"The decisive factor is involving the staff members in creating change."
What is going to change for your staff in production?
My colleagues working in production are mainly affected by the structural modifications of our buildings. For instance, we are going to combine two production halls into one. Naturally, working in a new environment next to different colleagues and in different workspaces will take some getting used to. We are in the transition phase right now. This week, for example, the first lathe was placed onto a low loader and moved to the other factory. Such a shift is always a bit chaotic. That's unavoidable. But we can also see that there is progress. Production has resumed at the shifted machines and work stations. It is working!
How have you involved your staff?
Initially, both the staff and the leadership team were quite concerned. Through meetings and workshops we managed to find a way together that we consider to be the right one, the one leading to success. During this phase we received comprehensive consultation from Global Operations, a KSB department that supports sites in improving processes. For example, we conducted individual workshops for every work station. Here, employees were able to create wooden models of their new work stations at a 1:1 scale. We then generated three-dimensional images of the production halls using the VisTable program where, fitted with 3D glasses, our employees were able to further develop their work stations. Where is what tool located? What hand movements do employees have to make? Where do they need some more storage space, where is the material delivered, where are screws and bolts, small parts and accessories kept? Our employees came up with some great ideas in this process. They suggested height-adjustable work stations, for example. Keeping in mind that they assemble valves that can be either small or very large, an adjustable workbench is simply better from an ergonomic point of view.
These changes have not only provided you with the opportunity to make production more efficient but also to make it more sustainable.
Even the fact that we will all be in a more compact space, in a single hall, increases sustainability. This will lower heating costs and energy consumption. It will save power. We used to store raw castings in the temperature-controlled production hall. To increase energy efficiency we decided that these components may just as well be stored in a hall without heating. This won't affect the bodies in any way but it saves us energy. Another contribution to sustainability is made by the photovoltaic systems the new hall will be fitted with.
Now that the changes are almost complete – what are your long-term objectives for valve production?
Naturally, the objective is to be future-proof or, in other words, to lower the structural costs in the factory while remaining flexible regarding the product mix. To continue to be able to respond to changed market situations. And this is hugely important: Since the middle of last year we have had a wave of high capacity utilisation for valves from the energy sector. This is not something we were able to predict and plan for two years ago. However, we are able to respond accordingly. We have got enough machine capacity and are currently in the process of slightly increasing our staffing levels again. We also need to maintain and further develop our expertise in welding technology, special materials and customer-specific qualification and documentation requirements. This will provide us with opportunities in new, demanding applications such as in energy storage or high-temperature electrolysis, for example.
What advice would you give to managers who have to create changes?
It is very important to involve your staff right from the start, to explain the concept and, where possible, have your staff create the change with you. So many ideas came from workshops with active staff participation. I was thrilled. I was fascinated. We have inspired each other in our team and developed some fantastic ideas. When one person thought "That will never work", another suggested a possible solution. Most of our staff are very proud of KSB and are happy to help shape change when they are given the opportunity. At the end of the day, they are the ones producing the products we sell – that’s something we must not forget.
