The interim manager was hired by a medium-sized textile machinery manufacturer with more than 600 employees. The company develops and produces machines and systems for textile finishing. A production area with around 70 employees and 6 departments was no longer able to meet the delivery times customary in the industry. This even led to the cancellation of important customer orders and thus to considerable financial losses.
Process optimization along the entire value chain
The interim manager's analysis revealed serious deficiencies in employee management, production planning and production processes along the entire value chain. In close consultation with the client, he defined 5 sub-projects to ensure that day-to-day business could be resumed and the company's ability to deliver restored. These included the following work packages:
- Taking over operational management as on-site production manager
- Implementing immediate measures in order processing to ensure day-to-day business and delivery capability
- Process optimization of production planning and raw material scheduling
- Planning and implementing cost-cutting measures using the KAIZEN method
- Introducing key performance indicators (KPIs) as a new management tool
The sub-projects were implemented in teams with internal employees. The interim manager was responsible for managing the sub-projects.
Intensive communication played a key role in the project's success
In addition to technical qualifications, the interim manager's communication skills were required in this change process. Open and clear communication between the interim manager and the workforce was a key factor in the success of the project. For example, the interim manager initiated weekly store floor meetings at which progress was discussed and visualized transparently. This intensive communication played a key role in getting those involved on board and achieving the goals that had been set.
Increased productivity - 70 percent reduction in changeover times
The causes of the problems were clearly identified in the communication. It was up to the interim manager to clearly demonstrate the management's expectations. The measures to improve the situation were then developed together with the employees.
Distance reductions of up to 670 km per processing station
These measures included massively reducing the changeover times at several processing stations. Previously, tools for retooling processing stations were stored centrally in a warehouse. This led to long distances for fetching and returning the tools. Now, additional tools have been procured for all processing stations and placed in the immediate vicinity of the machines. This has led to annual route reductions of up to 670 km per processing station.
More efficiency through storage locations and relocation of set-up activities
Floor markings as clearly defined storage locations for pallets or placement of several production orders in a pallet cage with clear physical separation of the individual production orders are further measures that have created more efficiency. Storage racks on the machines also helped to further reduce set-up times. In addition, internal set-up activities were shifted to external set-up activities and the sequence of set-up activities was changed.
