The significance of agile manufacturing techniques within SMEs in the construction industry

Manufacturers are constantly under pressure to function efficiently to deliver customer requirements both cost effectively as well as on time. To respond to such requirements the company must adopt agile tools and techniques in strategic parts or throughout the organisation. Agile manufacturing is an emerging concept in industry that aims at achieving flexibility and responsiveness to changing markets. However, the construction industry has somewhat been overlooked where agility is concerned and specifically the companies in the supply chain. The agility centre at the University of Liverpool has developed a framework which identifies the areas of vulnerability and a set of measures that can further quantify the identified issues. This paper features some main components of the framework and applies them via a case study SME company within the construction industry. This in effect validates some of the agility measures and gives an insight into manufacturing agility within the construction industry.