The Head of Quality Assurance/Laboratory and a Quality Manager at Georgia-Pacific's Steinfurt site near Münster were foreseeably ill for an extended period of time. The management therefore decided to compensate for the absence of the two managers by deploying an interim manager. The available employees had indicated that they would not be able to take on the tasks due to a high workload.
Took over specifications, laboratory tests and batch release
Until joining Georgia-Pacific, the interim manager had no knowledge or points of contact with the paper industry. However, with the typical curiosity of an engineer, an interest in new products and a good understanding of basic technical principles, he quickly managed to identify the key construction sites. Technical understanding was an essential prerequisite for being able to cope with the daily tasks. These included, for example, the preparation of technical specifications, the definition of laboratory tests and the approval of produced batches.
Acting as a contact person at eye level for demanding customers
Furthermore, the management was keen to appoint a "strong" personality on a temporary basis to represent the quality assurance and laboratory departments appropriately at high-level meetings. It was also important to install a contact person at eye level for the demanding customers. The company's customers include several global corporations from the consumer goods and cosmetics industries.
The internal management was simple. With openness, cooperative behavior, conveying a sense of security, enjoyment of work and empathy, the interim manager won over the employees for pleasant cooperation and successful team performance.
Quality management reviewed and complaints process streamlined
The interim manager also reviewed the quality management processes with regard to up-to-dateness and mapping the current state of the art. This revealed a need for action, particularly in the complaints process. The interim manager streamlined the process by introducing a new system. He also trained the team in current methods of root cause analysis.
