Production

As businesses grow and production volumes increase, the production process is often changed to a “batch method”. Batch methods require that a group of items move through the production process together, a stage at a time.

For example when a bakery bakes loaves of wholemeal bread, a large ball of wholemeal dough will be split into several loaves which will be spread out together on a large baking tray. The loaves on the tray will then together be cooked, wrapped and dispatched to shelves, before the bakery starts on a separate batch of, for example, crusty white bread. Note that each loaf is identical within a batch but that loaves can vary from batch to batch.

Batch production is a very common method of organising manufacture. Good examples include:

• Production of electronic instruments
• Fish and chip shops
• Paint and wallpaper manufacturers
• Cereal farming

Advantages

The batch method can be an advantage for businesses that produce a range of products. It is cheaper to produce a number of each item in one go because machines can be used more effectively, the materials can be bought in bulk and the workers can specialise in that task. There are two particular advantages of workers being able to concentrate their skills.

• They should become more expert at their tasks, which will in turn increase productivity (output per worker). This will lower costs, as fewer workers are needed to produce a set amount.
• Better quality products should be produced as workers are more familiar with the task and so can find ways of improving it.

Disadvantages

Batch production requires very careful planning to decide what batch will be produced when. Once a batch is in production it is difficult to change, as switching to another batch takes time and will mean a loss of output. Batch methods can also result in the build up of significant “work in progress” or stocks (i.e. completed batches waiting for their turn to be worked on in the next operation). This increases costs as it takes up space and raises the chance of damage to stock.

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