Factory conversion costs reduced by 40%
50% increase in total factory output


Strategic Intent

Significantly reduce factory conversion costs to grow volume and improve revenues while simultaneously improving on-time customer deliveries and employee satisfaction


Situation

  • Computer manufacturing division of major telecommunications company
  • Division recently acquired through merger, and post-merger cultural issues exist
  • Employee concerns about plant and their future
  • Competition and commodity pressure is intense
  • Dozens of internal performance improvement programs attempted but not integrated
  • Low-cost producers will “win the war”
  • New general manager serious about “winning;” and future of this unit hinges on turnaround

Issues and Barriers

  • Factory conversion costs are out of control and delivery performance is totally unacceptable
  • Extremely high employee dissatisfaction
  • Invalid production data prevents accurate scheduling and performance reporting
  • Schedule breaks and misses, late starts and delayed shipments are routine occurrences
  • Cost to manage comparatively excessive
  • No clear employee performance goals or feedback

Key Implementations

  • Develop and translate extensive set of performance goals and standards
  • Design and implement quantitative capacity modeling and planning system
  • Design new shop floor planning and scheduling system that matches resources with demand
  • Redesign both management and indirect structures to improve plant floor support and reduce costs

Results

Key Project Results

Reduces factory cost

Beyond the impressive list of results from this initiative – employee satisfaction improves to the extent that turnover drops dramatically – coupled with absenteeism reduction of 48%. General manager reports total annualized financial benefits directly attributable to engagement are in excess of $8 million.

  • 40% reduction of factory conversion costs
  • 50% increase in total factory output
  • Days-on-hand inventories reduced 49%
  • 85% improvement in on-time deliveries
  • Plant-wide productivity increases 67%

Client Perspective

During our project with Brooks, we far exceeded both our productivity and quality goals in only eight months. Brooks has been a reliable, hard working ally in our efforts to improve our competitive position and I would recommend their use to all who face similar change requirements.
— Vice President & General Manager


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