Departments

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  Manufacturing Management
  Manufacturing is divided into Operations and Support.
  

• •	Manufacturing Operations looks after the realisation of the end product; the Parts Production department makes the components such as sheet metal work and turned items, while the Assembly department puts the end products together.
  •	On the one hand, Manufacturing Support is responsible for supporting the day-to-day work of Operations; on the other hand it looks after the production processes for the future. The New Products & Processes department is sometimes referred to as the R&D for the Parts Production and Assembly departments. This means that they are always looking for new production and assembly techniques and ways of applying them to our production lines. In addition, Manufacturing Support works together with R&D, Purchasing, International Business Support, Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing Operations on the development and start of production for new products. Back to top

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  Purchasing en Facility Management
  Purchasing is always looking for new technological items on the market and ways of applying other materials, etc. This allows the department to act as a catalyst for the entire company. From product design through the production processes to acquisition of components.
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  Supply Chain Management
• The Supply Chain department works on the strategic choices in the logistical chain, using a three-year plan. Objectives that are monitored by means of performance indicators help in the search for continuous improvement in the existing processes and procedures. The department consists of three subdepartments:
  

  •	Resource Planning (RP) is responsible for handling and improving the forecasting (methods) of our customers. This forecast is assessed and converted into a Master Production Schedule (MPS). Parallel to this, the RP department is represented in various projects relating to new launches and it initiates/coordinates logistics projects. Finally it also bears final responsibility for stock levels and (from its position as the Baan Competence Centre) is responsible for our BAAN ERP system.
  •	Materials Management (MM) plans the flow of materials within production and assembly, both physically and administratively. The Master Production Schedule is used as the basis for generating call-off orders (procurement) and production and assembly orders. Materials Management is responsible for the planning, tracing and tracking that produces a smooth flow of materials within defined limits, maximising the efficiency of internal production and assembly processes and ultimately ensuring that the end customers receive their orders on time. The continuous improvement of its own processes, achieving centrally defined objectives and initiating projects are part of the natural makeup of MM.
  •	Physical Distribution (PD) is responsible for order intake, customer contacts relating to sales orders (in the broadest sense) and for shipment and all related correspondence. Customers order the end products or components from us and PD represents the interests of the external clients within the internal process. As well as order tracing and tracking, the day-to-day activities of PD include packaging, bulking parcels and arranging the shipping and customs formalities. Our products are delivered to the end customer. For 60% of shipments, this will be outside the EU. Back to top

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• International Business Support
  IBS supports the international sales and service organisations (OPCOs) in all sorts of ways. This support is provided from two subdepartments.
  

  •	International Product Management (IPM) looks after marketing and sales support. This is a full support package that includes tools such as sales training courses, documentation, etc. Organising the introduction of new products is one of the department’s most important tasks. Naturally, IPM also handles marketing support for all document systems for the OPCOs after the introduction. Input from IPM is important when drawing up the market requirements and product specifications during the development of new products. This input is based on knowledge acquired in the market regarding saleability, functionality, operational lifespan and ease of use. In order to keep the time to market as short as possible, marketing and sales tools are implemented during the product development process.
  •	International Product & Service Support (IP&SS) provides broad technical support for the OPCOs for their operations. Neopost works with about 1000 engineers and technical support specialists worldwide. Technical problems that they cannot resolve finally end up with IP&SS. When new products are being developed, IP&SS ensures that these products will be serviceable in the field. Back to top

  
  

• Research and Development
  R&D has a prominent position within these projects. Three different disciplines can be distinguished within R&D:
  

  •	Mechanical Engineering has to meet the various departments’ requirements regarding the mechanics of the product. These requirements may derive from considerations of user-friendliness, ergonomics, manufacturing feasibility, serviceability, etc. The short communication lines to the production floor lead to thorough optimisation of the various components. To achieve this, we use constructions made of thin sheeting, injection moulding, high-tech paper handling and drive techniques. The main tool used for design is a 3D CAD system.
  •	The challenge for the Electronics Engineering department is in innovation and improving the reliability and compactness of the hardware for our embedded control systems. During the design, strict requirements are imposed e.g. on EMC/ESD and of course on the cost price. Choices are made within a project regarding the controllers, interfacing, user interface, power supplies and (motor) regulators. 32-bit microcontrollers (ARM) are used for this, as well as programmable logic (including VHDL), bus techniques and a variety of control techniques (actuators/sensors).
  •	Software Engineering then uses the electronics to bring the mechanical construction to life. To allow them to fulfil the clients’ requirements as well as possible, the Software Engineers have a variety of roles such as Software Project Leader, Architect, Constructor/Tester, Requirements Engineer, etc. The most modern methods and techniques are employed to fulfil these roles. We describe our designs in UML, for example. We do the programming in C/C++, basing it on a real-time operating system that runs on powerful 32-bit microcontrollers (ARM). Back to top

  
  

• Health, Safety & Environment (HSE)
  The HSE department is concerned with activities that are present throughout the company, such as Working Conditions and Environmental Services. These activities are reflected in: environmentally aware design, purchasing and production, the use, storage and disposal of hazardous materials, the various waste flows and the recording thereof. But it also involves maintaining filters and extractors, external communications about complaints, constantly looking for ways to reduce the amounts of waste materials, using less energy, lower emissions into the atmosphere or other measures for limiting the harm we do to the environment. The applications for various permits (e.g. planning, demolition, felling and environmental permits) go through HSE, as does the maintenance of the permits. We have been ISO 14001 certified since 2004.
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