Factories Do Not Follow Spreadsheets

Why Manufacturing Follows Physics, Not Financial Models
1. Auflage 2027
ISBN: 978-1-041-42758-2
Verlag: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Buch, Englisch, 168 Seiten, Format (B × H): 156 mm x 234 mm

Factories Do Not Follow Spreadsheets: Why Manufacturing Follows Physics, Not Financial Models examines the persistent disconnect between financial decision-making and operational reality in manufacturing. Drawing on decades of hands-on experience across industries and continents, this book reveals why decisions that appear logical in financial models consistently fail on the factory floor, where physical constraints, flow dynamics, and variability, not abstract metrics, determine actual performance.

Written in an accessible, story-driven format, the book provides a practical framework for understanding how common approaches to efficiency and cost reduction often create instability and increase overall costs. Through real-world examples, it demonstrates how to "read" a factory, identify critical signals early, and make decisions grounded in operational truth rather than spreadsheet logic. Readers gain immediately applicable tools for evaluating and improving manufacturing operations while learning to bridge the divide between financial assumptions and physical reality.

Essential reading for manufacturing executives, operations managers, industrial engineers, private equity investors, and business consultants, this book speaks directly to professionals who have witnessed the frustrating gap between financial projections and factory performance.

Zielgruppe

Professional Reference

Autoren/Hrsg.

Spring, Ueli

Fachgebiete

• Wirtschaftswissenschaften Betriebswirtschaft Management
• Technische Wissenschaften Maschinenbau | Werkstoffkunde Produktionstechnik Fertigungstechnik
• Technische Wissenschaften Technik Allgemein Industrial Engineering

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1. Where the Lens Came From. 2. Learning to Read the Floor. 3. What Factories Taught Me. 4. The Measurement Trap. 5. The Invisible Variable. 6. When Understanding Is Lost. 7. Due Diligence: Finding the Missing Variable. 8. Epligue.

Über Autor(innen)

Ueli Spring is based in Ontario, Canada, and is an accomplished manufacturing and operations professional with decades of international experience across the industrial, automotive, and aerospace sectors. Throughout his career, he has served as CEO of major manufacturing organizations and provided strategic guidance to private equity firms, venture-backed companies, and multinational corporations. His expertise encompasses operational performance improvement, restructuring, and navigating complex turnaround situations. Mr. Spring's career has taken him to factories worldwide, where he has developed a deep, hands-on understanding of how production systems operate in practice, often revealing stark contrasts to their representation in financial models. A pivotal moment in his professional journey was the opportunity to attend seminars given directly by Dr. Shingo, a pioneer of modern lean manufacturing practices. This experience, combined with extensive operational experience, has shaped his unique perspective on bridging the gap between theoretical frameworks and manufacturing realities.