A multi-site change program

Multi Site Change Program © Syda Productions, Fotolia

A multi-site change program

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Challenge

As one of the leading companies  in liquid foods  packaging solutions, our client  has installed some hundreds of machines in over 10 countries. Recent installation cost and lead time overruns meant they were struggling to match customer  satisfaction levels. The customer is king, so the company launched The Excellence Project to drive installation practices at a world class level by implementing global shared ways of working and contributing to the business EBITDA and service excellence.

Alexion Partners was brought in to help drive the project because it had demonstrated deep expertise in managing complex projects in a multi-site and multi-cultural context.

Approach

Alexion Partners  was tasked with improving customer satisfaction and reducing installation costs by decreasing lead time, improving installation quality before leaving manufacturing facilities, sharing best practices, developing management and technical skills at all levels and creating a culture of continuous improvement. The project was jointly managed by a senior team of Alexion Partners and client team.

Alexion Partners developed common working practices to avoid extra costs linked to quality issues and provide more reliable solutions for the company’s customers. The big challenge was to implement these solutions in 4 different commercial zones, each managing its own activity and involving 500 people from Field Technicians to Vice Presidents. Behavioral change was therefore critical and Alexion Partners’ experts provided over 400 workout sessions, gaining people’s trust and commitment.
Alexion Partners  also implemented a new  Management Reporting System designed to systematically manage all the key installation processes, anticipate any issues and provide corrective action should they occur. In just 2 months, shared reporting tools, effective process measurements and efficient decision making that linked every level from bottom to top were designed and installed across the countries.

Results

  • In just over a year, installation costs have been reduced by 23% or around €7m recurrent, €1m more than target. A 30% reduction on installation lead time, from 24 weeks to 17, has been achieved, emphatically regaining customer confidence and satisfaction.
  • A changed working culture has been installed, embedding cross collaboration and continuous improvement as stepping stones for  further growth. Today, all installation engineering processesare more efficient, shared and understood within the 4 global commercial zones.