Growth in manufacturing is exciting, and comes with challenges. For one of our clients, a rapidly expanding manufacturer, the biggest risk to their operation was external. If inbound materials weren’t delivered on time or outbound inventory isn’t picked up on schedule, production came to a halt. Every delay meant wasted labor costs, unnecessary admin, and a frustrated team.
That’s what led them to try on-demand labor.
Flexible Start Dates
When this client first launched a new product line, they faced the classic challenge of timing. Bring workers on too early, and they’d pay for idle labor. Wait too long, and they risked falling behind on orders. With LABR, they were able to flex their start date seamlessly, saving both direct labor costs and the administrative headache of constantly adjusting contracts while risking losing candidates.
Weekly Scheduling
Instead of committing to rigid, long-term commitments, they now schedule labor on a weekly basis. This allows them to scale headcount up or down based on current needs; a luxury they didn’t have in the past.
Product-Run Level Control
The biggest transformation came from a capability they had never been able to achieve until our partnership: adjusting headcount by product run. Now, they can:
- Tightly manage inventory by product to avoid excess carrying costs
- Pause production temporarily based on materials and inventory levels
- Align labor spend directly with revenue opportunities
This resulted in significant improvements to profitability, operational efficiency, and culture without sacrificing speed or flexibility.
At LABR, we believe workforce solutions should enable businesses to run smarter, not just harder. For this manufacturer, the ability to control labor with precision has become a competitive advantage when supply chain challenges are out of their control.
