growth concentration
~2.5x
Top-quartile growers concentrate ~75% of growth in just 13% of business lines — rarely seen in low-growth portfolios.
Simpler product lines for manufacturers
A product offering that’s easier to
Dimensional helps manufacturers make their product lines easier to sell, build, and support while still giving customers the choices they value.
inventory efficiency
30–40%
Reduction in obsolete stock seen in portfolio optimization benchmarks.
profitability lift
5–10%
EBITDA increase seen in portfolio optimization benchmarks.
Sources: McKinsey (53 CPG companies, 2010–2014); Porsche Consulting internal benchmarks.
How the problem builds
Product growth creates value. Hidden operating drag can grow with it.
Product lines grow for sensible reasons: new customer needs, new markets, acquisitions, older products that still need support, and temporary fixes.
Over time, the pieces stop fitting together. Sales has more to explain. Operations has more exceptions to manage. Finance sees more inventory and cost.
The problem is not simply the number of products. It is the extra work required to support them.
What gets better
A product line that works together is a business that works together.
The offer becomes easier to sell
Sales can explain the offer faster and guide customers to the right product.
More products use the same building blocks
More products share the same parts, suppliers, and production steps.
Planning and production become more reliable
Forecasting, scheduling, purchasing, production, and support become more predictable.
Product decisions become clearer
Leaders can see which products help the business and which ones create more work than value.
The starting point
The smallest products are rarely the largest problems.
Dimensional never recommends pruning small or low-profit products as a first step.
Instead, Dimensional starts with the products that drive the most sales and work, then looks at smaller products based on the job they do.
- Start with the core products, where changes have the biggest effect.
- Keep smaller products that serve a clear purpose.
- Change products in ways customers can understand and adopt.
- Put rules in place so the same problems do not come back.
How Dimensional helps
Work on the product line and the systems that support it.
Product-line strategy
Decide where variety helps the business grow and where it creates more work than value.
Product-line simplification
Remove unnecessary products and differences while keeping the choices customers truly need.
Manufacturing operations
Connect product decisions to inventory, suppliers, planning, scheduling, production, and support work.
Sales and operations alignment
Help commercial and operating teams make decisions from the same facts and priorities.
Common parts and product platforms
Increase reuse across designs, parts, suppliers, tools, and production steps.
Product decision processes
Create clear rules for adding, changing, supporting, and retiring products.
Two ways to begin
Choose the diagnostic that fits the decision in front of you.
Accelerated Diagnostic
A focused review for a defined problem or urgent decision.
Estimated timing: 3 to 5 days
Concentrate on a specific product family, operating issue, or leadership question. The scope can cover any challenge that touches the product line or the operation, with findings turned into a practical set of next steps.
- Focused scope
- Uses available data and leadership input
- Prioritizes the most immediate actions
In-Depth Diagnostic
A broader view of the product line and the business around it.
Estimated timing: 3 to 6 weeks
Bring together customer, product, financial, and operating evidence to show where the pressure comes from, how the issues connect, and what should change first.
- Broader product-line scope
- Connects commercial and operating evidence
- Builds a sequenced plan for lasting improvement
Start the conversation
See where your product line can become easier to run.
Start with a conversation about the products, parts, and processes creating the most cost and work.
Book directly on the calendar →