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Autoneum Annual Report 2015
Business year at a glance
corresponds to a weight reduction of up to
one kilogram per vehicle. At the same time they
absorb engine noise and thus contribute to
improved acoustics in the passenger compart-
ment, less exterior noise and enhanced
driving comfort. Engine covers currently manu-
factured in Europe will be produced in Asia
and the USA in future as well.
Operational excellence as key success factor
Continuous efficiency improvements are not
only a central pillar of an automotive supplier’s
business model but also represent a decisive
competitive factor. It follows that operational
excellence in all business areas is indispensable.
Autoneum has launched eight
“Group Initia-
tives” encompassing various production-related
topics, including recycling, maintenance and
energy management and performs regular
checks on their implementation at every site
worldwide. One of these initiatives to implement
standardized manufacturing processes in all
plants is the Mizusumashi train. A Mizusumashi
train is an electrically driven tugger that ensures
optimal distribution of material on the shop-
floor, to and from workers at their machines, in
alignment with production processes. Applying
this rhythm to the material flow reduces costs
and energy consumption and increases production
safety as well by substituting for forklifts.
Another cost-saving effect is achieved
through the use of exhaust systems for produc-
tion waste, which are being introduced gradually
across all production sites. On the one hand,
this improves ergonomics for manufacturing
staff, while on the other hand, recycling or reuse
of industrial waste minimizes the environmental
impact of the produced components. In addi-
tion, over 25 flawless new start-ups impressively
demonstrated in 2015 the level of operational
excellence that Autoneum has reached in its
production processes since the separation in
2011. This was only possible due to a consis-
tently implemented focus on process standard-
ization and global best practice sharing. Opera-
tional excellence was also decisive in maintaining
profitability of the only Swiss production site
in Sevelen, which produces predominantly for
the eurozone, despite the abolishment of
the euro/Swiss franc minimum exchange rate in
January 2015 and the currency’s ensuing
strength.
Living our values – commitment to
social responsibility
The value-based High Performance Culture
introduced in 2012 is both a framework and
a guideline for the daily actions of our employ-
ees. It is to be exemplified by executives of
the company and adapted accordingly by staff.
At the same time, the strong focus on corporate
values implies particular attention to the needs
of employees. Consequently, based on results
of an employee satisfaction survey first conducted
in 2014, concrete measures were defined and
introduced in 2015. Among them was the
introduction of local “Kaizen” officers to ensure
the systematic collection and implementation of
suggestions for improvement at their respective