[:de]► Manager: Mr. H.S.
► Industry: Automotive
► Location: Mainland China, Beijing, Changchun, Tianjin
► Time frame: 12 months
► Role: Vice President Technology and Plant General Manager
► No. of employees: 2.000 + 3.000 (Joint Venture)
► About the Customer
Newly founded Joint venture between family owned German automotive supplier (hidden champion) and Chinese automotive supplier. In automotive supplier market the German JV partner is a well-known international tier 1 supplier, the Chinese JV partner is a national well known tier 1 supplier. Products are metal parts for car body (body in white) in automotive industry. New production plant set up in Tianjin. Headquarter China located in Changchun, sales office in Beijing.
► Situation (Challenge)
New Tianjin plant under construction with massive delays. SOP fixed by customer contract but new plant delated for >6 month. No representative from German JV partner on side. All operations, preparations and constructions left on Chinese JV management side. No admin on side. Problems with import, customs and installation of new production machines. Main customer frequently on side and threatens JV with cancellation of contracts. Customer is German car maker, therefore sales and project management was done from Germany with high frictions. One of the key challenges was to get German customer expectations, thinking and working together with Chinese attitude of working.
► Solution (Achievement)
Analyzing situation and redesign construction and production set up. New negotiation with construction Company’s and speed up plant building. Hiring basic admin team within 2 month. Set up completely new plant project plan until SOP, including preparation for key audits which was mandatory for final audit by main customer. Speed up installing new production equipment and training of operators in 3 shifts. Organize immediately support by German JV partner with specialists on side over 6 month. Total staff 120 on side.
Set up weekly meetings with customer to rebuild relationship on trust bases as usual with German JV partner. Based on the listed first actions, the findings from analysis and the first audit set up a core team within the project’s with members from all involved parties. Audit’s had been passed in April and May 2014, production running smoothly in June 2014 with delivery just in time. Plant well prepared for further extension of production.
► Customer Feedback
Dr. B. V. – Vice President of Board:
Mr. S. has managed a very time-critical for the JV, technologically complex and difficult project to our complete satisfaction for the JV. He has been especially focused to the cultural diversity of the project members and the initially very inhomogeneous teams, he successfully merged them to a real team with a true (confidential) German spirit. He has thus significantly contributed to project success. Mr. S. is a true hands on implementation-oriented project manager and we will gladly engage him any time again.[:en]

► Manager: Mr. H.S.
► Industry: Automotive
► Location: Mainland China, Beijing, Changchun, Tianjin
► Time frame: 12 months
► Role: Vice President Technology and Plant General Manager
► No. of employees: 2.000 + 3.000 (Joint Venture)

► About the Customer
Newly founded Joint venture between family owned German automotive supplier (hidden champion) and Chinese automotive supplier. In automotive supplier market the German JV partner is a well-known international tier 1 supplier, the Chinese JV partner is a national well known tier 1 supplier. Products are metal parts for car body (body in white) in automotive industry. New production plant set up in Tianjin. Headquarter China located in Changchun, sales office in Beijing.

► Situation (Challenge)
New Tianjin plant under construction with massive delays. SOP fixed by customer contract but new plant delated for >6 month. No representative from German JV partner on side. All operations, preparations and constructions left on Chinese JV management side. No admin on side. Problems with import, customs and installation of new production machines. Main customer frequently on side and threatens JV with cancellation of contracts. Customer is German car maker, therefore sales and project management was done from Germany with high frictions. One of the key challenges was to get German customer expectations, thinking and working together with Chinese attitude of working.

► Solution (Achievement)
Analyzing situation and redesign construction and production set up. New negotiation with construction Company’s and speed up plant building. Hiring basic admin team within 2 month. Set up completely new plant project plan until SOP, including preparation for key audits which was mandatory for final audit by main customer. Speed up installing new production equipment and training of operators in 3 shifts. Organize immediately support by German JV partner with specialists on side over 6 month. Total staff 120 on side.
Set up weekly meetings with customer to rebuild relationship on trust bases as usual with German JV partner. Based on the listed first actions, the findings from analysis and the first audit set up a core team within the project’s with members from all involved parties. Audit’s had been passed in April and May 2014, production running smoothly in June 2014 with delivery just in time. Plant well prepared for further extension of production.

► Customer Feedback
Dr. B. V. – Vice President of Board:
Mr. S. has managed a very time-critical for the JV, technologically complex and difficult project to our complete satisfaction for the JV. He has been especially focused to the cultural diversity of the project members and the initially very inhomogeneous teams, he successfully merged them to a real team with a true (confidential) German spirit. He has thus significantly contributed to project success. Mr. S. is a true hands on implementation-oriented project manager and we will gladly engage him any time again.

[:]