| Course | OPM-3010 Operations Management |
|---|---|
| Module | Module 3 |
| Paper type | Module 3 written assignment: supply chain design, process and facility |
| Length | About 604 words, 5 pages |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | Thomas Edison State University |
| Program | B.S.B.A. in Operations Management |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for OPM 3010 Module 3
Hammonton by Two Methods: Locating a Second Bakery in the Supply Chain
Student Name
B.S.B.A. in Operations Management, Thomas Edison State University
OPM-3010: Operations Management
Mentor Name
Month Day, Year
Hammonton by Two Methods: Locating a Second Bakery in the Supply Chain
The Supply Chain Problem
The Vineland plant runs at 92 percent of capacity, and two supermarket chains have asked for more volume. Bread is bulky and must arrive fresh, so outbound transport is a large share of cost: about 11 cents of the 97-cent cost per loaf. Chopra and Meindl (2016) note that facility location decisions shape a supply chain's responsiveness and cost for years, because plants are expensive to move. The second plant should therefore sit close to where the bread goes. Porter (1985) treated outbound logistics as one of the primary activities of the value chain, and for a bread maker it is among the most costly.
Center of Gravity
Collier and Evans (2017) describe the center of gravity method as finding a location that minimizes weighted distance to destinations, by computing the volume-weighted average of their coordinates. I placed the five distribution centers on a grid in miles, with the origin southwest of Bridgeton.
The center of gravity is x = (20 x 120 + 60 x 200 + 110 x 90 + 90 x 140 + 80 x 150) / 700 = 69.9, and y = (10 x 120 + 70 x 200 + 60 x 90 + 20 x 140 + 110 x 150) / 700 = 57.0. On the grid, the point (69.9, 57.0) falls between Hammonton and Mount Holly, closer to Hammonton's position at about (66, 48).
The method is a starting point, not an answer. It uses straight-line distance, ignores roads and assumes transport cost rises evenly with distance. The Atlantic City Expressway and Route 206 make Hammonton easier to reach from most centers than its grid position suggests.
| Distribution center | x | y | Weekly pallets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgeton | 20 | 10 | 120 |
| Cherry Hill | 60 | 70 | 200 |
| Toms River | 110 | 60 | 90 |
| Atlantic City | 90 | 20 | 140 |
| Trenton | 80 | 110 | 150 |
| Total | | | 700 |
Weighted Factor Rating
Location also depends on factors the center of gravity ignores. I rated three towns from 1 to 10 on five factors weighted by importance.
Hammonton scores highest, 7.75, chiefly on access to distribution centers, which carries the most weight. Glassboro is close, 7.55, because its site costs are lower. Mount Holly leads on labor and highway access but is farthest from the southern centers.
Change the weights and the ranking can change. If site cost were weighted 0.30 and access 0.20, Glassboro would score 7.65 against Hammonton's 7.45. The decision therefore depends on whether management values lower building cost now or lower transport cost every week; with transport at 11 cents a loaf, access deserves the higher weight.
| Factor | Weight | Glassboro | Hammonton | Mount Holly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Access to distribution centers | 0.30 | 8 | 9 | 6 |
| Labor availability | 0.25 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| Site and utility cost | 0.20 | 9 | 6 | 7 |
| Highway access | 0.15 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| Local incentives | 0.10 | 7 | 8 | 6 |
| Weighted score | 1.00 | 7.55 | 7.75 | 7.25 |
Process and Layout
Collier and Evans relate process type to volume and variety. Sliced bread is a high-volume, low-variety product made in a continuous flow, which suits a product layout: equipment arranged in the sequence of operations, from mixing to bagging, so that dough moves in a line without backtracking. The second plant should copy the Vineland line's product layout for its two bread lines and use a small process layout area, with flexible equipment grouped by function, for seasonal and specialty items.
Recommendation
Build the second plant in Hammonton. Both the center of gravity and the factor rating favor it, and its highway connections strengthen the case. Use a product layout for the main lines.
References
Chopra, S., & Meindl, P. (2016). Supply chain management: Strategy, planning, and operation (6th ed.). Pearson.
Collier, D. A., & Evans, J. R. (2017). OM (6th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Porter, M. E. (1985). Competitive advantage: Creating and sustaining superior performance. Free Press.
What the OPM 3010 Module 3 instructions ask for
The third written assignment covers supply chain design, process and facility. Expect problems or a short case on choosing a location, designing a supply chain, selecting a process type and laying out a facility. Apply the center of gravity method and a weighted factor rating where the problem calls for them, show each calculation, and explain what each method leaves out. Base the recommendation on two or more methods, and strengthen it with a quick check of how the answer moves when the weights change. Place your locations on a simple grid and state the units, so the calculation can be checked. Include at least one factor the quantitative method ignores, such as roads or labor.
How this OPM 3010 Module 3 example is built
The paper opens with the capacity problem and why transport cost makes location important. A table sets out five distribution centers with coordinates and volumes, and the text computes the center of gravity and notes its limits. A factor rating table scores three towns, and the text explains the ranking and tests its sensitivity to the weights. A section links process type to layout, and the recommendation draws on both methods. A sensitivity test reweights the factors and shows that Glassboro would win if site cost mattered more, which makes the recommendation's dependence on transport cost explicit. The recommendation combines both methods with a note on highway access that neither captures.
Reading the OPM 3010 Module 3 grading rubric
Mentors grade this assignment on correct calculations, appropriate use of location and layout methods, recognition of each method's limits and a well-supported recommendation. Papers that compare two methods, and test how a result depends on the weights, show analytical maturity. Linking layout to process type shows command of the module's concepts. Clear tables let a reader check every number, and a recommendation that weighs cost now against cost every week shows business judgment. A sensitivity test, showing what would change the answer, demonstrates the critical thinking that turns a calculation into a decision. Noting each method's limits shows judgment. A clear grid with units lets a reader check the arithmetic, and a short note on roads shows awareness of what the method leaves out.
OPM 3010 Module 3 help: mistakes that cost marks
Students lose points by computing the center of gravity without weighting by volume, by presenting a factor rating without explaining the weights or by recommending a site on one method alone. Others ignore layout. Weight coordinates by volume. Explain why each factor gets its weight. Test whether the answer changes if the weights change. Connect the layout to how the product is made. Test whether a change in weights would change your answer, and explain which weighting fits the business. Remember that straight-line distance is only an approximation of real travel. A free first sample on your own OPM-3010 Module 3 assignment is available on request.
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OPM 3010 Module 3 questions, answered
Where can I find a free OPM 3010 Module 3 sample paper?
A bakery's second-plant location chosen with the center of gravity and a factor rating is the assignment above.
How is the center of gravity calculated?
As the volume-weighted average of the destinations' x and y coordinates.
What is a weighted factor rating?
A method that scores locations on several factors, multiplies each score by the factor's weight and sums the results.
What layout suits high-volume, low-variety production?
A product layout, with equipment arranged in the sequence of operations.
What are the limits of the center of gravity method?
It uses straight-line distance and assumes transport cost rises evenly with distance, ignoring roads and other factors.