Restoring Manufacturing Stability and OEM Confidence

Background:

A Tier 2 automotive cut-and-sew supplier was facing significant commercial risk as deteriorating quality performance, inconsistent launch execution, and declining operational discipline threatened a major OEM relationship. The disruption created during COVID accelerated the loss of experienced leadership across engineering, operations, program management, and corporate functions, exposing weaknesses that had previously been masked by institutional knowledge.

As operational rigor declined, the organization experienced increasing quality escapes, elevated turnover and absenteeism, inconsistent program execution, and reduced customer confidence. Immediate intervention was required to stabilize operations, restore launch performance, and protect future business.

Critical Issues:

• Major OEM business at risk due to declining quality performance and inconsistent launch execution
• Loss of experienced leadership weakened operational discipline, engineering support, and program management
• High employee turnover and absenteeism reduced manufacturing stability and execution consistency
• Ineffective quality systems and daily management allowed recurring defects and customer concerns to persist
• Customer confidence deteriorated as execution became increasingly inconsistent across multiple facilities

Our Approach:

Crossover Solutions performed a comprehensive operational assessment to identify the systemic drivers of performance instability and developed a structured Five-Pillar Recovery Plan focused on restoring execution discipline across leadership, operations, quality, engineering, and program management.

Execution was managed through disciplined 90-day implementation cycles supported by executive governance, weekly performance reviews, measurable KPIs, and clear ownership at every organizational level.

Key Actions:

• Established a Five-Pillar operational recovery strategy integrating leadership development, operational excellence, quality management, engineering capability, and program execution.
• Clarified organizational roles, strengthened leadership accountability, and implemented structured capability development across critical functions.
• Standardized Lean manufacturing practices through 5S, visual management, standardized work, waste elimination, and disciplined daily management.
• Rebuilt the Quality Management System through robust 8D problem solving, Layered Process Audits (LPA), fast response containment, and disciplined corrective action execution.
• Strengthened manufacturing execution through Gemba-based leadership, KPI management, production accountability, and safety leadership.
• Restored disciplined APQP execution, engineering change management, launch readiness reviews, and cross-functional gate governance to improve new program performance.

Results:

• Stabilized manufacturing operations by improving workforce engagement, leadership accountability, and execution consistency.
• Standardized Lean operating systems across manufacturing and support functions, reducing process variation while driving internal quality performance below industry benchmark levels.
• Restored customer quality performance through disciplined problem solving and robust process control, achieving Customer PPM performance better than OEM best-in-class expectations while eliminating repeat quality issues.
• Embedded sustainable operating discipline through standardized daily management and visible safety leadership, achieving zero lost-time injuries while maintaining Green OEM safety status.
• Successfully launched all scheduled production programs on time, restoring OEM confidence and strengthening long-term customer relationships.