Improving industrial performance for an automotive tier-1 supplier in Slovakia
Improving industrial performance
Context & Objectives
A Tier 1 automotive supplier (revenue > €10 billion) is facing serious and recurring problems at one of its sites in Eastern Europe, jeopardizing its future business relationships with German manufacturers.
Despite their best efforts, the teams in place have been unable to break the vicious circle in which the site has been stuck for many months: productivity and quality are unsatisfactory, leading to significant production cost overruns and persistent difficulties in meeting delivery commitments.
Mission
To appoint a transitional Site Manager who is familiar with the local culture and fluent in the language in order to
- Conduct an in-depth audit of the situation, covering technical, organizational, and human aspects, to identify the root causes of these problems
- Define priorities, identify, plan, and implement operational improvements that can be achieved in the very short term
- At the same time, and while awaiting the positive effects of these measures, set up and lead a crisis team responsible for ensuring that commitments to customers are met
- Set up and manage the monitoring of daily operations (rituals, KPIs, etc.)
- Develop the skills of the teams and recruit new blood in a targeted manner for key positions.
Results
- Rapid and significant improvement in operational indicators, quality, and consequently customer service, with a return to “normal” operations within seven months
- Restoration of customer confidence and successful completion of manufacturer audits
- Consolidation of site operations to sustain the gains made
- Operational support to ensure a smooth transition to his successor.
