„ConMoto was my extended workbench with our team at the Chennai site – we worked together extremely well,” says Markus Korsten, Chief Manufacturing Officer at Apollo Tyres, with approval. That is how Korsten summarizes a 12-month project four ConMoto consultants co-led at the Indian premises of the tyre manufacturer.
The comprehensive project refined the Apollo manufacturing system in a factory with more than 2,000 employees and an annual turnover of more than 400 million Euros. The most significant results were an output increase of 55 percent and an increase in overall efficiency by 30 percent. These improvements derived from the implementation of a top-notch lean production layout based on perfection, flow, tact, and pull criteria as well as the sustainable introduction of 5S and 7V principles.
The Apollo executives were especially positive about the ConMoto consultants’ focus on hands-on solutions and their pragmatism. Markus Korsten finds: “ConMoto is implementation-oriented and team-driven. They cooperate closely with the shop floor team.”
Important milestones of the project were:
- Plant assessment and benchmark tour,
- Assessment of maintenance efficiency based on the ConMoto MaintenanceScoreTests© and implementation of a risk- and availability-oriented maintenance strategy,
- Blue sky workshop and preparation of a masterplan for the transformation into a state-of-the-art LEAN facility,
- Implementation of project and risk management,
- Detailed layout planning,
- Introduction of standardized work,
- Implementation of shop floor management including focus board, KPI tracking and structured troubleshooting across all levels of management,
- Training and coaching for a lean culture transformation across all levels of management,
- Introduction of challenge days and stress tests for stabilization during the start-up period,
- Optimization of inbound, factory logistics and outbound processes by means of the ConMoto LogisticScoreTest©.
Additionally, ConMoto supported the management team in change management. A Chennai plant manager summarizes their experiences as follows: „After the completion of our project, I feel like I have changed from an old to a new company. I am in the 20th year of my career now and I’m looking forward to working at this new, exciting company Apollo Tyres for another 20 years.“ The successful transformation speaks for itself: Now, Chennai is a benchmark factory of the tyre manufacturer.
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