REINÆRDT: lead time from 3 weeks to 1 week in 4 months REINAERDT Deuren wanted to reduce lead time from 3 weeks to 1 week. Internal Lean knowledge was present, but the change did not get off the ground. Symbol guided nine sub-projects via Value Stream Mapping. Result: goal achieved in 4 months, buffer halved, and 5,000 doors delivered per week as the fastest supplier in the Netherlands.
Watson-Marlow Bredel: £78k cost savings through continuous improvement Watson-Marlow Bredel wanted to grow in improvement maturity, but the internal GEM programme had been sidelined. Symbol guided the process with a CIMM assessment, Hoshin Kanri sessions and Lean training for the entire organisation. Result: £78,000 cost savings and 200 man-hours saved in 2021, and an organisation on its way to the highest GEM maturity level.
BMI Netherlands: mapping the production process with PFMEA At BMI Netherlands in Woerden, not a single production process had been put on paper. With an ERP migration and staff turnover approaching, this became a risk. Symbol proposed a PFMEA and provided an interim consultant who fully documented the process from clay to roof tile. The foundation has now been laid for onboarding and quality assurance.
Tata Steel: Six Sigma Implementation Saved Over €50M Tata Steel systematically pursues operational excellence through data-driven Six Sigma projects. Symbol provides Green and Black Belt training and coaches projects where capacity is lacking. Result: one project involving iron mixers yields over €200,000 per year. Five seconds of time saving per steel coil means tens of thousands of euros in savings.
Mitsubishi: IATF supplier auditing training MTEE wanted to bring the Supplier Quality Development department to a uniform auditing level. This required not only knowledge of the standard but also an effective, motivational approach towards suppliers. Symbol provided bespoke training focused on practical auditing skills and win-win cooperation. Result: five certified IATF auditors who know how to persuade suppliers rather than confront them.