+20K
Employees worldwide
Holistic Lean Transformation at a Global Automotive Supplier
A German automotive supplier with 21 global sites faced declining EBITDA margins despite multiple internal improvement initiatives. Together, we designed a comprehensive lean production system and deployed targeted improvements across its network. This three-year transformation engaged its entire organization to deliver sustainable operational excellence.
Automotive and Commercial Vehicles
Lean Lab
Manufacturing
Operations Strategy and Transformation
People and Organization
Our Client
A privately-owned automotive supplier serving all major car manufacturers globally. The company specializes in essential automotive components including steering column modules, window controls, roof modules and advanced electronic control units. Its production technologies span injection molding and electronic assembly across facilities in Europe, Americas and Asia.
21
Countries covered
4
Continents
The Challenge
The company recognized that its operational performance was falling behind industry standards while facing persistent pressure on profitability in a challenging global automotive market
- Fragmented improvement efforts: Despite multiple lean and OpEx initiatives, results remained inconsistent–some plants excelled while others lagged, visibility of performance across the network was also limited
- Ineffective systems: The company’s existing production system lacked usability and, failed to provide the standardized excellence framework needed to operate effectively across diverse cultural and operational environments
- Limited organizational capability: Previous transformation efforts were perceived as top-down initiatives that failed to engage middle management
Real Results Achieved Together
The comprehensive lean transformation established a unified operational excellence framework across the organization’s global network. Working alongside teams at every level, we embedded lasting capabilities that fundamentally changed how the organization approaches continuous improvement.
€30M
Recurring annual savings
+10K
Employees trained
+70
Opex facilitators developed
Transformation Impact
- Established a best-in-class operational excellence framework serving as both benchmark and standard for continuous global improvement
- Created embedded capabilities for sustained performance improvements
- Operational excellence became a core component of how work gets done throughout the organization
- Over four hundred improvement projects delivered
Our Approach
After a brief on-site diagnostic to gain a clear picture of the situation across the plants, we started by asking a simple but critical question: Why had the previous system failed to deliver further significant improvements?
This ‘RE:THINK’ phase proved essential. The outcome was the design of a new operational excellence system anchored in ten global key figures and an improvement framework integrated into the budget process. The production, shop floor management, and qualification systems were rebuilt accordingly.
During implementation, the combination of BOOST and BUILD elements was the key to success. We started with quick wins (BOOST) to generate momentum and secure funding for the broader program. In parallel, we launched extensive capability building (BUILD) through role-based learning paths, from lean fundamentals for all employees to specialized programs for leadership, operational excellence specialists, and top management.
Local consultants worked alongside plant teams on targeted improvement projects, while a central program office coordinated best practice sharing. Shop floor leaders received hands-on coaching in daily management routines. Internal facilitators were trained as change agents to embed new ways of working, supported by robust governance with regular maturity reviews and performance dashboards.
This holistic approach connected capability development with measurable performance improvements, creating sustainable transformation, fully owned by the in-house teams.
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Facing Similar Automotive Manufacturing Challenges?
- Struggling with inconsistent performance across multiple plants while improvement initiatives fail to deliver lasting results
- Recognizing the need for unified operational excellence that engages every level from shop floor to leadership
- Let’s explore how we can transform your operations together through proven capability building and sustainable improvements
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