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Three-quarters of German industrial companies currently experience a great pressure to innovate. Particularly affected by this is the electrical industry (almost 90 percent), followed by the automotive industry (over 78 percent) and machine and plant engineering (around 75 percent). Furthermore, eight out of ten companies consider successful innovations even more important these days than in the past. This is evident in the 2016 Innovation Study by the Staufen Management Consultancy with 168 German industrial companies.

Efficient and effective processes are the prerequisite for Industry 4.0. Thus, with every fourth company, the drivers for Lean Management are no longer only the own growth and profit targets but also new technologies. Thereby, companies are first and foremost optimizing processes and reducing sources of waste. What is more, they deem it important to reduce the throughput and set-up times. This is shown by the results of the study by the management consulting firm Staufen on “25 years of Lean Management“. In cooperation with the Technical University of Darmstadt, about 1,350 managers from German industrial companies were questioned in this regard.

It is no longer possible to imagine factory halls without it, yet other corporate areas are frequently still working without Lean Management. Only one in every five industrial operations such as research and development, for instance, or the classic administration departments, are already working in accordance with lean management methods. Slowly, however, there is a paradigm shift, and companies are increasingly focusing on establishing the Lean culture in all departments. This is shown by the results of the study on “25 years of Lean Management“, conducted by the management consultant company Staufen. In cooperation with the Technical University of Darmstadt, about 1,350 managers from German industrial companies were questioned in this regard.

The BestPractice Day, Europe’s leading Lean Management congress, is marked by a very special omen in 2016: 25 years after the publication of the book “The Machine That Changed the World”, which had sustainably changed the culture in German factories and almost everywhere on earth, Lean pioneers from across the world will be meeting in Darmstadt on 6 and 7 July. Together, during talks with industry managers, they will be discussing how to master current challenges and be successful on the way toward the smart industry world.

Cost considerations often only play a minor role in the procurement of German industrial companies. This applies even to larger companies. Only 41 percent of companies with more than 1,000 employees conduct a detailed calculation of total cost of ownership in the selection of their suppliers, i.e. total costs including those of material supply. At 24 percent, this figure is even significantly lower for smaller companies. These are the results from the “Lean Purchasing 2016″ study by the Staufen consultancy. More than 100 industrial companies in Germany were questioned for this study.

A quarter of a century ago, Lean Management achieved its international breakthrough. Lean methods currently employed in approximately 95 percent of industrial companies. And successfully so: In more than 90 percent of companies, this management approach had a positive effect, resulting in significantly improved competitiveness. This are the results of the study “25 years of Lean Management”. For this investigation, the Staufen business consultancy, in cooperation with TU Darmstadt, has interviewed around 1,350 senior managers from German industrial companies.

In the homeland of the world’s largest IT trade fair Cebit, of all places, many companies still hesitate to prepare for the economy of the future: Almost eight in ten German industrial companies admit that the qualification of their managers was trailing behind developments with regard to Industry 4.0. In addition, at least one in two companies has not yet begun to adapt its company mission statement and management guidelines in view of future requirements. This is confirmed by the second “German Industry 4.0 Index”. For this study, 179 industrial companies in Germany were surveyed by the Staufen Management Consultancy.  

However, eight out of ten industrial companies admit to having a procurement strategy. But in practice, they do not implement these actively enough. In many companies, day-to-day business dominates everyday procurement. Strategic tasks are inadequate and given little priority by companies. Only one in five or one in six procurement employees adopt a strategic position. This shows the study by consultancy firm Staufen AG. 112 German industrial firms from various industries were surveyed.

For 57 percent of German industrial companies, there is no question that Smart Factory and networked products will considerably change their business models over the next five years. Most of them take a positive view of this development. 72 percent of interviewed companies expect to increase their economic success with the transformation to an intelligent factory. Companies that already have operational experience with Industry 4.0 take an even more optimistic view. This is confirmed by the second “German Industry 4.0 Index”. For this study, 179 industrial companies in Germany were surveyed by Staufen Management Consultancy.