National Furniture prides itself on the quality of it’s products, therefore, effective manufacturing processes are critical to the company's success.  For more information about the inputs into the production process as well as quality control of that process, please see the appropriate chapters in the OPERATIONS section.

Production scheduling is a function of allocating limited manufacturing resources correctly to fill both real orders, and anticipated demand, within the constrains of inventory warehouse space.  The quantity of items produced and the production schedule are delivered weekly to the manufacturing manager by Amy Spreadsheet, who uses a complex inventory counting and tracking program which interacts with the National Furniture order processing system.

Essentially, Amy Spreadsheet has effectively balanced the interests of inventory controls, customer demand, and manufacturing constraints through the use of this system.  National Furniture is currently filling it’s orders in a timely fashion, and keeping it’s wholesale customers and it’s retail outlets reasonably supplied.  However, based on internal calculations, National Furniture is operating at 94% of production capacity in it’s current technological configuration, but only 74% of it’s warehousing capabilities.  Modernization of the National Furniture manufacturing process is expected to boost production capacity, and to provide greater capabilities to supply wholesalers and retailers, in order to meet increasing demand in the tri-state area.