From cultural change to a culture of change
KATA DAY took place for the second time at Insta GmbH in 2024. And with a great response: 20 participants from different industrial sectors experienced the path of operational excellence that the company has been pursuing with the support of Staufen since 2010 and has been continuously following ever since – from the first production island in 2011, the reorganization of SMT* production and the introduction of Shop Floor Management in 2016, to the reorientation of the organization with the help of Hoshin Kanri planning in 2018 and the application of KATA routines since 2021.
The day gave us a push and sharpened our understanding of the effective application of KATA
Markus Schrezenmeier, Manager Operational Excellence, Carl Zeiss AG
Take joy in what you do. That’s how small people become great people
Alexander Burgbacher, CEO Insta GmbH
Founded in 1970 in Lüdenscheid, Germany, Insta GmbH has 500 employees and annual sales of 82 million euros. It is one of the top 100 most innovative companies in Germany and is a leader in the development and production of electronic components and devices for customers in various industries in the fields of smart home and home and building automation.
As part of the KATA DAY, participants were given an insight into the successfully completed stages of the Lean Transformation at Insta and the positive changes that have resulted.
Break the hamster wheel of continuity! Only those who are willing to change will be successful in the long run.
Nadja Dreisbach, Value Stream Assisant Insta GmbH
Insta GmbH has achieved impressive results on its lean journey. For example, switching from workshop production to island production dramatically reduced lead time from 12 days to 0.02 days and setup time from 18.5 seconds/piece to 5.5 seconds/piece. The reorganization of SMT* production and the introduction of Shop Floor Management also paid off, with productivity almost tripling. One of the next steps was the introduction of Hoshin Kanri planning to define long-term strategies and align activities at all levels of the business.
“An organization needs time to mature. It’s encouraging to see that success can take a few years.” Stefan Lube, Head of Warm Forming, Hirschvogel Umformtechnik GmbH
An organization needs time to mature. It’s encouraging to see that success can take a few years.
Stefan Lube, Head of Warm Forming, Hirschvogel Umformtechnik GmbH
Insta GmbH launched KATA in 2021. KATA is a term from Japanese martial arts and refers to fixed sequences of movements that are internalized as routines through constant repetition. KATA routines provide targeted improvements that can be measured in metrics and establish a “scientific” approach to a highly operational shop floor. Through controlled experimentation, team members learn a structured approach and gain significant confidence in dealing with change.
In retrospect, the lean journey initiated a cultural change in the company that has evolved into a culture of change in several stages. The participants of the KATA DAY were very impressed and inspired by the great success of this change.
* SMT production = Surface Mount Technology
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