After rolling out the system in Sweden, Germany, and Mexico, it was time to add the USA to the list of users.
“It’s been quite a tough journey for us, but in the long run there are many advantages to everyone working in the same digital system. It will be easier to share data, develop common processes, and collaborate globally. The support from the project team has been invaluable, especially when we have encountered problems,” says Erik Enghag, Site Manager in South Bend.
Intensive collaboration
The first step from plan to reality was taken in January with a comprehensive gap analysis. Since then, the key team in South Bend, comprising eight to ten people, has worked intensively with colleagues from Sweden and Mexico to adapt the system to local conditions – always backed up by everyone at the site, ensuring that production has continued around the clock as usual. One of the hurdles to overcome has been the units of measurement. Shifting from inches and pounds to millimeters and kilograms has challenged employees’ professional intuition and deep-rooted sense of the material.
“Everything we have taken for granted for decades about weights and measures changed overnight, and everything from documentation to quality control had to be reviewed. It’s a big change that requires patience, but it’s getting better every week,” says Dave Rogers, Quality and Engineering Manager. Mike Wolbeck, who works in production planning, adds:
“It’s been a busy year, but we got through it. The support from the OneShare team in Sweden has been great. Last night I sent them a message, and when I woke up, I already had a reply.”
