Feasibility-stage projection.
Dean H. Stanton · Selected Work
Nicaragua Manufacturing Expansion & Free-Trade-Zone Due Diligence
International manufacturing-location and supply-chain feasibility work comparing labor economics, free-trade-zone requirements, logistics, facilities, workforce, legal considerations, and implementation risk before a relocation decision.
Results
Results and contributions.
01
Situation
Operating context
PPI evaluated whether manufacturing activity could be moved or expanded into Nicaragua or another Central American location to improve operating economics without creating unacceptable logistics, trade, management, quality, or implementation risk.
02
Challenge
What made the work difficult
The decision could not be reduced to wage rates. Labor and benefits, free-trade-zone rules, CAFTA/TPL requirements, logistics, customs, facilities, workforce readiness, management needs, legal factors, and implementation complexity all had to be considered together.
03
Dean's role
Responsibility and authority
Dean helped lead operating, manufacturing, supply-chain, and decision analysis during his General Manager tenure, including travel, onsite review, facility and logistics assessment, and implementation planning.
04
Actions
How the work moved forward
- Built and reviewed comparative manufacturing-location and labor-cost analyses across Central America and Mexico.
- Evaluated free-trade-zone, CAFTA/TPL, tax, legal, customs, and logistics considerations.
- Participated in on-site diligence covering facilities, workforce, infrastructure, and implementation constraints.
- Developed implementation-planning material and weighed the operating economics against execution risk.