Guessing is not a strategy: How to build decision velocity with AI and real-time data
June 10, 2026 | Live Webinar
Breaking Old Habits
By instituting three new rules for multiproject execution -- based on critical chain principles and supported by a technology solution -- an engineer-to-order company has been able to take on more projects, and deliver them faster.
Projects are the lifeblood of Michigan Custom Machines (MCM), an engineer-to-order company that has designed and built custom test machinery for automotive and industrial component manufacturers since 1974. With expertise in diesel fuel system component testing for end-of-line production, R&D and endurance, MCM incorporate hydraulics, electronics, 3D parametric design, controls, data acquisition and assembly line integration into its custom testing products.
At any given time, MCM has a number of projects under way, and for each one, the company’s first consideration is to complete them on time for its customers. That’s not an easy goal to meet. "Contention for resources is a reality," says MCM president Michael Schena. "Still, traditional project management methods assume a perfect world, one where events can be precisely planned, and everyone knows exactly when projects will get the resources they need. As with most companies like us, our world isn’t perfect."
However, thanks to the adoption of key critical chain and lean principles, supported by a technology platform called Project Flow, MCM’s world is a lot better than it used to be.
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