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Faulty airbag sensors, defective seatbelt locks, the risk of short circuits occurring in the engine compartment and ignition switches which burst into flames – during the past few weeks alone, car manufacturers have again had to recall millions of vehicles all over the world. In addition to the direct costs incurred, each product recall causes lasting damage to the image of the company. Even more astonishing is the fact that many companies, and not only those in the automotive industry, continue to work on the symptoms in a manner which lacks structure instead of using a systematic approach to the underlying causes. This is illustrated in the current market observations made by Staufen, the business consultancy firm.

Lufthansa Technik Logistik Services GmbH (LTLS) and lean management consulting company Staufen AG are further expanding their cooperation. LTLS has developed Shop floor Management (SFM) in cooperation with Staufen to address the logistical needs in the aviation business and has introduced the solution at its locations throughout Germany.

According to the latest study by brand eins and Statista, corporate consultancy firm Staufen has once again been recognised as one of the best consultancy firms in Germany. In six industries and sectors, the company from Köngen near Stuttgart is considered a top consultancy firm according to research. Compared to last year’s study, amongst other things, Staufen’s ranking in the supply chain management sector has improved further still.    

Car manufacturers have again forged ahead in the search for opportunities to boost additional potential efficiencies. Now more and more German industrial companies from other sectors, too, are backing a new management method: Toyota Kata. The aim is to systematically improve processes through changes in management behaviour. According to the experiences of the Staufen management consultancy this enables significant improvements to be achieved, such as efficiency increases of up to 20 percent.

The departure towards a digital, connected future that is currently taking place in a large number of companies should be well considered and must not constitute an end in itself. Such is the conviction of Slatco Sterzenbach, 17 times Iron Man and best-selling writer. In early June, the coach will explain to visitors of the Staufen Management Consultancy’s BestPractice Day in Darmstadt why their implementation of Industry 4.0 is bound to fail if it is launched without clearly defined goals.

Declining growth and high margin pressure are what Sebastian Heilmann, one of Germany’s leading experts on China, is predicting for the Chinese economy, particularly for sectors such as the chemical, automotive and parts of the engineering industries. At an event organised by consulting firm Staufen, he recommended that industry should think through “disruptive scenarios from blip to collapse”. However, business in China still offers German companies significant opportunities, agreed those attending the Staufen management dialogue.

In 2015, too, Staufen AG has been rated amongst the best employers in Germany. At the renowned “Germany’s Best Employers” corporate contest by the Great Place to Work® Institute, the consultancy company based in Köngen near Stuttgart has been recognised as one of the 100 top companies in the 50-to-500 employee category. Staufen AG has around 200 employees and, according to a recent “brand eins” study, is one of the best consultancies in Germany.

The general euphoria about Industry 4.0 promises companies the solution to their complexity problems virtually at the touch of a button. The initially extolled German Industry 4.0 index shows however that, besides networking technology, efficient development and production processes are especially necessary in order to really enhance the indisputable potential of the intelligent factory. For this study, 140 industrial firms in Germany were surveyed by Staufen Management Consultancy

Only 27 percent  of industrial companies in Germany have actively looked at possible Smart-Factory projects, as revealed by the Staufen consultancy’s “German Industry 4.0 Index”. A majority of these companies apparently does not yet feel ready for the transition to a networked factory. It is true that some homework needs to have been completed before a successful transition can be started. Being lean and efficient is imperative to set off into the world of Industry 4.0. Lean Management and digitalisation go hand in hand. Making a successful transition into a smart factory is the topic of discussion with leading representatives from manufacturing industries together with scientific experts at the Staufen AG “BestPractice Day 2015” in Darmstadt from 8 to 10 June 2015.