Shop Floor Revolution
From Reactive to Proactive ManagementIn the automotive supply industry, where margins can be razor-thin and competition fierce, operational excellence is no longer optional—it’s essential for survival. For thyssenkrupp Springs and Stabilizers Hungary, achieving breakthrough performance meant implementing a fresh approach to production and maintenance with the help of Staufen, part of Accenture. The results? A transformation that turned skeptics into believers and positioned the plant as a benchmark within the business unit.
When Peter Timkó joined thyssenkrupp’s Debrecen plant as Transformation Manager in late 2023, he found an operation struggling with challenges common to automotive suppliers: inconsistent productivity, frequent machine breakdowns, and efficiency bottlenecks. Previous attempts at improvement with external consultants had left the team skeptical about new initiatives.
“The headquarter identified that we needed to improve our operational performance,” explains Timkó, now Managing Director of thyssenkrupp Springs & Stabilizers Hungary Ltd. “Not just to reduce costs, but to become more competitive in the market. We needed significant changes both in the shop floor organization and in our overall approach.”
After analyzing the entire value stream, the joint team from thyssenkrupp and Staufen identified two critical focus areas: the back-end production area, which represents the final stage before parts reach customers, and the maintenance department, which was predominantly operating in reactive mode.
Double-Digit Improvements Through Systematic Change
The six-month project delivered remarkable results: productivity increased by 24%, Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) improved by 21%, machine downtime was reduced by 23%, and most impressively, tool-related breakdowns plummeted by 56%.
“We are really proud of all these achievements,” says Timkó. “But if I want to highlight the most important improvement, it would be the technical availability of our machines, which had a huge influence on our OEE and productivity results. This has positively changed our reputation within the business unit and with customers as well.”
Rethinking the Production Layout
One of the most significant changes was redesigning the layout of the back-end area, where employees were spending valuable production time moving materials instead of operating machines.
“We implemented a dedicated material handler position in each shift,” explains Timkó. “This person follows standardized routes and timing for every activity, eliminating unnecessary movements by machine operators.”
The team also completely reconfigured the production floor, moving several machines to new locations and positioning packing areas just 3-4 meters from production machines instead of 100 meters away. This strategic redesign not only improved efficiency but reduced the floor space needed by 500 square meters and cut work-in-progress inventory from 20,000 to 8,000 pieces.
At the beginning, we had some resistance, but after a few weeks, we had no doubt that what we were doing was good. This program was a real game changer for our plant in Debrecen.”Peter Timkó
Managing Director, thyssenkrupp Springs & Stabilizers Hungary Ltd.
Peter Timkó
From Reactive to Planned Maintenance
The maintenance transformation was equally impactful. Before the project, the team had limited transparency into the actual causes of breakdowns and primarily responded to failures rather than preventing them.
“We had room for improvement for a structured way of sustainable problem solving, with improving communication and prioritization about technical breakdowns,” notes Timkó. “This resulted in more reactive maintenance instead of preventive or predictive approaches.”
The solution was implementing an S2QDC (Safety, Sustainability, Quality, Delivery, Cost) Shop Floor Management concept in the maintenance area, which delivered transparency into breakdown patterns and highlighted that problems were concentrated in specific machines and tools. This allowed the team to shift toward planned maintenance activities.
Robert Velenczei, consultant at Staufen, adds: “We analyzed all the failures and micro stoppages, tracking these issues to re-evaluate maintenance activities. We improved the proactive activities, with responsibilities clearly defined for operators, internal maintenance staff, and external providers.”
The maintenance organization was restructured to align with production areas, with dedicated maintenance specialists responsible for specific production zones. A day shift team was also created to focus exclusively on planned maintenance.
Multi-Level Shop Floor Management
Perhaps the most lasting change was the implementation of a comprehensive, multi-level Shop Floor Management system that connects every level of the organization.
“We now have five different levels of Shop Floor Management meetings,” Timkó explains. “Starting with team leaders and operators, then escalating up through area leaders, production and maintenance managers, and finally to the management team. This creates complete transparency and ensures problems are addressed at the right level, with proper escalation when needed.”
While initially focused on production and maintenance, this approach has since expanded to include quality and logistics, creating a comprehensive operational excellence system that covers all critical plant functions.
Building a Sustainable Culture of Improvement
The most challenging aspect of the transformation wasn’t the technical changes—it was overcoming initial skepticism based on previous unsuccessful initiatives.
“The proper communication and motivation are always crucial to make a mindset change, regardless of what happened in the past,” says Timkó. “As a leader, I had to involve key persons in this improvement project. We had regular communication about KPIs, tasks, responsibilities, and deadlines, so everyone felt accountable for performing well. The biggest motivation factor is always success, which we experienced from the beginning.”
The difference between this project and previous attempts was clear—this time, the entire organization was involved, and the focus was on plant-wide improvement rather than isolated initiatives.
Continuing the Journey
Since the official project ended in June 2024, thyssenkrupp has continued to build on the foundation established with Staufen. The back-end layout changes have been fully implemented, and the team is now focused on implementing a Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) to further optimize maintenance planning and spare parts inventory.
The results extend beyond operational metrics. “This project has had an influence on employee motivation and satisfaction,” Timkó proudly states. “We had the biggest improvement result in the EU on our employee satisfaction survey compared to the previous year.”
The plant has become a benchmark within the business unit, with other facilities now visiting to learn from their successful approach to maintenance and shop floor management.
“I’m really proud of the employees,” concludes Timkó. “We are truly working as a team, sometimes living in the plant as a family. This is one very important pillar of the success here. You can have every concept, structure, and idea, but without a motivated and fully committed management team, you will never achieve positive results.”
Lessons for the Industry
thyssenkrupp’s experience offers valuable insights for other manufacturers:
- Focus on high-impact areas: By concentrating on the back-end and maintenance, the team achieved significant gains where they mattered most.
- Involve the entire organization: Success came from engaging people at all levels rather than isolated initiatives.
- Create transparent processes: The multi-level Shop Floor Management system ensures issues are visible and addressed promptly.
- Balance short and long-term improvements: While immediate gains boosted confidence, structural changes like the layout redesign delivered lasting benefits.
- Build on success: Using early wins to overcome skepticism and fuel momentum was essential to cultural change.
For companies facing similar challenges, thyssenkrupp’s journey demonstrates that with the right approach, double-digit improvements in productivity and efficiency are achievable within months, not years.
Winning the Global Solution Challenge 3.0
The team from thyssenkrupp proudly celebrates winning the Global Solution Challenge 3.0 within the Business Unit with their innovative maintenance concept.
thyssenkrupp Springs and Stabilizers
thyssenkrupp’s facility in Debrecen, Hungary, manufactures springs and stabilizers for the automotive industry, serving as a critical supplier for various car manufacturers. The plant has become a benchmark within the business unit for its excellence in maintenance practices and Shop Floor Management, delivering best-in-class operational performance.
