Virtual Enterprise Brokerage: a Structure Driven Strategy to Achieve Build to Order Supply Chains

This paper proposes the concept of the Virtual Enterprise Broker as an innovative model to design and create Build to Order supply chains. The Build to Order supply chain responds to the demands of new global manufacturing economy offering high level of customization, high customer driven design, volume flexibility, short cycle time, none inventory costs, minimal total cost and dynamic supply chain integration. A review of different manufacturing production models is presented to set the context for the requirements of Build to Order operations. The review includes the following models: Make to Stock, Make to Order, Assemble to Order, Engineer to Order and Configure to Order. A structure driven strategy named Virtual Enterprise Broker is proposed to support the implementation of Build to Order supply chains. The Virtual Enterprise Broker strategy is described in terms of core products, processes and competencies. The demonstration of how the Virtual Enterprise Broker structure has been implemented in an industrial case related to the supply of maintenance tooling for the aerospace industry.