C A S E S T UDY
Supply-chain optimization supports
company growth
THE SITUATION
Spin Master Ltd of Canada, the fastest
growing toy company in North America,
needed to establish manufacturing and
shipping facilities closer to its U.S.-based
distribution channel. The goal was to cut
costs and improve product delivery time.
THE CHALLENGE
Spin Master – based in Canada – wanted
to serve its largest U.S.-based customers,
including Wal-Mart, Target and Toys-R-Us
with better, faster product delivery. They
decided to establish manufacturing and
shipping facilities in the United States.
The solution involved transitioning to a
new, third-party manufacturer in less
than 12 weeks, without any disruption
to customers.
THE SOLUTION
M Squared Consulting provided an expert
project manager to drive the transition to
the new manufacturer. The first step was
to develop a project plan to accomplish
Spin Master’s objectives. Once the project
plan was approved, M Squared Consulting
led the execution, working with a crossfunctional team from Spin Master. For
long-term strategic growth, the solution
also included developing a repeatable
project plan template for use in future
transitions.
THE RESULTS
M Squared Consulting stepped in to
manage a complex transition that resulted
in a new manufacturer shipping product
within 12 weeks. With a U.S.-based
manufacturer in place, Canadian toy
company Spin Master was able to improve
shipping time and reduce costs and
complexity of international trade. The
entire project was accomplished without
disrupting the supply chain or impacting
customers. The final project plan was
translated into a template for Spin Master
to use in future transitions.
CLIENT/BUSINESS SECTOR
• Manufacturing
• Supply chain
THE BUSINESS ISSUE
• Toy company needed fast,
seamless transition to
new manufacturer
• Company based in Canada with
large customers in the U.S.
• Shipping times and costs were
affecting the bottom line
• Currency conversion for
international shipping
added complexity
M SQUARED CONSULTING
DELIVERED
“ M Squared was a well-oiled machine that provided focus on the project and accelerated
the inventory move.””
—
LIain Kennedy, Chief Operating Officer, Spin Master Ltd.
• Expertise and leadership to
drive cross-functional team
representing planning and logistics,
quality control, finance and IT
• Project plan to ensure seamless
transfer to new manufacturer
Spin Master Ltd., with global headquarters in Toronto, Canada and offices in Los Angeles,
London, Paris and Hong Kong, employs more than 500 people around the world. From its
modest roots in 1994, Spin Master has grown to become the 5th largest toy company in
the world and the fastest growing toy company in North America, licensing some of the
world’s leading brands, and transforming itself from a small toy enterprise into an
all-encompassing children’s entertainment company driven by great ideas, great play
and vision of success.
• Implementation in less than
12 weeks without disruption to
customers
• Project plan template to achieve
similar goals in the future
M Squared Consulting completes more than 500 client engagements each year.
Client satisfaction is our primary goal, and more than 80% of our new engagements come from
client referrals. Contact us today to discuss how we can help your organization.
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M Squared Consulting, Inc. 888-818-2505 msquared.com