wiredInUSA April 2019

Making changes

Smart systems

Photo by Daria Nepriakhina on Unsplash

Photo by freestocks.org on Unsplash

Citing a weaker market and persistent problemsat itsplant inMerida,Mexico, Leoni AG has reported significant organizational changes. The company will no longer maintain its prior stated financial projections for sales of €5.2 billion for 2019, and plans a cut of up to 2,000 non-production employees worldwide. Other personnel-related measures include a group-wide hiring freeze and a freeze on salary increases for non-tariff employees and managers. The largest single problem was related to the company’s plant in Merida, opened two years ago, that has experienced persistent “ramp-up” problems, and where high personnel and freight costs have impacted on earnings by around €50 million. Other wiring systems plants in Hermosillo and Durango did not achieve “anticipated performance improvements”, but the Merida plant was the source of the biggest loss. In a press release in February, Leoni AGCEO Aldo Kamper said: “The problems extend beyond Mexico as the market, especially in China, remains challenging, and some OEMs have cut back on expected orders for the coming months.”

Southwire

has

commissioned

a

manufacturing system (MES) from Advaris. Guy Brassard, chief information officer at Southwire Carollton, commented: “In Advaris we have found a reliable partner … with a high level of competence specific to our industry.” Brassard continued: “Advaris MES is the control center of the factory. It enables us to identify deviations, shortages, and disruptions in the production process at an early stage. The intelligent system support enables our employees to react promptly and to make the correct decision. In conjunction with the company-wide SAP system, Advaris MES is one of the functional elements in Southwire’s Industry 4.0 smart factory strategy.” Southwire has praised the high level of flexibility of the MES: “The system could be adapted to the existing structures at Southwire; on this basis, we were able to make positive changes to our business processes,” including detailed production scheduling with the continuing optimization of the sequenceof productionorders shown on touchscreen terminals in the production hall. execution

wiredInUSA - April 2019

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