Production and materials management

1. "The guiding principles in the search for a location should be for a place where the cost of the raw materials and of fabrication, plus the cost of the marketing of the finished product will be minimum". Elaborate.     

2. "An ideally laid out plant goes a long way in reducing manufacturing costs through materials handling, reduced personnel and equipment requirements and reduced in process inventory" -Elaborate. 

3. a) 'Materials handling and plant layout are complementary to each other'. Discuss the statement. 

(b) You are appointed as a materials management consultant for a company engaged in manufacturing electric motors, and you are required to evaluate the inventory performances. How would you go about it? 

4. (a)'In sugar factory what type of maintenance are followed'. Explain.  

(b) Bring out the arguments for and against 'make' or 'buy' decisions. How is the problem of make-or-buy resolved? Explain this by considering a bike manufacturing company.