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The Sky’s The LimitMore Power More ParticipationBUSINESS CHALLENGE The client is one of Europe’s leading solar moduleproducers in Germany. It’s a vertically integrated company, producingfinal product modules, cells and basic wafers, but it’s a growth story withparticular challenges. The company faced increasing and fluctuating demandand greatly increased competition. So to protect its position and prepareits production platform for the future, it decided to launch a comprehensiveOperational Transformation programme. Celerant Consulting was broughtin to help because of its extensive experience and its unique Closework ®approach to implementation and behavioural change.CELERANT SOLUTION The programme’s aim was to significantly increasecapacity in the short and long term by just over 30%, reduce cost perpeak watt and right size the headcount. Working closely with ClientManagement, Celerant confirmed the original productivity target and amultimillion Euro business case was in sight. The entire workforce wasmobilised and aligned to drive beyond the performance limit. Actionplans were immediately implemented to address the extensive use ofcontract employees and detailed plans were designed and implementedto optimise a complex production line. Using LEAN and 6 Sigma methodsand tools, Celerant helped the workforce build Process Excellence andcreate a culture of Continuous Improvement.RESULTS Long term targets became short term targets. The long termbusiness case was doubled and increased capacity of over 30% was insight. •Significant yield and throughput improvements were achievedwithin the first 3 months. •Full project tracking with standardisedtemplates was implemented to professionalise the approach.•Key people trained by Celerant in soft and hard tools to enablethem to continuously improve the company and train others.‘Celerant gave us valuable drive and supportfrom analysis all the way through to implementation.’Head of Wafer ProductionBUSINESS CHALLENGE The client is a global leader in the Nuclear Powerindustry. Due to recent events the industry is facing tougher regulations,but performance objectives remain the same. Internal resources at its plantsare finite because of hiring restrictions, an aging workforce and the timeneeded to train new people. The challenge for each plant was thereforeto achieve its targets with roughly the same resources. Celerant Consultingwas brought in to help make this happen because of the successfulOrganisational improvements it had achieved at other client plants.CELERANT SOLUTION The project’s objective was to identify areas tofacilitate, simplify and improve employees’ way of working. Celerant didan extensive scoping with more than 10% of the workforce and narrowedtheir comments down to 60 focused areas. Top management were thenengaged to weigh and eliminate irrelevant areas and data analysis,process critics, design workshops and focus interviews were used tofurther define the selected areas of improvement. The goal was to gaineveryone’s participation and belief in the process and identified solutions,so they could carry out the required changes in the near future.RESULTS More than 800 improvement areas were identified. •From 60selected areas, 18 were validated by top management as key to overallsite performance - maintenance planning of secondary equipment, workauthorisation permits process in controlled zones, spare parts managementand delivery process to work stations etc. •Each selected area wasstructured as a typical Celerant project with a MCRS ® ManagementSystem, Client project manager, team structure and agreed milestones.•Final deliverables were to: work with the 18 client project managers ondetailed Steps to Milestones and ensure buy in as they would have topresent it and deliver it to the plant director; provide the plant director withthe tools and MCRS ® to drive and manage those 18 individual projects.ManufacturingEnergyCLOSEWORK® CELERANT GLOBAL REVIEW 2011 2012 XX 17