Case Study
Belgian Division of Leading Integrated Steel and Mining Company Achieves 100% On-Time Equipment and Organizational Change While Reducing Labor Expense 24%
100%
On-Time, Under-Budget Delivery of Major Investment
Strategic Imperative
To govern and execute a major investment, align production and maintenance teams on critical actions, and deliver a comprehensive transformation to maximize throughput potential
Client Background
- $60B global integrated steel and mining leader with operations across more than 60 countries
- Belgian manufacturing division operated within a four-site national network shipping 5 million tons of steel annually
- Manufacturing unit was reconfiguring its mechanical footprint, including furnace changes and operator role modifications
- Major steel-processing technology investment required coordinated production, maintenance, and organizational readiness before implementation
- Physical asset reconfiguration created labor-reduction objectives across both operations and maintenance positions
- New operating model required lean tactics, continuous improvement, and stronger customer satisfaction performance
Key Issues & Barriers
- Leadership required effective external support to deliver the upgraded organization on time and under budget
- Production and maintenance teams needed clear understanding of required actions during equipment installation and transition
- Aging workforce raised concerns about the organization’s ability to grasp and apply new technical techniques
- Tribal-knowledge operating culture increased need for structured change management and standardized technical practice adoption
- Workforce reductions tied to new steel-processing equipment created transition risk across operations and maintenance roles
- Required customer satisfaction upgrades depended on embedding lean tactics and continuous improvement into daily manufacturing execution
Key Implementation Components
- Established a detailed technical equipment installation plan and managed execution through completion across the manufacturing unit
- Restructured operations and maintenance positions to align the organization with the new mechanical footprint
- Developed position profiles clarifying responsibilities, furnace requirements, operator competencies, and expected role behaviors
- Linked balanced role-level metrics to the client’s performance management system to reinforce accountability
- Developed workflow control logic using control-point and set-point logic across production and maintenance processes
- Designed and implemented a comprehensive System for Managing to embed lean tactics, continuous improvement, and execution discipline
Benefits & Results
100%
Equipment & Organizational Changes Achieved
24%
Labor Expense Reduction