Client Name

Shaffer & Co.

Faculty Advisor

Ms. Tahira Maryam Jafferi

SBS Thought Leadership Areas

Investment Decision Making

SBS Thought Leadership Area Justification

The research was about optimizing existing processes to achieve maximum efficiency. Further, there was good focus on future strategies and the paths the company can take in order to improve its position against the industry all of which falls under the umbrella of responsible investments and creating that can give the best returns on investments.

Aligned SDGs

GOAL 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

Aligned SDGs Justification

By increasing the scope of operations, the company can contribute towards the development of the industry and has the potential to disrupt status quo.

NDA

No

Abstract

Shaffer Textiles, a premium menswear brand operating under Grace Fabrics, has made significant strides in the local market but continues to face pressing operational challenges, particularly in its made-to-order (MTO) facility. This project focused on identifying the core reasons behind persistent delays and process inefficiencies, with the objective of proposing practical solutions that could enable Shaffer to revive and expand its MTO operations sustainably.

For this purpose, multiple visits were conducted to Shaffer’s manufacturing facility where the team closely observed the production floor, spoke at length with managers and staff, and studied the existing workflow and departmental interactions. It was noted early on that although the tailoring staff is highly skilled and experienced, fundamental gaps in communication, order management, and capacity planning have created a recurring backlog of orders and compromised quality checks.

Order bookings on paper, informal communication practices, and a central but cumbersome procurement system emerged as recurring pain points that slow down production and dispatch.

The analysis confirmed that overbooking beyond daily capacity is the root cause triggering other issues such as mismatched sizes, frequent returns, and frustrated staff. Improvements observed during later visits, such as shifting the production unit closer to the store and implementing performance evaluations, have helped reduce lead times from 21 days to about 10 days for Western wear. However, further steps are needed to build on this momentum.

Key recommendations include upgrading the ERP to a robust cloud-based system for live tracking, restructuring the MTO unit as an independent business unit with its own dedicated supply chain, and decentralizing routine decisions to empower on-ground managers. Additionally, tapping into Gen-Z trends through internship and ambassador programs, improving logistics with more delivery staff, and selecting high-footfall locations for future MTO outlets will help Shaffer regain customer confidence and meet demand effectively.

Overall, this project underscores that while Shaffer’s MTO model holds strong potential, aligning capacity with demand and bringing discipline into daily operations will be crucial for scaling up without repeating past missteps.

Document Type

Restricted Access

Document Name for Citation

Experiential Learning Project

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