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As Regional Manufacturing Strategy Planning Manager for a leading Japanese OEM, Michael led the objectives deployment program through a period of transition from global to regional management decision making. This involved the alignment, collaboration and positive engagement of two existing sites in Europe and one to be launched in Russia. With seven functions transforming simultaneously it was vital that they kept their focus on core business performance, cost and quality goals as the drivers to corporate growth.

Michael established and maintained efficient visualisation and management reporting throughout the business directly to the SVP of Manufacturing, SC, Purchasing & Quality and on to the Regional EVP, to world class standards.

As part of a SC Sector Global Leadership Team, Michael contributed to achieving the growth strategy resulting in average €24m GP each year, raised customer retention from 83% to 95% and employee satisfaction circa 2 percentage points.

As VP Operations Excellence in the Supply Chain world, Michael was instrumental in promoting and deploying a global standard operations efficiency program which was an adaptation of key elements of lean manufacturing best practice, into a Logistics Operations Way Model. Significant service quality, productivity, employee satisfaction, cost and positive customer survey responses were evident.

Michael has also applied similar low key tactics and versions in numerous circumstances in various operations around the world.

As a Certified Nissan Production Way Senior IE Expert Coach, Michael has worked in numerous OEM, Tier 1&2 Suppliers and logistics operations to analyse and eliminate waste.

For example studying every body movement by each operator at a work station, each part as it flows manually or is transported and each quality or confirmation check. Or from an engineering perspective, redesigning a production shop or factory, connecting up processes, optimising space, eliminating buildings & unnecessary processes, re-engineering new material flow routes.

He is an Instructor for N-TWI (Nissan – Training Within Industry), JIT (Just-In-Time), YK04 (Advanced Multi-Model Line Balancing, Standardisation and Kaizen) which allows him to see (and teach) waste and develop solutions for complex assembly and machinery combinations.

As a Supervisor in an Injection and Blow Moulding Process, Michael developed analysis tools and efficiency reports to understand the real performance of his equipment. This was before OEE but as close to OEE as anyone could expect and resulted in 6-10% up-time improvement across a range of machines.

Michael also worked closely with Gateshead College to develop and introduce SPC training to all staff in order to help monitor machine capability to gain further productivity. This resulted in improvements to quality, reduced scrap and recycle material to process and chronic equipment breakdowns.

He once led a kaizen team that came up with ideas which reduced the standard time taken to change material on an injection moulding machine by 60%.

As a Senior Supervisor responsible for a manufacturing line, and driving shop & plant level quality management, he ran a team of dedicated supervisors to work closely with design and product engineers, maintenance and SQA/QA Engineers to countermeasure deep rooted technical concerns to achieve plant level quality targets.

As Plant NPW Senior Supervisor, Michael achieved QCC Instructor status, leading and training staff through the root cause and countermeasure analysis steps to improve numerous in-process quality concerns.

As Regional Nissan Production Way Manager, Michael planned, trained and developed site managers and supervisors in the new St. Petersburg plant who went on to win the ‘Best Overseas Plant 3 Months In Service’ award in its first year.

As VP Global Product Development Leader Michael was instrumental in improving customer service to support contract renewals and elevate service level KPI achievement for numerous customers including in Bratislava, Portugal, Mexico, USA and South Africa. At the core of this activity was improved customer centricity and boosting the CI culture and employee engagement.

Michael has enjoyed being responsible to deliver and sustain manufacturing plant level continuous improvement. Ensuring the culture is alive and present, where the right environment is created so people can thrive and cherish the ownership and engagement of delivering positive change that contributes to their work place and which of course is aligned to business goals.

He developed IT systems and ran staff development and standardisation programs to under-pin his work to visualise, promote and sustain rates of improvement. He devised and managed the NPW Office at NMUK which remains firmly in place to this day. At the time gaining head office credibility, this was replicated as a global standard. His methods, drive and passion were used to leverage and make a significant difference across other plants in Europe and a new plant in Russia.

As VP Lean Advisor to the UK AIL MD for UK, Michael developed a lean strategy to transform the way of working, management behaviour and culture within Supply Chain. This was underpinned by a bespoke Executive Lean Training Course and basic Kaizen/5S training. As a consequence the organisation was bolstered with more lean thinkers which resulted in the desired culture change. Also cost and efficiency improvements and most importantly engaged and empowered staff that went on to delight their customers.

Michael has led bench-marking and best practice sharing programs in both roles. To improve competitiveness between manufacturing plants, comparing various production shops in Europe, Japan, Mexico and USA. To strive towards world-class operations, between logistics line-feeding operations across 13 operations based in the UK, Portugal, Slovakia, South Africa, China, Mexico and Thailand which were providing services to 5 OEMs.

Throughout his career Michael ensured he was on the leading edge and fully engaged with all of the best practice manufacturing and management CI tools and techniques.

He has extensive knowledge in paint, plastic injection & blow moulding, final assembly and finished vehicle processes. He also understands stamping, body, casting and engine assembly processes.

Michael was hungry to travel to Japan and did so on many occasions, in total for about 16 months. He enjoyed his experience in Japan learning, working and immersing himself deep into their culture and DNA.

He has also had great exposure and success in many suppliers where he has consistently leveraged his skills and knowledge.

Michael is proud to often be referred to as Mr. NPW or Mr. Lean!

Michael has vast experience of numerous on-site and off-site warehouse and cross-dock operations encompassing manual and technical operations. This ranged from start-up, rate of climb, troubleshooting and ‘turnaround’ situations. A significant advantage he has is his ability to be able to see things from both a manufacturing and logistics expert point of view which helps get a fuller perspective and balanced roadmap of activity and returns, for you and your customer.

He has worked closely and transferred knowledge into Solutions Designers and IT Teams who provide the facilities, infrastructure & equipment, and plan the resource to receive, store, pick and despatch in sequence or in kits according to the manufacturer’s schedule.

As Global VP Operational Excellence, Michael’s role involved researching innovation and bringing ideas to life, which became a global promotion activity. He made viable options accessible to operations and customers alike, achieving traction and tangeable benefits.

As a Production Supervisor and Senior Supervisor, Michael worked with plant, planning & maintenance engineers, machine designers, machine manufacturers & technicians alike to ensure the safe and efficient working at the required specifications and quality level of several injection and blow moulding machines. This was over a 4 year period, involving trips to Japan where the machinery was designed and originally constructed.

Michael has also experienced and supported the successful start-up of warehouses & sequencing operations in his role as logistics service provider for OEMs. He is acutely aware of the risks involved and the need for consistency and a guaranteed supply of parts to manufacturing lines.

Representing the production department, Michael led the successful launch of two new vehicles and was once transferred to another line undergoing a new model launch to lead, take corrective measures and recover a very challenging situation at the start of production phase. During the first launch program, Michael devised and managed the New Model Introduction Room (control centre) Concept, improving communication, cross-functional teamwork, problem resolution, accuracy of reporting etc and eliminating many challenges during the transition to production. It remains a global standard to this day.

Michael had the foresight to understand that the planning and  smooth introduction of a new model depended on the quality of data surrounding the intended existing production line. Operator ergonomics, line balance efficiency, model-mix variation, standard versus actual times, quality checks and line balance smoothing are all critical factors. Michael instigated and led a team of Production Supervisors, IE and IT to develop a system to accurately reflect current model conditions and new model line balance design intent which reduced the number of practical concerns experienced and delivered tangeable benefits in quality and up-time at the start of production.

Michael also developed a design electric function test rig for use in the initial trial stages,

As VP Operations Excellence for Europe providing a 3PL service to a leading OEM in South Africa, Michael was called into action to rectify very challenging issues which were delaying the trial schedule and the output of current production vehicles. This phase was troublesome but completed on time, and after some strengthening of the organisation, training and the introduction of new processes for trial management, the next phase and start of production were seamless for the customer and said to be the best launch ever experienced.

Michael has undergone numerous of these types of change over a 19 year period working on site at a leading Japanese OEM. Perfecting his project management skills and applying the right tools to fit the size and scale of the project.

Additionally, Michael was often requested to support struggling suppliers in order to develop their processes to deliver new components to achieve right first time target levels. These ranged from side-skirts, spoilers, door mirrors, bumpers, instrument panels, and various plastic trims & mouldings.

In Supply Chain, Michael supported numerous transformation and re-engineering programs for OEM logistics operations resulting in improved service levels and seamless change.

In his 34 years in the industry, Michael has faced many such challenges therefore has a vast amount of experience in this area and somewhat of a reputation around the globe for putting out fires.

He has yet to come across a problem that cannot be overcome with the correct team and positive mind-set and is confident he has the most competent network of consultants that can deliver this.

Some examples of extreme line stoppages over extended periods are:

• Special Version Painted Exterior Trim Quality Issues
• Instrument Panel Moulding Quality Issues
• Cross Dock Operation Start Up
• Sequencing Warehouse Start Up and New Model Launch
• New Model Introduction
• On-site Receiving and Line Feed Start Up
• New Business Take Over

In his role as Regional Nissan Production Way Manager, Michael ‘double-hatted’ into Purchasing. He and his team were occasionally tasked with saving a supplier from going bust or being shut-down resulting in parts being reluctantly sourced elsewhere.

Such a case was evident with a tier 1 moulding & assembly company, whereby a volume, capacity and cost study was conducted. A factory level layout and machine utilisation plan was designed, the organisation streamlined and headcount optimised over a mutually acceptable 2 year period.

Another was returning a low margin performing supplier ‘back to black’ in a process, productivity and material usage deep dive exercise where part by part, model by model, costs were realigned, future new model costs were accurately aligned and within a year the supplier was committing to annual cost reduction targets.

One other was a competitive and thriving multi part, multi facility tier 1 supplier, where the emphasis was on cross-company collaboration. Advanced level tools and techniques were shared, new cost reduction themes were piloted, success was leveraged across processes & local sites, and ideas were invested into new models. Circa €1.3m was saved in the first two years with visibility of c€700k in year 3. Further scope to leverage across 3 other sites across Europe was agreed.

In his role as Regional Nissan Production Way Manager, Michael ‘double-hatted’ into Purchasing, taking on a role in Supplier Development. This resulted in transforming a 2 man team returning €250k cost reduction per year into a fully trained and proficient 12 man team across Europe returning €15m per year.

To do this, Michael developed a structured ‘win-win’ approach which gained the trust and respect of suppliers and bridged the gap between them and procurement managers. Allowing free flowing information, greater appreciation and collaboration, real process improvement and substantiated cost reduction on current models. This was then leveraged on to new models, forming a basis for improved and accurate quotations.

This methodology was translated into a Japanese version and deployed globally with great success and is still in place today.

Michael has experience in direct and indirect material cost reduction, when running production zones, lines, painting & moulding processes. Particularly during challenging times when survival was paramount – every penny counted! Regularly finding ideas to reduce cost to meet annual targets through material usage reduction, scrap reduction, process capability improvement and design change.

As a Value-Up Pilot he specialised in cross-functional cost reduction opportunities, breaking down barriers to leverage good ideas.

When managing his Supplier Development Cost Reduction Team, he specialised in Budomari (a proven Japanese method to design out waste) and reducing material costs in complex supplier processes where expensive or precious metals were used. In this case, the tiniest rate of improvement can have a significant impact on purchase cost and your cost per product.

As Plant Nissan Production Way Senior Supervisor, Michael refreshed the training curriculum for Manufacturing Staff, Team Leaders and Supervisors, creating a global standard. Michael was also previously involved in establishing best practice recruiting methodology which involved selecting the right manufacturing staff, team leaders, supervisors and graduates in the first instance. Practical, simulated induction training systems were developed to ensure a smooth transition to their actual jobs.

Michael has leveraged this concept at numerous sites to support growth and periods of instability in both manufacturing and logistics operations. The results are always undeniable and the method integratred into routine business as a legacy.

As Nissan Production Way Manager, Michael was advisor and coach to Sales & Marketing senior management. He helped develop a sustainable strategy involving the adaptation of a dealer service improvement theme originating from Japan, which aimed at avoiding unnecessary capital expenditure on new dealerships. It had to be adapted to work in the UK & Europe and given his previous experience working for 8 years repairing  and repainting cars, Michael was perfectly positioned to apply himself to this.

He conducted successful pilot activities in the UK, Germany & Russia and the project expanded into Europe. Michael trained & coached (on -the-job) 19 production supervisors to deliver the program .

In operational terms the project improved productivity up to 30%, quality of service up to 10%, customer satisfaction around 1%, and increased parts and labour revenues by more than 20%.

Michael adapted the theme for use in the body repair and repaint workshops which was leveraged back to Japan to be rolled out globally.

As VP Global Automotive I2M Product Development Leader, a substantial part of Michael’s role was to strengthen the automotive knowledge and technical understanding of his BD colleagues in order that they may present themselves more confidently to potential customers. He would contribute to bids and customer engagement generally, plus RFQ’s in terms of value added input and technical validation. He was often invited to facilitate customer workshops, particularly overseas where entering into new markets. To scope opportunities that would result in a win-win scenario for the customer and service provider.

Examples of successes are with a Tier 1 bumper supplier in the UK, linefeed operations to an OEM in Portugal, and warehousing & linefeed operations to an OEM in South Africa.

As Global Product Development Leader, Michael has experience in developing Inbound to Manufacturing, After Market and Tyre products, with some exposure to LLP and Transportation/Freight.

In various roles with a leading SC LSP, Michael was deeply involved in setting the strategy for renewal and achieving an increase from 83% to 95%.

He worked closely with central and local teams and directly with customers to re-inforce relations, to deliver convincing plans and actions that clearly delighted the customer. The majority was aimed at service improvement KPI, cost reduction, introducing innovation and determining/offering win-win growth opportunities.

Success was seen in Slovakia, Mexico, Spain, Portugal, South Africa and the UK.

Michael’s initiation into vehicle manufacturing was with a KD plant in the UK, where he contributed to it’s initial and ongoing success into the UK’s highest volume plant.

He also ran a service parts ED painting and packaging operation.

In his regional role he supported the launch of a KD plant in St Petersburg, Russia.

Recently he has been an integral member of an advisory team to an OEM supporting internal workshops to make plans to re-establish KD and DKD operations. Plus two other consulting opportunities with other OEM’s involving Europe and China, and Europe and North America.

In his global product development lead role, Michael engaged directly with a leading OEM in Europe to advise on the connectivity and synchronisation of manufacturing plants, the supplier base and logistics. The emphasis was on what these all must achieve in order to make this breakthrough and sustain the consistency behind it.

The aim was to understand how to plan and prepare for the eventuality and to specify requirements, standards, technical elements etc.

Expected benefits to the OEM is nominally in double digits in €m’s for each plant.

Whilst operationally responsible and in his plant improvement role Michael became very experienced in AGV’s and line-side automated delivery methods and equipment. Using these to link processes and buildings up from a factory level improvement point of view.

With a 3PL Michael spent 10% of his time driving innovation into the automotive sector and as such was exposed and has networks in many real and viable innovations that will deliver results – please contact us to enquire about what we have in our library for you!