Case Study #1
Rogan Corporation
May 18, 2011

This case study focuses on a customer’s product consisting of a bulldozer pusher, fork lift fork, and front loader spoon that are designed for both function in eating, and play value for small children. The product was designed off an idea to creatively figure out a way to get children excited about eating while being entertained by their utensils. Production on these products began in Shenzhen, China in 2007.

The clever eating utensils resembling construction equipment rapidly grew in popularity within its first two years. The company was faced with a series of conflicts within the first year of production. The first conflict began when production was unable to keep up with the demand of growing sales.  It typically took 8-12 weeks to receive parts via ocean freight for orders placed in Shenzhen. This crippled the supply chain during the fourth quarter of both 2008 and 2009 causing a high risk for poor inventory, longer lead times, and late shipping.

In conjunction with a weakening supply chain and tiring language barrier, the rising concern of U.S. material safety specifications began within the retail industry (specifically the toy industry). It became a requirement for all material purchases to be performed or approved by a U.S. sister facility located in Shenzhen, China. The product demand continued to increase sufficiently to where the capacity of the existing tooling in Shenzhen was exhausted. In efforts to resolve the following issues, the production was brought back stateside in 2010 in search of a capable plastic molder and a solution to the various issues.

Rogan specializes in 2-Shot/Multi-shot plastic injection molding with standard safe materials. The 2-shot injection molded process reduces assembly, lowers cost, and effectively consolidates materials into one integral piece. This process was the perfect fit in solution to the inventory, material, and shipment issues.

"Rogan presented itself as a competent, ethical, straight forward and fair organization".
–Company Owner

The product is now sold online, in children's specialty stores through-out all 50 states, and internationally in eight countries. In addition to the construction utensils, a line of girls gardening tool utensils will hit the market in early 2011.