Scania annual report 2004

Effective working methods
and global production
Because of shared working methods at all Scania production units, good ideas can quickly have an impact
in the global production network. The changeover to the new truck range at European production units –
from the 4-series to the new P-, R- and T-series – began during the first half of 2004.
During 2004, Scania’s European production
units successively switched to manufacturing
the new truck range. By February 2005,
this changeover had been completed at
all component workshops and assembly
plants.
Well prepared organisation
The changeover was based on extensive
collaboration between different functions
at Scania – production, product development,
procurement, sales and service –
and Scania’s suppliers. This collaboration
worked very well. Also making it easier
was that Scania and its suppliers had
made a successful effort to identify and
prevent possible disruptions before series
production began. One essential success
factor was the special development lines
for test assembly that were built for chassis
and engines in Södertälje and for cabs in
Oskarshamn. On these development lines,
all new structures were evaluated and
tested. Processes were continuously
improved.
In this way, both the product and the
assembly task could be adapted and
thoroughly verified. This made quality
assurance possible at an early stage. Even
before the first truck was delivered to a
customer, a preliminary series of more
than 600 trucks had been manufactured
on the development lines. These vehicles
were used as test trucks and by Scania’s
marketing companies.
When Scania began series production
of the first product in the new truck range,
the R-series, its quality level was on a par
with the outgoing 4-series. Because
Scania’s suppliers had been involved in
the development task at an early stage,
component quality was also at a high level.
South America
In South America, Scania will continue to
build the 4-series for a few more years.
The choice of models has been broadened
to satisfy the needs of all Scania
markets. Improvements are being introduced
continuously. Among other things,
production of the new 9-litre engine began
late in 2004.
Scania’s production units in South
America have assumed a new, global role
in the production system, thereby enabling
Scania to take maximum advantage of its
total technical production capacity of
70,000 vehicles per year. South America
accounts for 20,000 of this total. During
2004, South American production totalled
nearly 15,000 units, the highest level to
date.
Dedicated employees
The Scania Production System (SPS),
which is the basis of all improvement
work, was developed by the company’s
own employees. The values, principles
and priorities that guide its working
methods are the same, regardless of
where production occurs. New solutions
introduced by an improvement team are
systematically introduced at Scania’s
other production units.
This systematic approach has also
provided the basis for the work of the
development lines, where all new
structures have been evaluated and
tested.
Because the same working methods
are shared by all Scania production units,
employees from plants in France, the
Netherlands and Sweden were able to
work together at the development line in
PRODUCTION • SCANIA ANNUAL REPORT 2004 34