A close look at manufacturing gives Executive M.B.A. students a consultant’s eye
A visit to Weidmuller’s Richmond plant challenged students to evaluate the manufacturer’s operations.
By VCU Business Staff
Every fall, second-year Executive M.B.A. students step outside the classroom for a hands-on experience: a manufacturing plant tour organized by faculty from the Department of Supply Chain Management and Analytics.
This signature event prepares students for due diligence in supplier evaluations and potential acquisitions as they leverage a rapid assessment framework drawn from the Harvard Business Review case “Read a Plant—Fast” by R. Eugene Goodson. Acting as external advisors, students observe, analyze and present an overview of the plant’s strengths and improvement opportunities.
This year’s visit took students to the newly expanded Weidmuller USA facility on Southlake Boulevard in Richmond, Virginia—a regional home of industrial innovation for nearly 50 years.
Guided by Dr. Brett Massimino, associate professor and department chair for Supply Chain Management and Analytics, students first explored Weidmuller’s history and leading-edge products before touring the plant to see production firsthand.
“What makes this experience so valuable is that it hones students’ ability to make evidence-based assessments of a potential supplier, acquisition target or even their own production facility,” said Massimino. “Students quickly learn to distinguish true operational capabilities from surface impressions and to recognize meaningful opportunities for improvement, even if they’ve never set foot in a plant or when operations are already exceptionally well run.”
During their assessment, students noted several observations reflecting both operational strengths and opportunities for refinement:
- High SKU complexity requiring sophisticated inventory management
- Operational flows shaped by multiple facility expansions over time
- Integration of new item-picking equipment into order-fulfillment operations
- Documentation processes that could further support scalability and knowledge transfer among workers
Randy Sadler, president of Weidmuller USA; Caroline March-Long, senior director of marketing and market intelligence; and Phil Dobler, director of operations, joined students throughout the walkthrough, answering questions and providing valuable insights.
Executive M.B.A. Program Director Butch Sarma participated as well, reflecting on his own experience at a Weidmuller subsidiary in the 1990s.
“Experiential learning, like these plant tours, helps Executive M.B.A. students connect the theory to the real world,” said Sarma, emphasizing the importance of engaging with actual manufacturing challenges.
The day’s lessons offered students a unique perspective and tangible insights, reinforcing their skills in both observation and rapid evaluation—critical capabilities for future strategic business leaders.
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