A site leader left an international market leader in the field of energy conversion at the beginning of 2018. Until a successor was hired, the interim manager took over the management of the entire supply chain management in the role of site manager. The position was at the second level of the US company and reported directly to the management board.
Supply chains for procurement, production, quality management and logistics
The site manager was responsible for the entire supply chain for procurement, production, quality management and logistics with a total of around 220 employees. In this role, the interim manager also formed the link to the sales, engineering, project management and finance departments.
The company designs, builds and operates innovative cutting-edge technology plants for the conversion of renewable energies and is also active in the oil, gas, marine, industrial and energy supply sectors.
Critical orders implemented in a difficult adjustment process
The production division of the interim mandate has been navigating difficult waters for years. A fundamental restructuring with an accompanying reduction in production was on the agenda. The main areas of production were to be outsourced to other European countries. At the same time, extremely time-critical and important reference orders had to be processed. In addition, the procurement of critical electronic components had to be secured. However, this procurement market is significantly limited worldwide due to increased demand as a result of Industry 4.0 activities. In view of the complex challenges and limited future prospects, the entire team had limited motivation.
The interim manager took on the management task at short notice without much preparation. He initially dedicated himself to two main tasks:
- Securing the procurement of critical (in terms of time and quality) electronic components with strategic and operational purchasing. Group interests also had to be taken into account.
- Targeted control of production: several bottlenecks in the logistics process and the final functional test had to be eliminated.
Due to the close integration with the international group and in view of the high risks involved in processing, the interim manager held and coordinated weekly meetings with project managers, engineering and procurement. Daily store floor coordination with employees from purchasing, engineering and production ensured that the relevant deadlines were met.
Revival of lean management projects initiated
In the production area, the interim manager initiated the revival of lean management projects for the gradual optimization of internal processes. Production processes were streamlined through value stream mapping and concepts derived from this. Regular team meetings and 1:1 exchanges with managers ensured that targets were achieved and helped to master unforeseen changes. The interim manager's communication and the visible progress of the project ensured the cohesion and motivation of the managers (team leaders) and their employees.
Supply chain management handed over to newly appointed site leader in an orderly manner
The time-critical orders were delivered on time. Cohesion in production was strengthened. The employees gave their all to complete the orders on time and without errors. The Interim Head of Supply Chain Management and Interim Plant Manager handed over orderly operations to the newly appointed Site Manager in November.
