Background and Challenge
The client, a global leader in high-quality heat transfer products, had faced several challenging years of declining market share and a limited ability to adapt.
Despite maintaining strong product quality, the core challenge had shifted: It was no longer just about doing the right things—it was about doing them more efficiently, by changing behaviors throughout the entire organization—from top management to frontline supervisors and operators.
Analysis
At the analysis phase, Mantec carried out a comprehensive wall-to-wall study to identify improvement opportunities and unlock potential.
This included:
- Mapping every process from order entry to shipping
- Conducting various production studies, including change-over time analysis
- Performing an in-depth review of the management operating system
- Observing management behaviours at all organizational levels
The outcome of the analysis led to the launch of three major workstreams, jointly staffed by client personnel and Mantec consultants.
Implementation
A. Management
Key obstacles: Issues in communication and unclear responsibilities—especially where process steps interfaced
These were addressed by:
- Defining management structures, roles and responsibilities
- Introducing Service Level Agreements (SLAs)
- Establishing skill requirements
- Developing a structured framework for continuous improvement
B. Production
- Operators were trained on the principles of change-over optimization, with a strong focus on awareness and ownership.
- The SMED methodology was introduced to reduce change-over time and increase uptime.
- Improved production planning
These measures together led to:
- Smoother weekly workload balancing and higher resource efficiency
- Fewer change-overs and improved production flow
- Clearer roles and responsibilities
C. Processes
- The analysis phase was extended to a more granular level, identifying non–value-adding activities.
Processes were streamlined by:
- Reassigning tasks to their optimal locations
- Making interfaces clear with the use of SLAs
- Applying the same performance measurement logic to administrative tasks as in production
- Enhancing flexibility and optimal resource utilization
Results
After just four months of intensive work, the project not only met but exceeded its original targets.
- The management team showed strong development, especially in fostering constructive conflict and cross-functional accountability.
- Several tools were introduced to support leadership routines:
- Performance metrics were redefined to focus on what truly matters
- Corrective actions became data-driven and faster
Financially, the results speak for themselves:
- The project has delivered more than €1M annual savings
This marks a major step forward in the client’s journey toward improved competitiveness and operational excellence.
CONCEPTS:
Changeover – the act of switching a production process, for example from one product to another
SMED (Single-Minute Exchange of Die) – a lean manufacturing method aimed at minimizing changeover time, i.e. the time it takes to switch a production process from one product to another
SLA (Service Level Agreement) – a documented agreement that defines the expectations, responsibilities, and measurable service levels between a service provider and a customer
Wondering what kind of untapped potential lies in your daily operations? Let’s talk about how we could unlock it. Contact us at mantec@mantec.eu
