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TaskForce ManagementSemiconductorCrisis ResponseOEESupply Chain

Continental: TaskForce Microcontroller & OEE Improvements

Continental AG

Tokyo, Kumamoto, Mito (Japan) 3 months 2016
100%
Backlog Eliminated
6
Team Members
3
Months Duration
48h
Deployment Time
100%
Backlog Cleared

The Challenge

One of Continental's major semiconductor vendors (Renesas) was severely affected by the series of earthquakes in Japan in April and August 2016. WIP-materials and Front-End (FEOL) tools were damaged and buffers emptied, leading to critical production interruptions at Continental's global manufacturing plants and their OEM customers.

Our Solution

We deployed a TaskForce team directly to Japan to assess production scheduling, capacity planning and operational processes at the semiconductor manufacturer. We mapped business processes, identified immediate yield improvements, and executed PDCA cycles to reduce performance fluctuations while implementing additional FEOL tools for bottleneck tool groups.

Our Approach

  • โœ“ Deployed 6-person TaskForce team on-site in Japan within 48 hours
  • โœ“ Assessed production scheduling and capacity planning processes
  • โœ“ Mapped complete business processes and identified bottlenecks
  • โœ“ Executed PDCA implementation cycles for tool performance
  • โœ“ Implemented additional FEOL tools for bottleneck tool groups
  • โœ“ Established KPI monitoring and continuous improvement framework

The Results

  • โœ“ Improved wafer mix for optimal production output
  • โœ“ Implementation of additional Front-End tools for bottleneck groups
  • โœ“ Complete elimination of demand-supply backlog
  • โœ“ Improved production planning and scheduling accuracy
  • โœ“ Significant reduction of waste and scrap rates

"The KFS GROUP TaskForce team was instrumental in getting our semiconductor supply chain back on track after the earthquake crisis. Their rapid deployment and deep process expertise made the difference."

Elmar D. โ€” CEO, Continental Global Procurement

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