UK – A team from the interior trim supplier visited Calsonic Kansei in Sunderland, as part of the North-East Automotive Alliance (NEAA) Business Excellence programme. The knowledge gained has led to improved training at R-TEK.
The trim supplier underwent a ‘World-Class Quality Performance’ visit to Calsonic, plus follow-up meetings, and subsequently implemented a number of best practices relating to pre-employment training. R-TEK replaced its three-stage induction programme with Calsonic’s six-stage training strategy. The revised scheme enables the company to assess participants’ dexterity and skills as well as to emphasise quality and safety requirements, in a simulated production environment.
“The exchange of best practice between tier-one automotive companies in the North East was relatively unheard of prior to the NEAA’s activity,” said Peter Watson, plant manager, R-TEK and chairman of the NEAA’s Business Excellence Strategy Group. “Companies are now seeing real value from the NEAA’s Business Excellence programme, which is opening doors and offering a two-way discussion across the supply chain.”
The NEAA programme has seen a range of tier-one suppliers and OEMs including Nissan, Komatsu, Unipres, Lear, Johnson Controls and Mecaplast opening up their manufacturing facilities to other members.
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