$150M
Annual revenue
Manufacturing Transformation for Energy Technology Leader
A global energy efficiency technology company partnered with EFESO to transform manufacturing operations across its US facilities while preparing for international expansion. Together, we redesigned production processes and implemented visual factory systems to support an anticipated doubling of the business. The transformation encompasses both immediate efficiency gains and strategic footprint optimization for its critical desalination technology serving Middle Eastern markets.
Industry: Industrial Manufacturing
Industry: Oil & Gas, Sustainable Energy
Industry: Private Equity
Service: Manufacturing
Service: Operational Excellence
Service: Operations Strategy and Transformation
Our Client
The company develops pressure exchanger technology, essential for converting seawater into potable water and serving regions where water scarcity is a critical issue. It conducts all engineering and product development at its US headquarters while serving customers primarily in Saudi Arabia, UAE and Morocco. As a publicly-listed company, it operates with private equity discipline, focused on rapid implementation and pragmatic results.
+95%
Customers in Middle East
2
US manufacturing sites
The Challenge
The company faced mounting operational pressures as demand for its desalination technology accelerated across water-scarce regions.
- Inefficient manufacturing processes These threatened profitability as the company expected to double in size over 3-4 years, while margins were declining and quarterly investor expectations had intensified
- Absence of performance management systems With no lean practices, no visual factory management, limited planning processes from demand through capacity and no end-to-end operational visibility
- Geographic production constraints Although nearly all customers were located in the Middle East, manufacturing remained exclusively in the US, with an expensive labor market and a limited amount of skilled operators
Real Results Achieved Together
The comprehensive five-week analysis led to a six-month implementation program that transformed the company’s manufacturing capabilities. Working alongside the in-house teams, we delivered operational improvements that exceeded initial forecasts while establishing foundations for sustainable growth.
$16M
EBITDA uplift opportunities identified
100%
productivity increase in Isopress
40-50%
targeted scrap reduction
Transformation Impact
- Doubled output from 16 to 32 units per shift in first Kaizen event, exceeding forecasted improvements
- Established visual factory management systems with daily management routines at both sites
- Accelerated plans for new Saudi Arabia manufacturing facility, originally scheduled for 2026
Our Approach
We conducted a five-week operational analysis at both sites, incorporating extensive floor observations, time studies, team interviews and comprehensive performance/OEE data analysis.
The team identified all improvement opportunities, quantified potential cash flow impact and developed a long-term operational improvement roadmap. The two-phase approach focused initially on improving efficiency by maximizing labor and equipment utilization, followed by increasing capacity to support future growth.
Implementation included pinpointing actions to improve operations and planning processes, designing a visual factory model for both sites and upgrading financial information processes.
The engagement leveraged expertise from specialists including a 20-30 year Ford Motor Company veteran, helping transition from a pure product engineering focus to scalable manufacturing capabilities. A bi-weekly tracker shared with the CEO, CFO and COO monitors progress in every area.
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