Transformation without speed limit
BUILD, BOOST, RE:THINK – an automotive supplier realizes a new production system with OPEX orientation worldwide
Already among the top tier of market innovators, a German family-owned company is now taking the next step: aligning its more than 50 sites with a unified manufacturing system. This is intended to meet both the current economic challenges and the requirements of the electronics and mechatronics manufacturer's future markets.
Together with EFESO, the company not only establishes the framework for transformation—it also accelerates implementation: with gamified elements such as an OPEX Award, it launches more than 300 improvement projects worldwide and achieves savings of around €30 million during the system's ramp-up phase.
Challenge
A globally established automotive supplier is preparing its plants in 20 countries for current and future market shifts by introducing a new manufacturing system. Through a strict focus on Operational Excellence (OPEX), the goal is to embed a mindset of efficiency and collaboration—both within individual plants and across the entire organization.
MoreEFESO approach
With its "BUILD, BOOST, RE:THINK" framework, EFESO addresses the key elements required for successful industrial transformation. In this case, the project team focused on three key areas: the new manufacturing system, a redesigned organizational structure, and the topic of shopfloor leadership.
MoreLessons learned
Regular communication of progress and achievements—both within individual plants and across the broader network—proved to be a powerful accelerator of the transformation. In addition, focusing on both maturity and performance for each site enabled a unified understanding of goals and measures—across countries and cultural boundaries.
MoreEFESO success model
Through a company-wide competition between plants, the organization identified 300 use cases for more efficient processes—and inspired teams around the world to embrace the principles of Operational Excellence.
MoreGlobal manufacturing network on the path to OPEX
Rooted in tradition yet future-oriented, the family-owned company portrayed in this EFESO case study has evolved from its German based headquarters into a strong innovation partner in the automotive industry. Over its nearly 100-year history, the manufacturer of electronic and mechatronic components has built an extensive portfolio—including control units, interfaces, and sensors—and secured its position as a Tier 1 supplier to both domestic and international OEMs. In doing so, it has proactively engaged with emerging topics such as electromobility and autonomous driving.
With this strategic focus, the automotive supplier achieved an international success story: with approximately 20,000 employees across more than 50 locations, it is active in 20 countries worldwide and is valued by OEMs and partner companies for its innovation and quality.
As early as the beginning of the 2020s, the company began using the geopolitical and economic challenges in the automotive industry as a reason to identify and activate improvement potential across all of its plants. The strategic and operational directions defined for this were:
- Establishing efficient and collaborative manufacturing
The plants were operating within an outdated manufacturing system that had never been standardized or rolled out uniformly across all sites. As a result, each plant organized and optimized its manufacturing processes independently—which may have worked well locally, but prevented a holistic view of performance and capacity across the global network.
A modern, unified manufacturing system was intended to increase efficiency across all plants and make the full potential of the global network visible and manageable.
- Initiating and embedding Operational Excellence (OPEX)
The automotive supplier also placed great importance on accompanying technological transformation with the further development of organizational and working culture.
With the principles and methods of a lean transformation, the entire plant network was to be aligned toward a culture of continuous improvement under the banner of Operational Excellence (OPEX).
- Motivating and empowering the workforce
Aligning employees from 20 countries—across languages and cultures—around a shared direction of efficiency and close collaboration was the third, and perhaps most ambitious, objective.
The goal extended far beyond simply introducing a new manufacturing system: the workforce was to be actively involved in a joint, cross-site project from day one—encouraged to contribute ideas for improvement and take ownership of tasks from the very beginning.
Aware that these transformation steps had to take effect quickly—just like the sweeping changes happening in the automotive market—the company set an ambitious timeline: five years from project launch to full implementation of the manufacturing system across its global network.
To achieve this, it brought EFESO on board as an implementation partner with the necessary industry expertise to ensure both speed and tangible results: After just three and a half years, the project goals had been achieved and more than 50 sites worldwide had been aligned with the principles of Operational Excellence (OPEX).
In three and a half years, over 50 locations worldwide will be transformed towards OPEX.
Lean principles driving multimillion-euro savings
The overall project team comprised a total of around 100 people: Project managers from the company at all management levels worked together with 45 EFESO experts for OPEX and change management. The methodological framework for all project priorities and actions was based on EFESO’s "BUILD, BOOST, RE:THINK" approach, which addresses three essential elements of successful transformation (see graphic): The improvement and performance capabilities of both the workforce and the organization, as well as the ability to rapidly integrate and effectively leverage key elements of value creation—such as the global manufacturing system in this case.
Toolbox for efficiency in manufacturing
Depending on the project context, the emphasis placed on BUILD, BOOST, and RE:THINK may vary. For example, the focus might be more strongly on “BUILD” if a company has very limited lean expertise or if lean principles are not yet consistently practiced on the line or in shopfloor management. In this case, the project team focused on the following areas:
- Manufacturing system
The new system provides employees with access to various types of information—such as KPIs, deviations from targets, and a comprehensive training portal. It can be easily configured to ensure that each user sees the information relevant to their role at exactly the right time. The system also empowers all levels of the organization to actively participate in the transformation journey toward operational excellence. A lean toolbox enables teams to apply the six core principles of lean manufacturing, specifically developed for this company: Zero Waste, Just-in-Time, Zero Defects, Empowered Teams, Zero Accidents, and Learning Organization. To support this, 20 globally defined templates for lean tools and methods were made available in 12 languages.
- Organization
The project team designed a new organizational structure for all sites to support and accelerate the transformation. This included defining new roles and responsibilities—such as lean or OPEX coordinators and internal multipliers.
- Shopfloor leadership
Under the guidance of the project team, the company also launched a dedicated training program tailored to the new manufacturing system. Structured in several stages and training modules, the program led to the training of more than 5,000 employees and the certification of 70 OPEX moderators within just three and a half years. These moderators now drive ongoing improvement initiatives and ensure that successful practices are shared across all sites. Already during the initial phase of the new system, over 300 improvement projects were implemented—resulting in savings of around €30 million for the automotive supplier.
More than 5,000 employees were trained in just three and a half years, along with the certification of 70 OPEX moderators.
Core elements of transformation
Sharing success is not optional – it's essential
During the implementation of the project, the following practical insights proved to be especially critical to its success:
Communicate success clearly and quickly!
Lack of transparency and poor measurability of project results can demotivate teams—and gradually slow down the entire transformation process. Clear KPIs, along with regular tracking and communication, are therefore essential in projects of this scale. This also includes actively and specifically communicating progress and achievements—beyond individual factory boundaries. It allows for the identification of where additional support or training may be needed.
Create awareness of performance and potential!
The company realized that a performance assessment system is particularly powerful when it reflects two dimensions: maturity and performance. Each site maps its OPEX outcomes against these two dimensions; at the same time, aggregated performance data—such as scrap rate, OEE, employee productivity, or lead time—can be reported at group or network level for executive visibility.
Never underestimate the cultural dimension!
A transformation project of this scale should never be viewed solely as a technological or organizational initiative. In this case, the project team actively addressed intercultural dynamics and regional business cultures as critical success factors—openly questioning and constructively challenging behaviors, values, and mindsets along the way.
The six dimensions offered a clear view of each plant’s maturity level.
OPEX Award competition triggers 300 improvement projects
Even within a single site, the introduction of a new manufacturing system can quickly encounter challenges related to technology, company culture, or know-how. In a global rollout, these risks multiply—and the danger increases that such a transformation may fizzle out. In both cases, EFESO places great emphasis on creating clarity and confidence in action: at the beginning, EFESO's lean, OPEX, or digitalization experts provide direction and momentum for the project, then transition into a coaching role, and finally withdraw from the project altogether. After all, the long-term goal is to empower thousands of employees to pursue continuous improvement—far beyond the limited scope of the project timeline.
In this and similar OPEX projects, two elements were particularly decisive for success. In the area of “Performance and Maturity,” KPI management proved especially important: the company now collects all relevant manufacturing data in a performance management system—from shopfloor-level information at individual plants to network-wide performance metrics. Additionally, the project team conducted a leadership scan to create a maturity assessment aligned with the specific needs of the automotive supplier’s manufacturing system. This assessment focused on six dimensions, such as leadership behavior at the point of value creation, use of visual management and fact-based decision-making, as well as individual employee development.
On a cultural level, the introduction of an OPEX Award during the project served as a powerful performance booster. The award recognized the best optimization proposals related to processes, waste reduction, and other lean principles. Teams from every factory participated with high motivation, ultimately launching 300 improvement projects that generated savings of around €30 million during the system’s ramp-up phase. Here too, communication was highly transparent: a company-wide benchmarking and point-ranking system—modeled after a football league table—revealed which plants led in categories such as performance, transformation maturity, or best practice. This internal competition continues to be held annually and has produced significant improvements in plant performance across the network.