production solutions with meticulous attention to detail. We provide kitting and assembly solutions for companies of all sizes, including some of the largest manufacturers in the country.
PPS offers high-quality kitting and assembly with decades of experience and a commitment to excellence. We practice lean operations, cross training, value stream mapping, full product traceability, and ISO:9001 certified processes. Contact us to learn more about improving your efficiencies by outsourcing kitting and assembly to a quality-minded, experienced kitting and assembly company.
Manufacturers often kit final products to bundle items together for sale to consumers but kitting also plays a beneficial role in the manufacturing process.
What Is Material Kitting in Manufacturing?
Manufacturers are focused on the most cost-efficient production to produce quality products, with a focus on continual improvement, reducing waste, and streamlining processes. Kitting materials that are required during a production process can significantly improve production cycle times and shop floor efficiency. When certain jobs require specific tools, materials, and work instructions and the required kits are available where and when they are needed, this significantly cuts down on operator time hunting down all the materials required.
Kitting may include certain raw materials that go into a particular product, packaging materials for that product line, or labeling materials. Quality control inspection checklists combined with the equipment necessary for specific jobs could be kitted to improve efficiency during QC inspections and ensure that all required parameters or critical dimensions will be checked as required. Material kitting in manufacturing can significantly improve production times by ensuring that all materials, parts, or components that are required during a process are available when needed.
When to Use Material Kitting
When considering incorporating or changing a material kitting process in your manufacturing application, there are some situations where kitting adds significant value. If the following conditions exist, you might want to evaluate your material kitting process:
When a large variety of small components are required to be incorporated into the production process
When time is being wasted locating materials and components on the production floor
When some products require customization of things like shape, color, accessories, or packaging
If there is a shortage of space that prevents stocking required materials closer to the area needed on the production line
Material kitting can enhance the production process if any of these situations exist or other conditions which can be improved with streamlined methods.
How to Use Material Kitting in Manufacturing
As manufacturers create the Bill of Material or BOM, for specific production jobs, everything that is a part of that finished product, including all materials and labor, is accounted for. When components in the BOM arrive at the production process when and where they are needed, in a ready-to-use kit, operators save time for improved efficiency.
All of these individual components can be kitted to create a new SKU, which simplifies inventory and handling. Quality is also improved with a kit of parts that have already passed all quality control measures and are assured to be within acceptable specifications. Kitting requires production managers to determine the most beneficial products and materials to bundle for improved manufacturing efficiency.
When kitting multiple components in large quantities, it may be beneficial to utilize the services of a contract kitting and assembly provider.
PPS Provides Material Kitting for Manufacturing
Peoria Production Solutions, PPS, offers kitting solutions to manufacturersof all sizes, including some of the largest Fortune 100 manufacturers in the country. We utilize our large, modern, state-of-the-art facility with the capacity to dedicate kitting stations designed to meet customer specifications. With a dedicated staff, automated equipment, and a commitment to detail and quality processes, PPS improves production efficiencies in a variety of industries and markets.
We are experienced in efficient kitting processes, practicing lean operations including value stream mapping (VSM), to improve efficiencies and reduce waste. PPS offers a variety of secondary production solutions such as kitting, assembly, packaging, and many secondary packaging solutions customized for the manufacturing line or display-ready products.
PPS is an industry-leading production solutions provider with more than 80 years of experience. We differ from other kitting providers in our kitting expertise and commitment to our staff and customers. Contact us to learn more about improving your material kitting to enhance your production processes.
Efficiency is a key driver of profitability, especially in manufacturing operations where time is money. Kitting is proven to improve efficiency, thus increasing profitability, in many manufacturing applications. Having the parts required delivered to a certain production station at the time they are needed saves operators from hunting for parts that they need and supports lean, continual production operations.
Kitting Saves Time, Time is Money
The cost of each component produced, whether a small part or a large automobile, is dependent upon a few different factors, including the raw materials going into the product, the cost of labor, and the time it takes to produce each unit. Reducing the “cycle time” of each product produced is one area where manufacturers have some control and try to improve, thus reducing each component’s cost. If time is shaved even in seconds off of a production cycle, that’s seconds that are opened up to produce more parts. Time reductions also provide more production for the same labor expenses in most cases, thus making labor more efficient.
Lean Manufacturing with Kitting
Reducing time where possible is one key aspect of lean manufacturing. Reducing the time it takes to produce products and the time that parts are stored in inventory, whether raw materials or finished goods, improves efficient operations. This is especially true in assembly operations where a production line must have the parts they need, as shutting down a major assembly line is not an option in many operations. Just shutting down one production line at an automotive OEM plant can cost tens of thousands of dollars in a matter of hours.
Kitting Improves Efficiency and Inventory Reductions
Storing products costs money in terms of taking up space in addition to the cost of the purchase. This is why many manufacturers practice lean manufacturing, which emphasizes waste reduction and optimized flow of goods, usually with just-in-time (JIT) deliveries of required materials. This also helps to prevent items from becoming obsolete while in storage.
By reducing the amount of inventory, companies can improve their inventory turnover ratio, which indicates efficient inventory management, improving balance sheet ratios and cash flow. Kitting is an excellent way to improve efficiency when assembling components and to help reduce product cycle times and inventory storage. Kitting requires careful planning and logistics considerations to receive the right parts at the right time but is well worth the improvement in efficiency when assembling components.
PPS Supports Lean Manufacturing with Kitting for Assembly
Peoria Production Solutions, PPS, understands the importance of lean manufacturing and on-time delivery as an ISO9001:2015 registered kitting providerwith more than 80 years of experience. We provide kitting solutions for companies of all sizes, including some of the largest Fortune 100 companies in the U.S., as well as small to midsize businesses.
We practice value stream mapping (VSM) in our own operations to optimize kitting and assembly processes. This ensures the most efficient process to meet your production requirements with a focus on high quality and timely delivery. Our staff is unique in that we enjoy a dedicated team that enjoys coming to work and enjoys working together thus cross training, and fulfilling lean production processes are simpler when all team members are focused on providing an exceptional material flow.
PPS utilizes automated equipment combined with a trained, skilled staff in addition to quality control and lean manufacturing best practices. We offer a large, modern facility with the capacity to dedicate customized kitting and assembly stations to meet customer needs. Contact usto learn more about improving your assembly operations from an ISO9001:2015 certified kitting and assembly provider.
Kitting is a process that provides solutions to a wide range of industries and sectors that rely on kits to streamline their manufacturing and fulfillment processes. Companies in many industries use kitting to improve internal operations or to satisfy customer demands.
Advantages of Kitting Realized in Endless Industries
Kitting can be found in such a wide range of industries and applications we simply cannot list them all, although some of the most common examples of how kitting benefits companies can be found in the following industries:
Automotive – automotive manufacturers rely on maintenance kits ready when they need them to conduct maintenance or repairs, service engines, transmissions, and critical components. Kits with easy access to the tools and parts needed significantly improve maintenance and production efficiency. Kitting provides organizational benefits to streamline a variety of automotive production processes.
Aerospace – Kitting helps to improve strict quality control and high-stakes industries like aerospace and aeronautics. Kits with parts that have passed quality control and are ready when needed support efficiency and safety.
Defense – military and defense operations rely on a broad range of kits with tools, mission-specific products, and equipment packages ready when needed.
Oil and gas – the oil and gas market utilizes kits containing repair and replacement parts, seals, sealing compounds, and critical components to support safe and efficient processes in the field.
Medical devices – manufacturers of medical devices require kitting when different devices are required to be assembled for the end user, whether for a hospital supply room, operating room, or customized to a specific patient.
Furniture and appliances, light fixtures – kitting provides solutions for various furniture and appliance and light fixture products. Combining products for replacement parts or custom lighting solutions improves branding and customer satisfaction.
Paper Goods, Sales, and marketing – kitting large quantities of paper products for brochures, sales and marketing, promotional materials, training programs, and more can be time-consuming for large companies to perform in-house. Third-party, contract kitting companies have been providing solutions for paper goods and marketing materials for decades.
Toys – kitting is a huge part of the toy industry, where many products must be organized and sold as a set. Many toys are packaged together in ready-to-ship kits, such as Lego products, model airplanes, board games, Barbie accessories, and more. Toy companies improve internal efficiencies and reduce errors when multiple elements are combined into a single kit to speed up the picking, packing, and shipping process with accuracy.
We often take for granted the kitting that is involved in the many products that we purchase. Making sure that consumers have what they need when they need them and having everything packaged for convenience and appeal is always on the mind of the manufacturer or the brand. When companies work with an experienced contract kitting and assembly provider, they can realize many benefits internally and with improved customer satisfaction.
PPS: Delivering Decades of Kitting and Assembly Services
Peoria Production Solutions, PPS, has been a leader in providing kitting and assembly services for more than 80 years. We offer high-quality, cost-efficient kitting solutions to companies in all industries of all sizes. We offer vast experience in a wide range of kitting products from small to midsize companies to some of the largest Fortune 100 OEMs in the country.
PPS differs from other kitting providers in our commitment to employees, dedicated staff, and low turnover. As a fully sustainable not-for-profit organization, we offer the flexibility to customize your kitting and assembly requirements to meet your production and budgetary needs. Our focus is on providing sustainable employment to our staff rather than profit and on continual improvement with training programs and strict quality policies.
PPS is a leading Midwest supplier of secondary production solutions, including kitting assembly, packaging, electronic kitting, and more. We utilize automated equipment, a skilled trained staff and adhere to strict quality procedures as an ISO9001:2015 certified kitting provider. Contact us to learn how to improve your kitting processes with an experienced contract kitting and assembly provider.
Kitting is a very important process that improves efficient assembly and inventory management in many manufacturing applications. Kitting provides many benefits when a small number of components are needed to create an assembled product or for specific made-to-order items that are customized by consumers.
Kitting Versus Subassembly: Not the Same Thing
Kitting and subassembly are two terms that are sometimes used interchangeably, although they are two different processes. Kitting is often performed prior to a subassembly process, where the numerous parts that are needed for the subassembly are provided into a convenient kit, helping to aid the efficiency of the next process. This is sub-assembled component is then often transferred on down the line to the next step in the production process to be assembled onto yet another larger piece or the final product.
This is a very common practice in automotive manufacturing facilities, where several subassemblies must be produced prior to installation into a final automobile. Even before the advent of smarter, electric vehicles, computer chips, and computer-driven technology had become an important component of automobiles. Electronic kit assembly provides many efficiencies in automobile manufacturing as well as other production processes.
Kitting in Automobile Manufacturing: In-House and Outsourced
Kitting in manufacturing can be performed in-house in a manufacturing facility, in a different location or right next to the assembly line where an assembled component is needed. This requires the automotive company to set up a kitting location and pay workers to perform the job. Some companies have realized many benefits by outsourcing kitting to an experienced company that provides electronics kitting services.
Kitting in manufacturing makes sensewhen many components must be assembled to create a new subassembly, kitting also makes sense when manufacturers have limited floor space for conducting kitting operations. Kitting of any type of components including electronic parts provides many benefits for the operator to have exactly what they need when they need it, and outsourcing benefits the company with efficient delivery of kits ready for their production line.
Kitting in automobile manufacturing is a common practice when many assemblies must come together to create one new vehicle. Kitting benefits the production of various automobile assemblies such as:
Doors and windows and all the buttons and knobs that go in them
Kitting helps to speed up the assembly of these types of components and is important in the automotive industry for efficiency and inventory management.
Benefits of Outsourcing Kitting in the Automotive Industry
Optimizing capacity, storage, and manufacturing space Outsourcing kitting processes provides many valuable benefits to automotive OEMs because they can free up their own floorspace to focus on their niche manufacturing, perhaps even install new assembly lines, without dedicating space and labor to assembling kits.
Improved inventory management
Most automotive OEMs practice just-in-time (JIT) inventory management for efficient inventory turnover which significantly reduces costs and improves financial health. Just-in-time delivery of kitting components helps to keep automotive assembly lines running efficiently, without the need for massive floor space to store numerous parts and components.
Improve productivity and profitability
Working with an experienced contract kitting provider and one with experience in electronics kitting services can drastically improve OEM’s productivity and profitability
PPS Offers Quality and Experienced Kitting and Electronic Kitting Services
Peoria Production Solutions, PPS, is an experienced contract kitting company with more than 80 years as an industry leader providing kitting, electronic kitting, assembly, and other secondary production services. We partner with our customers to customize kitting and assembly needs processes to meet their needs with high-quality products delivered on time. As a fully sustainable not-for-profit company, PPS succeeds only when our customers succeed, PPS is in the unique position to deliver high-quality at the most affordable costs in the industry.
PPS is a leading industry provider of kitting and electronic kitting services, providing on-time delivery of high-quality products with full lot code tracking for complete accountability. We provide kitting services as a valued supplier to some of the largest Fortune 100 manufacturers in the country and improve efficiencies for small to midsize companies. Contact us to learn more about improving your manufacturing process with efficient and cost-effective kitting and electronic kitting services.
While most students are enjoying the summer, schools, colleges, and trade schools are preparing to get busy again in August. A trade school, also known as a technical, career, or vocational school, provides students with hands-on training in the skills they will need for a particular field. Trade schools are designed to prepare their students to directly enter the workforce with the skills necessary to start a career in various industries.
Vocational training at a trade school is often the way for many students to go as opposed to a four-year college degree, which isn’t for everyone. Some trade schools even help students find a job to directly enter the workforce with certificate programs that can be achieved much quicker than a college degree. Vocational training is available for students to work in a wide range of industries such as:
Carpentry
Culinary arts
Electrical
Heating, venting, and air conditioning (HVAC)
Building maintenance
CNC operation
Plumbing and pipefitting
Masonry
Welding
Cosmetology
These are just some areas of vocational training available to students that want to enter the workforce quickly with the skills necessary to succeed.
Trade Schools Need Hands-On Supplies and Tools Ready for Students
In order for trade schools to prepare students, they must offer the necessary educational materials and hands-on tools or supplies actually used in the industry. This is where kitting can provide big benefits to trade schools who need to have a fresh supply of materials ready in a short period of time.
Kitting involves the process of combining various parts or products together that are otherwise sold separately, but often go together and provide a convenience for the consumer. In this case, kitting provides a convenience to teachers and students, as everyone has the same materials and tools so that demonstrations and hands-on experiments can be conducted by everyone during limited class time instruction.
Benefits of Kitting for Trade Schools
Toolkits for skilled trade school organizations provide substantial benefit to instructors who know that every student has what they need, and all students are working with the same type and brand of materials recommended for the course. Another huge benefit is recognized by students who may otherwise be unable to purchase the necessary tools and materials because they cannot afford to, they would not know where to look or what type of materials to buy.
And let’s face it, even when teachers tell students what materials to bring to class there are always a select few who show up without paper and pen, or in this case without tools and materials needed for the course. This is not always the student’s fault as many college school students struggle to afford school supplies whereas tools needed for vocational jobs are even more costly.
Providing these items to vocational students lets them know that you are investing in their future, that you trust them to use the tools correctly and you will show them the proper methods. Providing trade school students with kits applicable to their field gives them the proper preparation to learn the necessary skills and gets them more excited to continue down the path they have chosen.
Custom Kitting Services for Trade Schools
As you prepare your educational materials and curriculum for the year, make sure you have all the necessary tools available and arranged for your students. Contact an experienced kitting company like Peoria Production Solutions, PPS, who offers kitting services that you can rely on with experience in kitting a wide range of products.
PPS has more than 80 years of experience, offers the most competitive pricing available as a not-for-profit organization, and a dedicated staff trained in providing accurate and efficient kitting services.
Whether you need to assemble a toolkit necessary for carpentry apprentices, beauty and hair care products for cosmetology students, wrenches and pipefitting tools, or cookbooks and measuring cups for culinary students, PPS can put it all together for you in whatever type of packaging best meets your needs.
PPS is a fully self-sustaining not-for-profit company, focused on jobs not profits, offering the unique ability to provide high quality service at the best available cost. We fully support investing in the bright young minds of the future, which is why we invest in our staff so heartily with training, cross training, employee reward and appreciation programs. Contact us to learn more about kitting the materials you need for your vocational training to prepare your students for a successful trade school experience.
Kitting is the process of taking various parts, multiple SKUs, and combining them to create one new SKU. Kitting is used in warehousing, manufacturing, and order fulfillment to assemble individual parts or components into a ready made kit of items that are used together or sold together. There are different types of kitting and assembly, and companies typically gain efficiency, cost-savings, or promote new items by kitting.
Companies searching for kitting or assembly services should first determine exactly which type of kitting operations would best suit their needs.
The Different Types of Kitting Services
There are different types of kitting and assembly services, and companies should know all of their options to determine the type of kitting that will provide the greatest value. Speaking with an experienced contract kitting and assembly company can help manufacturers to determine the most cost-efficient solution. Some of the various types of kitting and assembly services include:
Pre-Kitting
Product Kitting
Just-in-Time Kitting
Material Kitting
Pre-Kitting Services
Pre-kitting is used to save time, where items are pre-kitted following a production process and then transported to the next staging area or a third-party logistics (3PL) provider as a kit to save time. This way, the operator at the next staging area can select one single kit to use for their next process rather than picking and packing at once. Pre-kitting should be designed to save time and improve efficient operations by packing particular items quickly, ahead of time.
Product Kitting
Product kitting includes compiling particular product together, combining multiple SKUs to create one new, single SKU. Product kitting is performed in many different industries and applications such as cosmetic kits that include lip, eye, and face makeup of a particular range of shades along with application brushes to provide a complete set. Other examples include art supplies, clothing, baby items, hardware, health and fitness products and more. Subscription services rely on product kitting to give consumers what they want, when they want it.
Just-In-Time Kitting
Just-in-time (JIT) kitting are processes performed typically in a warehouse or at a contract kitting and assembly provider’s facility, where items are received, kitted, and assembled quickly and shipped back to the warehouse or manufacturer in a timely fashion. Some of the largest original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in the country practice JIT delivery to keep inventory low and rely on kitting providers to provide quick, on-time delivery.
Material Kitting
Material kitting in manufacturing involves assembling components and raw materials to increase assembly efficiency. Material kitting allows for customized assembly services and provides another layer of quality inspection to help eliminate errors. Material kitting differs from other types of kitting and assembly and that it is not meant to be the final packaging available to the consumer. Material kitting can be done ahead of time for products that need to go to another stage or to inventory, as opposed to just-in-time kitting which is performed as needed.
In order to determine the best type of kitting and assembly for your process, consult with an experienced contract kitting provider.
PPS Provides Value-Added Kitting and Assembly
Peoria Production Solutions, PPS, offers more than 80 years of experience in contract kitting and assembly as well as many other value added services. PPS follows strict quality policies as part of our ISO9001:2015 registration, we invest in our employees with training and development, cross training, lean practices, and more. As a fully self-sustainable not-for-profit company, we offer the unique ability to focus on jobs rather than profits, giving our customers the greatest value possible.
PPS is a leading contract kitting assembly provider, providing production solutions to some of the largest Fortune 100 companies in the nation. We offer decades of experience, a skilled and dedicated staff, and vast resources including automated equipment to meet your kitting and assembly needs. Contact us to learn more about the type of kitting that would most benefit you and for the most cost-efficient kitting and assembly solutions.
