Spring 2001

ME/IE 8773-8774

Factory Design: The Emerging Challenges

by

Professor Benoit Montreuil
Canada Research Chair in Enterprise Engineering
Director of the Virtual Research Laboratory
in Enterprise Logistics
Faculty of Administration Sciences

University of Laval
Pavillon P. Prince, Office 2626
Quebec (Quebec) Canada G1K 7P4

Wednesday, April 18, 2001
3:30-4:30 p.m.
Room 108 ME
Broadcast on UNITE Channel A
Coffee and cookies will be available in 152 ME following the seminar

The manufacturing industry has evolved significantly in recent decades. It has assimilated lean and agile manufacturing systems, is struggling with supply chain, collaboration, mass customizing and e-business. The overall pace and complexity of industry have greatly expanded. This global evolution has transformed dramatically the essence, the organization and the layout of so many factories. The change is industry driven, concepts and methodologies for designing factories have been innovated by industry and consulting leaders. Academic research is lagging. Yet there are huge challenges to be met, where research can have a significant impact. This presentation introduces some of the most strategic and critical emerging challenges and illustrates how research contributes to meeting these challenges.

Professor Benoit Montreuil has been a Professor at Laval University since 1988. He holds a Canada Research Chair in Enterprise Engineering. He is director of the Multi-University Virtual Supply Chain Research Laboratory. A professional industrial engineer since 1978, he obtained a Ph.D. in I.E. from Georgia Tech. in 1982. At Laval University, he is responsible for graduate courses in factory design analysis, and on design of new economy enterprises. His twenty-years of research contribution focuses on factory design, supply chain design and management, and enterprise engineering in the e-business era. He has extensive consulting experience with industry leaders in the automotive, electronics and high-tech factories. He is the founder of Set Technologies Inc., a leading company in business planning solutions for the manufacturing industry.

Informal Faculty Luncheon: Wednesday, April 18, 2001, 12:00 noon. A table is reserved at McCormick's Restaurant, Radisson Hotel Metrodome. Prof. Montreuil will be able to attend.