Marcus Downie joined the Australian Furniture Association 12 months ago and thrives on helping AFA Members achieve real improvements in operational excellence.
While his 30 years in bus manufacturing might sound worlds away from furniture making, Marcus knows that good manufacturing principles are universal — and highly transferable.
Some of his key focus areas include:
- Defining value from the customer’s perspective
- Identifying and eliminating wasteful processes
- Reducing lead times to boost flexibility
- Minimising equipment downtime
- Linking production pace directly to customer demand and pulling orders through accordingly
- Running structured Daily Management meetings
- Applying 5S principles for workplace organisation
Marcus holds a Mechanical Engineering degree and a Master’s in Supply Chain and Logistics, but don’t let the titles fool you — he’s approachable and skilled at working with people at every level of a business. He inspires teams with a clear vision and a sense of urgency that sparks positive change.
How Marcus Can Help Your AFA Member and Partner Business:
- Leading and Developing High-Performance Teams
- Strategic Business Planning
- Managing Complex Change and Projects
- Business Process and Productivity Improvements using Continuous Improvement and Lean techniques
- Strategic Supply Chain Development
If you’re an AFA Member or Partner looking to boost your operations and unlock new growth opportunities, Marcus is keen to connect.
Feel free to reach out to Marcus at partnerships@theafa.asn.au or call + 61 0438 325 701.