Transitioning Change Managers to Change Leaders
Lean as an Integrated System
The CBS Commitment To Hands On, Quality Support
Change Leadership: How to Be Effective
Within Competitive Business Solutions (CBS), we actively debate over the difference between “Change Leadership” and “Change Management”. This debate plays out in industry. In fact, I would go as far as to say that most executives practice Change Leadership but stop short of requiring or driving the necessary tactics of Change Management, thus leaving their […]
Reducing Product Reworks, Defects and Costs
A global Tier 2 wings supplier with revenues of more than $3 billion was experiencing process issues that compromised its ability to meet customer demands for delivery, cost and quality. CBS helped the client achieve significant reductions in unit labor hours, defect rates and product rework while facilitating a return to on-time deliveries.
A Return to Profitability: Improving the Supply Chain Strategy
A Fortune 500 company required assistance in improving the profitability of a recently acquired chemical company. Previously family-owned and marginally successful in its region, the company lacked a supply chain strategy and standard work in their operations. CBS returned the company to profitability through product rationalization, improved inventory practices and targeted operational improvements.
Discipline Counts: Raising the Bar for Lead Time, Cost Savings and Throughout
A private equity client engaged the CBS team to significantly improve the operational performance of a recently acquired company, a family-owned business with a history as a quality leader in the industrial equipment market. CBS targeted production costs, lead time and capacity/throughput as areas of improvement—and implemented business disciplines to help ensure sustainable results.
Improving Productivity and Decreasing Costs
A labeling manufacturer lacked the capacity to meet its customers’ volume and mix requirements, resulting in costly additional shifts, selective outsourcing and loss of large client orders. CBS led a Kaizen event to analyze and improve the process, which reduced the average changeover by 60% and helped decrease the need for temporary workers and weekend shifts.
Empowering the Center of Excellence
This manufacturer’s recently established Center of Excellence (COE) was struggling with poor schedule performance, cost overruns and quality issues. In response, CBS developed a balanced set of metrics to drive strategy and highlight gaps. CBS introduced team effectiveness training, team-based management techniques and a reorganized structure. The resulting improvements helped the COE underrun budgets and return over $15M to the business.
Consolidate to Win: Creating a Single Process-Based System
An aerospace business spin-off needed to simplify outdated procedures in order to achieve ISO 9001 certification. CBS helped the company consolidate all procedures into a single process-based system and establish multifunctional teams to develop and approve the process flows. As a result, the business achieved an 80% reduction in volume of procedural documents and received ISO 9001 certification within nine months.