WHEN ON-SITE VMI WASN’T AN OPTION, FLEXIBILITY WAS.
A CREATIVE, DATA-DRIVEN APPROACH DELIVERED THE BENEFITS OF VMI – WITHOUT STEPPING FOOT ON THE FLOOR.
A customer was interested in implementing Field’s standard VMI program to streamline fastener replenishment and reduce administrative burden. However, union labor regulations prevented non-union Field representatives from handling or moving material within the facility.
Without on-site VMI support, the customer’s buyers were required to issue individual purchase orders for each fastener shipment — a time-consuming process that created significant administrative workload and reduced operational efficiency.
Field needed to find a way to deliver the benefits of VMI without physically managing inventory on-site.
Field partnered with the customer to analyze historical fastener usage data and establish a predictive replenishment model.
Using prior 12-month usage trends, Field structured a program to ship one-twelfth of annual historical demand each month. This approach ensured consistent inventory flow while eliminating the need for on-site VMI personnel.
By proactively managing inventory levels off-site and automating replenishment schedules, Field replicated the efficiency of a traditional VMI program — without requiring union exceptions or operational disruption.
The new replenishment model significantly reduced administrative burden and improved purchasing efficiency.
The customer’s buyer now saves approximately 8–10 hours per week previously spent generating fastener purchase orders.
The program operates as a streamlined, hands-off system, providing predictable inventory flow, reduced transactional workload, and stronger supply chain reliability — all without the need for on-site inventory management.