Auto Manufacturer
SITUATION
Automobile manufacturer was experiencing production shutdowns as a result of inconsistent part/component quality, quantity and delivery times from suppliers.
DRIVER GOAL
- Determine the root cause of issues with the current supplier base and develop corrective action plans.
- Develop an executable plan to reorganize the SQE organization.
RESULT
- Developed executable action plans to ensure supplier performance.
- Reengineered SQE processes.
- Right-sized the SQE organization with training to support skills.
Case Study
Optimize Supply Chain & Improve Performance
Issue
A European automobile manufacturer was experiencing production shutdowns as a result of inconsistent part/component quality, quantity and delivery times from suppliers. The Highland Group was engaged to intervene with the suppliers and assist the client in reengineering the internal supplier/sourcing and quality engineering capability.
Highland Approach
The project included two concurrent work streams: analyze suppliers and develop corrective action plans to ensure optimized performance; and, reengineer the client’s internal sourcing and quality assurance process to foresee and avert potential problems before they lead to shut downs.
Actions Taken
- Designed and implemented a Supplier Early Warning System to identify potential issues before they occur and enabled the Supplier Quality Engineering (SQE) organization to prevent line shutdowns.
- Conducted assessments of the suppliers with issues and developed action plans to improve the management and quality functions of those suppliers.
- Designed and implemented a System For Managing the SQE organization.
- Determined the skill sets and staffing required for the SQE organization and developed the necessary training to support and sustain the new organization.
- Reengineered the SQE processes.
