Plymouth Products How We Do Business

How to approach Engineering

The Engineering Department at Plymouth Products, Inc. actively seeks to engage the technical capabilities of existing as well as potential suppliers. We seek to utilize a simultaneous engineering approach to product development and value engineering. The Engineering Department is jointly involved with the selection of Plymouth suppliers. You may contact the project engineer after referral from purchasing. It is appropriate to refer technical related questions to engineering on an on going basis.

Ethics

Plymouth Products, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Pentair. Plymouth adheres to The Code of Business Conduct authored by Pentair. We also seek to be accountable to our suppliers, and remain vigilant in keeping our business dealings in accordance with the standards of the N.A.P.M.

Confidentiality Agreements

Suppliers wishing to do business with Plymouth Products, Inc. may be required to sign an agreement of confidentiality where applicable. Plymouth Products, Inc. manufactures sophisticated filtration products and will protect our proprietary information accordingly.

Strategic Alliances

Plymouth Products, Inc. believes that our suppliers play an integral part in our continued success. Some suppliers support Plymouth Products, Inc. with materials and/or services that we consider strategic to our operations. It is with such situations that Plymouth Products, Inc. will enter into a strategic alliance for the mutual benefit of both parties.
Supplier Partnering

We seek to do business with companies that conduct business open book and are willing to share information and technology. The typical supplier partner at Plymouth Products, Inc. has created the culture for their employees to be passionate about exceeding the customer’s expectations and be ever committed to reducing the Total Cost of Ownership. Providing exceptional value to the supplier/customer relationship must be the ultimate goal of both Plymouth Products, Inc. and the supplier. We as a team must work together to eliminate waste wherever it exists. Plymouth Products, Inc. wishes to align itself with suppliers that can provide this kind of value. Those suppliers selected will be rewarded with continuous business growth provided by Plymouth Products, Inc.

Technology Sharing

Plymouth Products, Inc. is a leader in the water filtration market. We continue to hold this position by adding value and providing technological solutions to our customers needs. In order for Plymouth Products, Inc. to better serve our customers needs, we continue to enlist the technical capabilities of our suppliers to aid us in accomplishing this mission. We are always searching for capabilities within the supply base that would provide our engineers with unique solutions that allow us to continue as the technological leader in our industry. Plymouth encourages our suppliers to participate in the design cycle prior to drawing release. It is our contention that the suppliers are the masters of their technologies and can provide our engineers with innovations and process expertise that is critical to product development.

Supplier Managed Inventory

We have enlisted the expertise within our supply base to help us provide materials to our production areas by having our suppliers manage the materials they provide to the point of use. It is Plymouth Products, Inc. position to manage the supplier, not the parts. We believe that the supplier is in the best position to replenish the materials they supply by giving them plant floor or electronic access to monitor the rate of consumption. It is through these mechanisms that the supplier is able to meet as well as anticipate our needs for material. We have found that suppliers benefit from this by giving them access to critical and timely material usage information found only at the point of use.

Supplier Stocked Inventories

It may be more practical for some suppliers due to distance or level of business activity, to provide inventories available for instant shipment once notified of the demand by Plymouth Products, Inc. We will only commit to two release quantities beyond the current inventory position to allow for potential engineering changes, and minimize the potential obsolescence of the materials. In rare circumstances we may arrange for a higher quantity due to lead-time considerations. We seek suppliers that can react to our changing production demands by providing for quick response manufacturing.

Supporting our Cells

Plymouth Products, Inc. is a cellular manufacturer that uses a pull system for inventory replenishment. Because we have taken this approach, our suppliers must now provide for this more agile manufacturing method. This system is very simple to execute. We call it the “TRIGGER SYSTEM”. You may understand it as Kan Ban. The essence of the system is when we reach a visual or electronic reorder point, we signal the supplier to replenish the material as fast as possible allowing for lead-time. In the case of Supplier Managed Inventory (SMI) programs, our suppliers will monitor our inventory levels and replenish the material automatically. Plymouth Products, Inc. maintains a small safety stock. Because of this, it is critical that our suppliers deliver material to our specifications on time, every time.

How we release orders

Plymouth Products, Inc. will release orders for materials at the rate of consumption. The supplier will be given a blanket Purchase Order. The supplier is to ship and invoice to the blanket Purchase Order. We will guarantee the keeping of two releases, or more as dictated by unavoidable extended lead times, on hand at the supplier.

Supplier “Milk Run”

Plymouth Products, Inc. strives to keep inventory on hand as low as possible. To reduce transportation costs associated with bringing in less inventories more often, Plymouth Products, Inc. utilizes a supplier “milk run” for daily pickups from our supply base. Depending on volume, a supplier may be part of a regularly scheduled pickup, or asked to call when a pickup is needed. Milk runs are used with suppliers located in Central and Southern Wisconsin as well as Northern Illinois.

Feedback

Plymouth Products, Inc. will provide ongoing feedback to our suppliers. We will monitor performance of suppliers in the areas of delivery, quality, service, and cost controls. The feedback will be both formal, in discussions of performance, and informal as needed.

Cost Reduction/Containment

Plymouth Products, Inc. will aggressively pursue material cost savings. Plymouth Products, Inc. believes that suppliers play an integral role in our ability to control costs and reduce the costs of our products.