MRO & Industrial Supply Summit for Manufacturing Plants

The problem: With 44 CNC machines running three shifts, Bettcher needed control and visibility of its metalworking tooling, and not every tool was stocked where it was needed.

Published result: Fastenal point-of-use tooling and an onsite team, with a fluid program from Fluid Service Technologies: the tool crib went from a first-shift attendant plus half-time attendants on second and third shifts to one first-shift employee spending 50 to 75% of his time on tooling, and cutting fluids went from six to two; hard cost savings were reported but not quantified (as reported by Fastenal; period not stated).

Invited: Fastenal and Fluid Service Technologies, with Bettcher Industries · Read the published case

The problem: An outdated, disorganized tool crib and manual inventory wasted labor time, gave poor data and caused both overstock and stockouts.

Published result: MSC vending, vendor-managed inventory, a tool crib conversion and metalworking specialists: throughput up 42%, revenues up 47%, production time cut by up to 81% by moving to carbide, labor costs down $60K annually, tool inventory down $350K and tool spend down $75K annually (as reported by MSC Industrial Supply; period not stated for the percentages).

Invited: MSC Industrial Supply, with Catamount Machine Works · Read the published case

The problem: The remote plant kept a six-week PPE buffer that filled an entire room, made frequent 50-mile restocking trips and ordered by hand from many suppliers.

Published result: A Fastenal onsite program with staffing and daily on-premises service centralized inventory and streamlined replenishment; the study reports reduced excess inventory, greater supply reliability and a simpler internal workload, with no figures given (as reported by Fastenal).

Invited: Fastenal, with Pilgrim's Moorefield · Read the published case

The problem: PPE and MRO supplies across a hatchery, truck shop and feed mill meant 5-6 weeks of stock, tight space, inconsistent shipments and billing, and staff time lost to managing supply.

Published result: Three dedicated Fastenal onsite employees with vending and VMI: 27% total cost of ownership savings, 7-10% hard cost savings, suppliers cut from 400 to 72 and inventory reduced from 6 weeks to 4 (as reported by Fastenal; customer not named; period not stated).

Invited: Fastenal · Read the published case

The problem: High turnover of PPE and MRO items, risk of outages, no traceability of consumption and excess inventory tying up resources.

Published result: A Fastenal onsite crib with a dedicated team, point-of-use locations and daily replenishment: 40 hours a week freed for core operations, 10-15% hard cost savings and suppliers cut from 10 to 1 (as reported by Fastenal; customer not named; period not stated).

Invited: Fastenal · Read the published case

The problem: After seven years, a new manager questioned the value of the outsourced MRO storeroom and proposed bringing it back in-house.

Published result: More than $4 million in total material savings (nearly $560,000 a year for seven years), more than $200,000 a year from inventory reduction over eight years, $1.5 million from a min/max refresh and 100% on-time delivery for six consecutive months in 2023; the client renewed for two more three-year terms (as reported by RS Integrated Supply; customer not named).

Invited: RS Integrated Supply · Read the published case

The problem: The multi-plant site had no standard MRO process, no view of what was needed versus bought, and inventory accuracy well below best practice.

Published result: $3 million in savings, overall spend down more than 22% over an engagement of more than five years (more than 6% a year), and inventory accuracy up from 65% to 95%, with the target reached within three years (as reported by RS Integrated Supply; customer not named).

Invited: RS Integrated Supply · Read the published case

The problem: Each department ran its own stockroom with no view of inventory value or location, fill rates were unknown and parts deteriorated in sealed containers, delaying production.

Published result: Over six months more than 19,000 SKUs worth more than $15 million were identified and organized; three years in, savings were nearly $1 million and the program had spread to two more sites, with five more planned (as reported by RS Integrated Supply; customer not named).

Invited: RS Integrated Supply · Read the published case

The problem: Parts were catalogued by plant-specific SAP numbers, so the same part sat in many factories under different numbers, and stock built up during COVID was never brought back down.

Published result: SPARETECH's AI search tool integrated with SAP: parts found about 50% faster in time testing, and monthly use of the tool above 95% (as reported by Plant Services from the Nestle USA and SPARETECH SMRP 2025 presentation).

Invited: SPARETECH, with Nestle USA · Read the published case

The problem: Duplicate and inconsistently named parts, high spares stock at a remote site and nearly 50% of inventory not turned in three years, partly left over from removed equipment.

Published result: SPARETECH's spare parts data platform, in the first year of a partnership that began in 2024: $3 million worth of unused inventory identified (over a 3.5-year period), $500,000 eliminated in obsolete parts and a 50% inventory reduction of common parts (as reported by SPARETECH).

Invited: SPARETECH, with Idahoan Foods · Read the published case