Plant managers know what equipment their facilities need. They've done production analysis, identified bottlenecks, calculated the capacity improvement potential. They're confident in the business case.
Then they present to corporate leadership. The response: "Interesting. Let's table this until next quarter." The project stalls. Six months later, the issue resurfaces—now with updated inflation costs.
The problem isn't usually the business case. It's the presentation. Corporate decision-makers need specific information in specific formats to approve capital spending. Miss these elements and even solid ROI analysis gets shelved.
The Four-Section Board-Ready Structure
Section 1: The Problem Statement (2 minutes)
Don't start with the solution. Start with the problem creating business impact. Example:
"Current bottleneck at packaging line causes 15% downtime quarterly. This constraint prevents us from accommodating customer volume increases we're already losing to competitors. We've analyzed the issue—and here's the specific cost impact:"
Then show the numbers:
- Lost revenue: $500K annually
- Customer attrition: 3 major accounts at risk
- Market share impact: 2% of our segment growing to competitors
This frames why action is necessary NOW, not "eventually."
Section 2: The Solution & ROI (3 minutes)
Present the proposed equipment upgrade with:
- Specific equipment selection (make, model, cost)
- Installation timeline and owner's representation plan
- Post-implementation capacity increase (units/hour or throughput)
- Cost-benefit model: 3-year NPV, IRR, payback period
Example calculation:
- Equipment + installation: $500K
- Annual capacity recovery: 2,000 units × $250 margin = $500K
- Payback period: 12 months
- 3-year NPV at 10% discount rate: $1.1M
Section 3: Risk Management (2 minutes)
Address the question every capital committee asks: "What if this doesn't work as planned?"
- Equipment performance guarantee from vendor (45-day warranty on throughput)
- Phased implementation approach (pilot run before full deployment)
- Exit strategy if customer demand doesn't materialize (equipment can be leased to other facilities)
- Budget contingencies by category (mechanical 5%, electrical 20%)
Section 4: Implementation Timeline (1 minute)
Show monthly milestones:
- Month 1: Equipment ordering and site preparation
- Month 2-3: Equipment delivery and installation
- Month 4: Commissioning and validation
- Month 5+: Production ramp-up
This timeline demonstrates that you've thought through execution logistics, not just strategy.
The Presentation Format That Works
- 8-10 slides maximum
- No dense slides (no more than 3 bullet points per slide)
- One chart showing NPV/IRR sensitivity analysis
- One photo of current bottleneck
- One photo of proposed equipment
Avoid jargon. Avoid overloaded PowerPoints. Keep it visual and concise.
The Psychological Factor
Corporate decision-makers are evaluating your credibility. A well-structured presentation signals that you've thought critically about the decision. A rambling presentation signals overconfidence without rigor.
The best business case disappears into the wrong presentation format. The adequate business case presented clearly gets approved.
For plant managers seeking capital approval, structuring presentations around these four sections and addressing known decision-maker concerns dramatically improves approval probability.
