GRUPO ANTOLIN
Transcription
GRUPO ANTOLIN
GRUPO ANTOLIN around the world SPAIN Grupo Antolin (Headquarters) Grupo Antolin - Alava Grupo Antolin - Ara Grupo Antolin - Aragusa Grupo Antolin - Ardasa Grupo Antolin - Autotrim Grupo Antolin - Dapsa Grupo Antolin - Eurotrim Grupo Antolin - Ingeniería Grupo Antolin - Magnesio Grupo Antolin - Martorell Grupo Antolin - Navarra Grupo Antolin - PGA Grupo Antolin - Plasbur Grupo Antolin - RyA Grupo Antolin - Vigo ARGENTINA IRAUTO BRAZIL Antolin - Sudamerica (TCO) Intertrim Iramec Trimtec CHINA Grupo Antolin - Shanghai (TCO) Antolin Guangzhou Autoparts Antolin Shanghai Autoparts ChongQing Antolin Toupu Overhead Systems Gongzhuling Antolin Huaxiang Ningbo Antolin Huaxiang Auto Parts CZECH REPUBLIC Grupo Antolin - Bohemia Grupo Antolin - Ostrava Grupo Antolin - Turnov FRANCE Grupo Antolin - France (TCO) Grupo Antolin - Cambrai Grupo Antolin - HFR Grupo Antolin - IGA Grupo Antolin - Ingénierie Siegès Grupo Antolin - Jarny Grupo Antolin - Loire Grupo Antolin - Transport Grupo Antolin - Vosges GERMANY Grupo Antolin - Deutschland (TCO) Grupo Antolin - Autoform Grupo Antolin - Logistik Deutschland INDIA Grupo Antolin - Chennai Grupo Antolin - Pune Grupo Antolin - Pune (Design Center) Krishna Grupo Antolin JAPAN Grupo Antolin - Japan (TCO) MEXICO Grupo Antolin - Saltillo Grupo Antolin - Silao International Door Systems Mexican Door Company MOROCCO Antolin - Tanger POLAND Silesia Plastic PORTUGAL Grupo Antolin - Lusitânia Grupo Antolin - Valença RUSSIA Grupo Antolin - St Petersburg SLOVAKIA Grupo Antolin - Bratislava Slovakian Door Company SOUTH AFRICA Grupo Antolin - South Africa SOUTH KOREA Grupo Antolin - Korea (TCO) Dong Won Tech THAILAND (Technological License Agreement) TURKEY Ototrim UNITED KINGDOM Grupo Antolin - UK (TCO) Grupo Antolin - Leamington UNITED STATES Grupo Antolin - North America (TCO) Grupo Antolin - Fairfax Grupo Antolin - Illinois Grupo Antolin - Kentucky Grupo Antolin - Michigan Grupo Antolin - Warren Grupo Antolin - Wayne (TCO). Technical Commercial Office · Noticias News Spring - Summer 2010 · nº 57 GRUPO ANTOLIN Interview with Corporate Human Resources Director Special Issue on Innovation Permanent progress Corporate Industrial Office Central shared services Seats in France Grupo Antolin-Jarny NEWS is published by Grupo Antolin Grupo Antolin is a multinational at the cutting edge of design and production of components for car interiors for the automobile industry. Present in 22 countries with 85 plants and 20 technical commercial offices and more than 10,000 employees. This publication is available for the employees in the GA’s intranet EDITORial OFFICE Grupo Antolin Marketing Department Carretera Madrid-Irún, km. 244,8 E 09007 BURGOS - SPAIN Tel. 34 947 47 77 00 www.grupoantolin.com Editorial DIRECTOR Marketing GA. · [email protected] Design Germán Delgado · [email protected] printed by Coiman C/ Marqués de Portugalete, 16 E 28027 MADRID - SPAIN Tel. 34 91 742 12 03 D. Legal: M-18594-2006 photography Rafa Sáiz Territory Europe - South America Territory Africa Asia - Pacific 6.097 employees* 2.035 employees* Territory North America 1.695 employees* contents * Nr of employees by territory as on the 28th of February 2010 page 4 cover story Javier Blanco Lobejón answers our questions Corporate HR Director talks about the labour initiatives and projects currently under development page 7 plants Grupo Antolin-Jarny page 15 corp. responsibility Design and Innovation for low cost Recognize and make a proper use of our diversity and the one that is surrounding us in order to get the maximum from all the differences We launch a new complete concept car developed by our Industrial Design Department, as the answer to the trend and philosophy of low cost page 18 report Grupo Antolin-Plasbur The need of improving the layout of a plant, to continue with the industrial progress the photo Grupo Antolin, supplier of the new Jaguar XJ page 22 page 10 special Innovation A concept in GA that goes further being applied in all the areas of the company: management, processes, products… designing the future Diversity, the value of difference page 20 From French lands, we put future users in the seat of the Renault Master van page 28 protagonists page 30 in brief News in brief Awarded improvement proposals, prizes from our clients and much more page 36 the history corner Chrysler One of the North American Big Three that, like GM, has exited from Chapter 11 bankruptcy, filed in 2009, thanks to Fiat Corporate Industrial Office How to support our 3 Business Units centralizing certain services page 26 occup. health&safety Improving labour conditions each day Picture on the cover: Modular headliner supplied by Grupo Antolin for the new Jaguar XJ News Grupo Antolin 2 · Spring - Summer 2010 Editorial Innovation is one of the identity keys of our company and of all people who are part of it. In the same page our Vice-president explains in detail the innovation concept as an introduction to the “Special” which in this number we have dedicated to this important work philosophy. On this occasion we wanted to get closer to the person in charge of Corporate Human Resources Department, Javier Blanco. During our meeting he told us about his wide professional career and projects carried out from his department. Keep on reading to find out which ones they are. The current organisation has caused a change in lots of our departments as well as creation of others, as in case of Corporate Industrial Office, which we present in this issue. Ernesto Antolin Arribas Vice-president in first person GRUPO ANTOLIN, from its origins, has presented its clear commitment to the Innovation, materialized in practically all product lines to which we dedicate our business, with generation of new technological solutions which allow us to keep leadership positions recognized in the market. The next few years will bring us quick technological changes in our industry, in an environment that demands high levels of requirements in the comfort, technology, safety and environmental friendliness. And we go to two of our plants in France and Spain. On one side, French society Grupo Antolin-Jarny, dedicated to the manufacturing and logistics of seats, opens its doors for us. Do you enter with us? These technological changes open up important business opportunities that we can and should take, given the capacity of our people united with the creative spirit driven, from its origin, by shareholders and Senior Management of the Group. On the other hand, Grupo AntolinPlasbur tells us how, among all its employees, it has achieved industrial improvement of its facilities and health and safety. Which are these improvements? Discover them in the report “Revolution in the corridor”. Adapting to new automotive conditions involves implanting in our own behaviour the seeds of innovation, constantly questioning what is already known and existing to, through the generation of new ideas, gain a differential advantage that allows us to achieve margins higher than the ones from the simple commodities, with which a company of our size can hardly ensure its sustainability. Many more topics are waiting for you in the following pages. Occupational Health and Safety, low cost cars, diversity management in our Group… Finally, we would like a new Newsletter, with the participation of all of you, to remain as a way of communication about all that happens in Grupo Antolin and in the world that surround us. We are aware that having the large global industrial presence of our Group is assumed to already dispose with a huge amount of rich ground where to plant. Moreover we have the seed in our barn. That seed is the knowledge accumulated in all our collaborators which, with the motivation level that they have always maintained, will enable us to get the pick of results we all expect. Enjoy reading! w I would like to conclude by reaffirming that we have the human potential and business vocation necessary to ensure the satisfaction of our clients, the last and authentic test of our good work. w News Grupo Antolin Spring - Summer 2010 · 3 An interview with our en portada Corporate Human Resources Director Javier Blanco Lobejón Entrevista con el Director Corporativo de RRHH cover story On this occasion and as the continuation of the series of interviews started in the previous Newsletter, in this number we have the participation of Javier Blanco Lobejón. Our Corporate Human Resources Director speaks about his experience in Grupo Antolin and the labour strategy that the company is developing News Grupo Antolin 4 · Spring - Summer 2010 “ We are developing tools and projects that encourage talent retention and What is your trajectory in the HR area? My professional experience has been developed in consulting and automotive sectors always related to people management. I have fulfilled functions in multinational environments in the areas of selection, development, training, compensation, communication and especially in the field of industrial relations, working in a production plant as well as headquarters as it has been in case of Grupo Antolin over the last thirteen years. All these experiences let me develop a global vision of the HR function in a multinational environment which is very useful now in the time of fulfilling the role of Human Resources Director of Grupo Antolin. What are the main challenges you have faced since you took the charge of HR in Grupo Antolin and what are your future challenges? Starting with my activity in charge I met the challenge of managing human resources in a crisis environment. The market situation we have all experienced during 2009 and 2010 has meant, among others, adopt restructuring measures and adjust number of employees in different companies worldwide. Actions like these have been necessary to maintain competitive position of Grupo Antolin in its sector. Looking ahead, our biggest challenge is to develop human resources strategy which provides business value in an increasingly globalized environment. We do not forget that we are a young company with an average age of 37 years and therefore, we have a huge potential for growth, potential that should be aligned with the strategic objectives of the Group. Because of this, we are developing tools and projects that encourage talent retention and professional career development within the Group. We also have set as a challenge the improvement of Internal Communications, for which a specific area is being created to improve our communication channels and making the information available to all employees of the company. I would like to underline the same way, the challenge for this Department which involves labour risk prevention, without any doubt we have improved our accidents ratios, but we should keep on working to prevent our employees from any type of danger in this sense. ” professional career development within the Group How are the HR policies managed in a multinational company like GA? A good human resources management is based on the teamwork, and this is the case of Grupo Antolin, whose Human Resources Departments are formed by professionals with experience in the sector, both in the headquarters and in the regions as well as in the production plants. We consider communication as a key element when managing our work, and because of this, apart from weekly meetings of people who create HR Corporate Department, every three months we hold what we call International HR Committee, with all Human Resources Directors on the global level. At these meetings we are able to share experiences and best practices in human resources in different countries, it certainly enriches our perspective of what should be a human resources management in a multinational environment. Another objective we have implemented is to convert HR department in an area more accessible and closer to the employees of the company, near to each person that wants to raise their problems or concerns to us. How do different peculiarities of the countries in which GA is present influence global HR management? In my opinion, the way to do business in multinational and global environment should be sustained on the same basis applicable for all countries. In our case the same thing happens. The policies and principles of human resources should be the same for all countries in which the company operates. In this sense we work with respect for the culture and customs of each country, adapting, as far as possible, our policies to the peculiarities of each country, labour law and social environment. To achieve our goal we have the cooperation of international HR Directors that are “interpreters” who help us to “translate” the human resources policies to the uniqueness of each country. An example of this are working calendars, which are adapted to the religious or/and cultural circumstances, with the condition that the plant meets needs of internal and external client. News Grupo Antolin Spring - Summer 2010 · 5 “ What I enjoy the most is when On the other hand we have to keep in mind that since 2003, Grupo Antolin is a part of United Nations Global Compact. This public pact is the company’s commitment to work towards the establishment of respect for human rights, labour and environmental standards throughout its area of influence. I visit a factory and I have the ” opportunity to share experiences with people who work there Which has been the role of HR Department in the new organisation and how has your area been affected by this change? The HR Department, after the initial approach made by the senior management which designed the main structure of the Group with its new departments and main responsibilities, has coordinated the definition of functions of each of them and allocated, together with them, the resources of the Group with the aim of achieving greater effectiveness and better use of the skills and competencies of people working in the Group. What has been the biggest change that happened over the last few years? There have been several, sincerely; I think that one of the most important has been the emergence of Corporate Social Responsibility policies in our companies. In my opinion, the foundations on which rests the CSR come to reinforce the role that people have in organizations, concepts as ethics within the value chain, respect for employees, commitment to society and environment, comes not only to strengthen a company’s reputation but also to require Human Resources Departments to play a leading role to preserve those values. It has been 2 years since we have launched the area of Corporate Social Responsibility, where our activities have been orientated not only on the reputational enhancement of the Group but as well on adding value to the Company, for example with the creation of the Plastics Technical School in Brazil. Through this activity we give an opportunity to thirty young people of an official training while educating future professionals for the Group, which guarantee a return on our training effort. I want to underline also change in labour laws to models for greater flexibility at work, enabling us to adapt to the circumstances of a market, such as the automotive, each time more changeable. News Grupo Antolin 6 · Spring - Summer 2010 It has been a hard and demanding work as it has been done in just a month to meet deadlines and provide the required support in time. It was realized during June and since then, with its implementation already under way, our role intends to remain the same as so far, giving a support to the new Business Units and Corporate Departments in managing their human resources through definition and implementation of policies for selecting, compensating, HR development, etc. also aligned with the Group’s strategic objectives. What elements of you job do you enjoy most and least? What I enjoy the most is when I visit a factory and I have the opportunity to share experiences with people who work there. I also like working with my team more directly in the definition of human resources policies and discuss internal issues which then can be applied at the company level. Naturally, my least favourite part is all the decisions concerning the restructuring, but obviously it is a part of my job and it has to be approached with discretion and professionalism. If you were not working in the HR area, where would you be working? My professional life has always been linked to the world of human resources, and the truth is, I do not see myself working in another field than this. w Grupo Antolin plants JARNY Grupo Antolin-Jarny Grupo Antolin-Jarny opened its doors on 4th November 2008, 10 people who were trained for several weeks at the Grupo Antolin sites of Roche la Molière (France), Burgos & Vigo (Spain) were present for the opening. The welcome and support given by our colleagues in the group enabled us to begin our new challenge under the best possible conditions Our production/logistics facility is 10,000 m² and was built in the commune of Jarny in NE France for the assembly of the new Renault Master utility vehicle, which will be fully commercialised during the first quarter of this year. 142 seat references compose the profile of our products delivered to Renault. Particularly, single front seats and 2 place front seats, which constitute the majority of the volume. These will be followed by 16 different types of the 3 place seats for the Combi version. “ Together we will rise to the challenges that await us, keeping always ” in mind that nothing is impossible First photograph of the new Renault Master, a warm handshake despite the cold & snow, between Patrick Janot (Co-Director Renault Sovab on the right) and Philippe Damiens (Director of Grupo Antolin-Jarny on the left) News Grupo Antolin Spring - Summer 2010 · 7 Assembly of an individual seat metal frame by one of our first production operatives, Nicolas Piccinini The Renault Master project replaces the old model which began in 2006. Some of our actual personnel have participated in this project since its inception in 2007. Renault entrusted to us the conception and industrialisation of the single seats and the 2 & 3 place seats for this vehicle. We designed, made and validated the prototypes before the launch of the tools for series production. These are the first fully garnished front seats supplied by Grupo Antolin to Renault The approval for series production was given on 19th November 2009. We are actually in the ramp up phase for the first row vehicle seats. In the first row are the individual driver/passenger seats and the 2 place passenger seats. Final seat inspection on the production line by another of our first production operatives, Jessica Capdevielle We are now completing the project phase with the industrialisation of the 3 place seats for the Combi. The first of these seat types are being assembled with the series tools, and the actual start of full series production will be September 2010. The zone for our production facility at Jarny was chosen specifically in response to the needs of our customer, the Renault SOVAB(1) and in particular in accordance with our operating profile of just in time (JIT) production. Taking into account this diversity it was necessary to reply exactly to our customers requirements in the minimum time frame. The deployment of our industrial process allows us to assemble and deliver to Renault in sequence with a time per order(2) of only 180 minutes. By using our production application BLADE, we can ensure the management of our customer’s orders and the stocking of the finished seats for sequencing in our automated Transtocker. Synchronous production began in December 2009 and final output will reach 600 vehicles per day. Seat sequencing and loading operations into the containers specifically designed for the customer application, by our logistics operative, Nicolas Rein News Grupo Antolin 8 · Spring - Summer 2010 Our team The knowledge of the employment basis, the selection, integration, competences and personal integrity of all our people are at the core of our ideals to ensure the success of this project. In partnership with the local authorities in charge of recruitment (who we brought to Grupo Antolin- Vigo at the beginning of 2008), we made a detailed analysis of all the working areas to identify the competences needed: - Understand & respect a system with norms and standards. - Be able to work under pressure. - Make the necessary checks and quality controls. Quality To respond correctly to this method of working, the management team of Grupo Antolin-Jarny introduced the principles and tools of the Grupo Antolin Production System. More importantly the culture of continuous improvement and total quality. We have actually the following in place on site: - 5S in all the site (offices & production area) with the required standards displayed in each area. - Coordinate and control our movements. - Be able to work in a team. This method of recruitment that we labelled MRS(3) has been adapted to our requirements for the recruitment of our existing and future collaborators of Grupo Antolin-Jarny. After passing tests and motivation interviews, our collaborators began a training course over several weeks financed by the local authority “Conseil Regional de Lorraine”. In this training course were the following themes: - The Production System. - Production (products, processes). -Problem resolution using PDCA (Plan Do Check Act). -Kamishibai, quality system that enables auditing of a zone, to manage and remind everyone to respect the reglementations put in place. -1st level maintenance, to ensure the efficiency of all our machines. -QRQC – Quick Response Quality Control – facilitates the rapid identification of issues at their point of occurrence. -Grid of competences acquired by the production staff, updated and maintained in real time. These tools enable us to dynamically and rapidly resolve problems and provide a good working environment with clear standards applied throughout our entire facility in Jarny. The quality system is still being deployed in Jarny, in October 2009 we achieved 81% for the Renault pre-production audit and ASES Quality Assurance audit. Further audits are programmed through 2010. - Continuous improvement. - EHS (Environmental Health and Safety). - Gestion of Personnel/Staff Management. - Initiation to assembly. - Series Production. With this training complete our future operators were integrated into the team. Our original ideas for recruitment/training were noticed by the Conseil Regional de Lorraine. They contacted us for the inauguration of their new “mobile training unit” which took place at our site in the presence of the local elected representatives of the region, all our personnel, the trainees, the project team and the head of the seats Business Unit – Fernando Sanz. w (1) Société des Véhicules Automobiles de Batilly (Society of Automobile Vehicles of Batilly) (2) Timer per order: the time lapse between the customer order and the delivery to the customer’s production line. (3) Method of recruitment by simulation News Grupo Antolin Spring - Summer 2010 · 9 Innovation Our commitment to the future special Fernando Rey Corporate Innovation Director - Grupo Antolin We can consider the innovation as something inborn to all people and the foundation for survival and mankind progress since its earliest times. The invention of fire, hunting weapons, farming tools... have permitted humanity to evolve in different aspects of their lives News Grupo Antolin 10 · Spring - Summer 2010 But the fact of innovative creation is also a sign of identity and culture of the most advanced societies. There are as well other reasons why people, individually, innovate: - Personal motivation as an essential reason. - Professional development that, together with motivation, are boosting our self-esteem. - And other interests as economical, social… Generally, all activity areas are susceptible to receive and boost innovations. The society itself has become more competitive, that is why the added-value offer, based on new ideas, is more important today than ever. Automotive Sector Especially, our market is one of the most competitive due to an obvious oversupply, a feature that has grown in the last few years. The financial crisis, in which we are immersed, has changed dramatically: · The weight of the different system factors (vehicle manufacturers, suppliers, countries…) · The structure of the market: - Segments concentration to the ends, superior and inferior. - Spread of low volume vehicles. - Increase in the need of brand differentiation. - Product customization offer facing clients’ diversity (flexibility) - Inexorable quality demand in all senses: technical, service… . Directing the towards: In the first place we have in front of us a challenge of a progress in what makes the essence of our business: - Materials. - Industrial processes. All this creates a new demand to which companies have to respond. Grupo Antolin should keep on developing and innovating products and processes which can adjust to this new stage and a new car conception. Grupo Antolin Our company has been historically recognized by the industry and the society for its innovative impulse, a key element of our quick development. The necessity to strengthen industrially our achievements has, in some way, diverted part of our energy into consolidated operations, thereby lowering the guard in following technological developments in the market and the strategy of our clients. The picture that presents to us in 2010 is extremely demanding in this respect and a loss of speed can jeopardize our survival. Therefore it is necessary to restore our innovative effort in all our activities. Sticking to the product-process innovation, Grupo Antolin maintains its technological invention capacity to meet the challenges of the new scenario that the market presents us. Because of this, a correct orientation of initiatives as for the corporate strategy is essential. To achieve this objective, innovation committees at three levels have been created in the environment of the recent organisation: Board of Directors, General Committee of Innovation with Business Units and an Innovation Committee for each product line. w initiatives - The quality assurance. - The cost reduction for bigger benefit. - The weight reduction. - The industrial flexibility. - The sustainability of our products. Simultaneously, innovation should give to our basic products the biggest added value, for what we have the following innovation lines in: - New fabrics. - Integrated lighting. - Electronics. - Surfaces customization. - Solar protection devices. News Grupo Antolin Spring - Summer 2010 · 11 Diego Val Materials Engineer - Grupo Antolin-Ingenieria Innovation in Materials MAGNESIUM It has been more than a decade since Grupo Antolin decided to create an Innovation Line focused on the light weight alloys and especially on Magnesium; a bet for the future with a pioneer plant in Spain This way the Group met the current needs of automotive market: pollutant emissions and consumptions reduction linked with the weight reduction through light materials. Magnesium, thanks to its properties, is considered as a preferential material to meet these new requirements. To understand deeper this material, during 1999, a research was carried out taking into consideration main technical aspects, market factors, competitors, etc. that confirms the necessity and strategic importance of this Innovation Line. This research was presented at the end of 1999 under the name “Libro Blanco del Magnesio” (Magnesium White Book). The main conclusions which can be extracted from the abovementioned book were: Advantages • Low density: 1.7 kg/dm3 (aluminium is 1.5 times heavier and steel is 4.5 times heavier). •Easily mouldable, permits creating thinner pieces. News Grupo Antolin 12 · Spring - Summer 2010 Disadvantages • Very little global knowledge. •Good mechanical properties. •Industrial processes not very robust. •Great potential for the integration of several functions in one piece. •A necessity of protection against corrosion in certain environments. •Wide availability, it is the seventh most abundant element on the Earth. •There are erroneous preconceptions (fragility, autoignition…). Grupo Antolin-Magnesio was inaugurated in February 2006 in Burgos. With over 10,000 m2 it is dedicated to the injection of Magnesium parts magnesium Applications Aluminium alloying Desulfurization of steel Injection (automotive) 100% Finally, and through the analysis of presented pros and contras, it was decided to continue with this Innovation Line. The first task was developed around the rear seat of Mercedes Vito/Viano. A multidisciplinary team worked on the redesign of the seat with an objective of a significant weight reduction through the use of Magnesium alloys and remembering about the cost competitiveness. 12% The versatility of Magnesium makes it easily identifiable in a wide range of applications within the automotive sector that can range from the interior components (seat frames, hand brakes, dashboards…) to the engine parts. As put forward, car weight reduction is a key to meet the CO2 emission reduction norms. According to the protocol from Kyoto, European Union should reduce its total emissions by 8% during 2008-2012. Taking into consideration the fact that the transportation sector is one of the ones that produces more emissions, there is still a long way to go in achieving these goals Within our market, Grupo Antolin has a great competitive advantage thanks to the mastery of all phases of the value chain: automotive sector knowledge, development ability, engineering and validation, industrialization… The disadvantages of Magnesium, together with the innovative spirit of the company, crystallized into a program of public-private partnership called Magno: MAGnesium New Technological Opportunities. Its main activities cover the full transformation process: - Raw material - Moulds - Fusion - Recycling - Feeding - Trims - Injection - Security 16% 12% 16% 23% 32% 53% In the year 2000 and after a second phase of work with the customer, Mercedes, the usage of components in Magnesium was approved for the second generation of that vehicle, achieving a reduction of 31% by weight and 20% of the cost. Automotive Industry Other applications* 36% 2000 2007 * Chemical industry, pyrotechnic, electronics… RAW MATERIAL PRODUCTION estimated for 2009 Estimate production: 622,000 tons • Brazil 2,4% • USA 8,4% • Serbia 0,3% • Ukrania 0,5% • Russia 4,8% • Kazkhstan 3,2% • Israel 4,8% • China 75,6% Materials distribution according to cost and weight Estimate of Automotive usage + Cost Steel Aluminium Plastics Magnesium Plastics reinforced with fibres Titanium Ultra-light Metal + Lightness News Grupo Antolin Spring - Summer 2010 · 13 Among the principal models where we can currently find this material in higher proportions we should highlight: GMC Savana with 26,3 kg. of Magnesium investigation programmes To reach these achievements, from the Innovation Department in line with company strategy, investigation programmes were developed: Mercedes SLK Roadster 7,7 kg. of Magnesium 2005 PROFIT Programme Ministry of Industry Advanced applications of magnesium alloys in automotive industry Main milestones 2006 PROFIT Programme 2000 · First order for the seats - Mercedes Vito/Viano 2002 · Replacement of the seats for Mercedes · Order for the rear seats - Renault Espace 2005 · Second generation of the seats for Renault Space Ministry of Industry Modular components design for doors of motor vehicles in magnesium alloy injection 2006-2007 Innovation Programme ADE (Development Agency) Development of new advanced structural applications of magnesium · Second and third row seats for Citroën Picasso, produced in Vigo with an innovative design in magnesium. This programme is decisive for launching a production plant for magnesium pieces in Spain (Burgos) 2007 2008 CENIT Programme Ministry of Science and Innovation MAGNO · We got the order from Renault for the first in the world window regulators designed entirely in magnesium, with strong technical and weight advantages Programa PROFIT Ministry of Industry Heat treatment of magnesium alloys 2008-2011 Complete seat for Mercedes Vito/Viano with crosses in Magnesium “ Magno is generating considerable network of knowledge between companies, technological institutes and universities that aims to ” go further and put Spain in a position of technological leadership, something essential in an increasingly competitive market News Grupo Antolin 14 · Spring - Summer 2010 corp. responsibillity Corporate Responsibillity Area Grupo Antolin Diversity the value of the difference Our company has been established over these years as a multicultural team made up of about 10,500 people that live and work under one business plan. Attract, retain and empower people of different profiles, provides innovative, creative solutions, new options and perspectives whose sum is undoubtedly a factor in competitiveness News Grupo Antolin Spring - Summer 2010 · 15 We are all in the same team with our differences, despite them. Diversity? Maintaining the balance between similarities and differences and use that balance to create value, the value of the difference “ We can only A concept that marks, diversity guarantee our future According to the Spanish dictionary diversity (from lat. Diversĭtas, -ātis) means: “1. f. Variety, dissimilarity, difference. 2. f Abundance, a big quantity of several different things”. If we transfer these meanings to the environment in which we move, talking about clients, shareholders, employees, suppliers, competitors, friends, family,… different, varied, with distinct needs and demands, in some way, interact with each other and need to know how and in what way we work and if we are “sensitive” to social, environmental and cultural problems and events that surround us. if we acknowledge ” and use our diversity If we join this with aspects as the immigrant population growth, the consolidation of women in the labour market, the expanding range of cultures, integration of disability, an aging population, lifestyle or sexual orientation differences, we are facing, without a doubt, new challenges at both internal and external level. There is no doubt that in various environments there is a need of resources equally diverse, which know, can and want to contribute to a common project. Reflecting this reality, today, the plants are composed of individuals with very different personal skills, as well as other demographic, cultural and social factors, which make it increasingly common the interface among the workers with very different needs, attitudes, values, motivations and potential contribution. A diverse workforce helps to adapt more easily to the needs and demands of our stakeholders. This is how the profiles that differentiate people and have an impact on team behaviour are understood as diversity from business point of view. News Grupo Antolin 16 · Spring - Summer 2010 Diversity management, the key Diversity management is clearly something more than diversity, it is a corporate commitment. All the differences make the company different, so that it works, a company should be able to integrate employees, clients, shareholders and other environmental agents in a common objective. Only groups of people of different profiles working in teams are able to optimize all resources and systems of organizations. Only teams of diverse human resources, well integrated, generate innovation and creativity needed to ensure the continuation of business in new global, competitive and different markets. Our sustainability over time will not uniquely and exclusively depend on the availability of financial and technological resources, but on the effectiveness and added value with which people manage these resources. Therefore, to discover the skills of each and every one of us in the company and leverage beyond what you see is the key to the proper management of diversity. Managing diversity is not about hiring more minority groups or increasing the number of women. It is an effort at personal, interpersonal and organizational level. The “sensitivity” facing differences is needed but by itself is not enough to make positive things happen. It is necessary to internalize these differences and integrate them into the everyday processes in the company. You have to work in the ongoing search for the elements that make each person discover within him or her the ways to improve their work, and by extension, organizational performance. While the goal and the projected benefits of policies and approaches to diversity vary considerably from one company to another, leaving no doubt is that we can ensure our future only if we acknowledge and use our diversity. This includes the diversity of our human capital and the diverse needs of our customers, shareholders, supply chain, ultimately, society in general. Equality Plan From the Corporate Social Responsibility area our task is to facilitate this management and support the humanization of globalization. Within the policies related to diversity, during this year we are going to carry out certain actions in some of our plants for the development of equality plans in line with current legislation. Equality plans help to improve the utilization of human resources of companies, promoting equality between men and women within the company and will be extended progressively to all plants of Grupo Antolin. w Percentage of men and women at Grupo Antolin Women 30,89 % Men 69,11 % Nationalities 55 Languages* 29 Expatriates 20 people +5% vs 2009 *Mother language News Grupo Antolin Spring - Summer 2010 · 17 report Fernando Hernández Black Belt - Grupo Antolin-Plasbur GA-PLASBUR Revolution in the corridor Since 1998, when Grupo Antolin-Plasbur (Burgos) has moved from its facilities situated in Pisones street to its current localization in Villalonquéjar Industrial Park, a lot of modifications and internal reorganisations have been carried out. All of them have been movements specific or related to small areas Lateral corridor NOW Lateral corridor BEFORE News Grupo Antolin 18 · Spring - Summer 2010 Central corridor BEFORE We present a work that has led to the total modification of the plant layout and has received the full support of the team that creates GA-Plasbur The great collaboration of all departments has been the best of all; the aim was clear, to substantially improve our company since with the space that we already had to our disposition the processes were not fully “lean”. Therefore a group of people came up with a revolutionary idea that proved a resounding success. The improvement has not been effective only in the industrial sense; it was also important in the aspect of health and safety since with the constant trucks traffic sooner or later we would have had serious problems of accidents at the workplace. Summarizing we can say that the improvement that we present has been the best of which were carried out in GA-Plasbur in recent years. Main improvements obtained · Reduction of accidents risks. Central corridor NOW Mock-ups location NOW Mock-ups location BEFORE Moulds location NOW ·Risks reduction in production equipment. ·Significant improvement in: -Internal logistics flow of materials. -Recycling management. · Physical space expansion through splitting the surface. · Usable space increase. · New locations for secondary injection equipment. · Increased number of audits of order and cleaning without demerits. Moulds location BEFORE · Lay-out easy to maintain and quickly assimilated by all operators. w News Grupo Antolin Spring - Summer 2010 · 19 Departamento de Diseño Industrial Grupo Antolin-Ingenieria the photo Lighting with a touch Grupo Antolin and the overhead lighting consoles Our company has developed the front and rear lighting consoles as well as the ones for the rear vanity mirror of the new Jaguar XJ, including the optical design, electronics, plastic consoles… The front console is for Grupo Antolin the first one in production which can be turned on through closeness, without a necessity of activating mechanically any button. All the consoles are assembled and checked in Grupo AntolinTurnov, later on they are sent to Grupo Antolin plant in Solihull from where the complete modular headliner is finally delivered to Jaguar. The headliner substrate and sunvisors for this model are also produced by our Group, as well as the pillars and the package tray. Further information about this model will be distributed in a short time. News Grupo Antolin 20 · Spring - Summer 2010 News Grupo Antolin Spring - Summer 2010 · 21 Corporate Industrial Office protagonists Corporate Industrial Office Grupo Antolin “ Through the process design a better comprehension of business can be achieved to understand what is being doing right or wrong and this could be ” often an opportunity for improvement News Grupo Antolin 22 · Spring - Summer 2010 This is a newly created Department emerged with the current organization and the need to define certain central shared services which give support to the 3 Business Units Principle functions of Corporate Industrial Office (DCI) could be summed up in the following points: · To define, audit and consolidate the quality systems of the group. · Establish the general policy of sales and verify its implementation. · Negotiation of the products purchasing that, due to its nature, are used by all the BUs, and management of the global logistics. · Manage the pool of engineers specialised in technologies or common services (graphical engineering) for all the BU. · To define, develop and maintain the Strategic planning processes for Grupo Antolin. To define the standards and procedures for key processes. · To manage corporate improvement systems: Total Quality, SP, Delta, 6 sigma. To carry out such an extensive task, 4 areas have been created within the DCI as presented on the attached organization chart. • Delta • Production System • Seis Sigma • Total Quality Corporate Improvement José Luis Díaz Corporate Purchasing & Logistics Farnan Rushe Corporate Quality • Quality and Enviroment Systems CORPORATE INDUSTRIAL Office Belén de Pedro • Central Laboratories and Validation María Helena Antolin Corporate Engineering • Quality and Development of Suppliers Joaquín Santaolalla • Simulation and Safety • Graphic Engineering Management Processes and Systems Susana Quintano Corporate Engineering The design and simulation of the products developed by Grupo Antolin leave this Department in accordance with the specifications and requirements of our clients. They also ensure its manufacturing with guaranteed delivery and quality through analysis of product performance in its lifetime, anticipating future problems. All this is possible thanks to: · A global management of external engineering offices. The aims of this centre have consolidated with a solid management, technical and process training, Grupo Antolin internal methodology and external methodology from the clients. The mission of these people’s team is to be able to offer the complete cycle of a project within the best quality and reliability in front of the client, performing conception, design, virtual analysis and modifications for projects at a world level. Building where Technical Centre of Pune is placed · A solid design centre in India. · A framework of Technical Centres with a technical team specialized in each car-manufacturer. · An internal team, versatile for the customer. At present we are working on a worldwide basis through the Team Centre system (system for documentation Management), which makes available the same information from any Technical Centre. The Technical Centre in Pune has a team of 70 engineers and a structure oriented towards clients, country and product. News Grupo Antolin Spring - Summer 2010 · 23 Corporate Quality In Grupo Antolin we understand the Corporate Quality as a sum of the following three main areas: Systems of Quality and Environment, Laboratories and Validation, Quality and Development of Suppliers. Personnel from the Improvement Area of Corporate Industrial Office helping the TI Department in the Headquarters, during a 5S exercise Corporate Improvement Operations This area operates and coordinates four initiatives: · Total Quality Systems: UETs and Improvement Teams, Internal Communications, Improvement and Acknowledgement Proposals. · Improvement Operations DELTA: the total of programmes designed to reduce the cost reduction through generation, development and implantation of improvement proposals. · 6 Sigma: Improvement and Methodology initiative to Problems Solutions, focused on projects with financial impact and complexity, reducing the variability due to commune cases. · Grupo Antolin Production System (GA-PS): is the application of Philosophy and Lean Manufacturing. Quality and Environment Systems Principal functions of this department are: · Harmonization, in coordination with Organizational Units of the Group, of the documents collected by Operating Systems. · Elaboration and diffusion of the documentation for Quality and Environment Systems. · Participation in the development of common documentation for the Occupational Health and Safety System. · Support for Companies and / or Organizational Units of the Group in case of Quality and Environment Systems implementation. · Internal Audits in terms of Quality, Projects and Environment Systems through analysis of their results. · Consolidation of Internal Audits results. Laboratories and Validation Principal lines 2010: · Achieving the objective of Global Saving and that at least 30% of these savings are from the Delta tool. · Coordinating the Unique Action Plan by centre. This plan will have traceability to budgets and the income of each company. · Working particularly in improvement of Delta initiatives. · Launching all Total Quality Systems and Lean 1 level Tools (5S, Kamishibai, Standardization in the workplace and Problem Solving) in 75% of companies and implemented in 50%. · Launching the IDEA tool in all GA companies that have SAP throughout 2010 (already launched in 38% of centres). · Strengthening in the implementation of a systematic Problems Solution (management and analysis) in the areas of Project Development. · Implementing Lean tools in Projects Development. · Working Group: “Standardization of factories organization.” News Grupo Antolin 24 · Spring - Summer 2010 It is responsible for the development of testing and validation tasks for innovation activities and projects, advanced engineering and product development. In addition it also fulfils the following functions: · Technical information Management in terms of tests, supporting knowledge consolidation and its mainstreaming within the company. · Dialogue with the client in the test domains, especially in everything related to new disciplines. · Development of new capabilities and optimization strategies in terms of resources and media. Quality and Development of Suppliers Its function is to assure the Quality of suppliers’ components as well as support suppliers which need a special assistance to meet Grupo Antolin Quality standards. STAs support suppliers as well as our internal clients: Purchasing, project teams and Quality in plants. Corporate Purchasing & Logistics Following the various stages that the components made by suppliers go through, we can describe the role of STAs in the following way: 1. New suppliers: the STA function supports Purchasing Departments through conduction of Systems Audits for potential suppliers which follow-up is realized by STA. 2. New nominations: STA assists in pre-decision meetings, evaluating the suitability of potential suppliers. 3. Projects under development: this phase focuses on the primary function of STAs, since the nomination of a supplier to the validation of the component. 4. Products in series: support for Quality departments in plants. 5. Suppliers under development: STAs carry out development work of suppliers that require more intensive monitoring in order to achieve the Quality level demanded by our sector. Management Processes and Systems Purchasing With the organizational change, the Suppliers Management Department was divided in 4 areas corresponding to each Business Unit and the Corporate Industrial Office. In terms of Corporate Industrial Office, it does not only take care of the management of some production materials purchasing, investments and services required by our plants, it is responsible for exploration of low-cost markets to identify companies that may be part of the Grupo Antolin panel of suppliers. We are looking not only for suppliers in those countries where we have purchasing offices (China, India and Korea) but the search is extended to other countries that may be interesting (Russia, Morocco, Tunisia, etc.). From the Control and Systems area we give support to all purchasing areas in relation to the Systems related to themselves, we coordinate activities focused on the improvement of computer applications or on the implementation of new tools, and we provide monthly different reports with indicators related with our activity. It is also a newly created area. Its biggest challenge: help to improve the efficiency of the Group, through the systematic management of BUSINESS PROCESSES, which need to be shaped-standardized, integrated, automated, monitored and optimized continuously. Logistics The automation of processes reduces errors, ensuring that they always behave the same way and permitting the visualisation of its status. The information obtained from the daily processes performance is the instrument to identify inefficiencies. To support this management we need to count on: · Consolidation of knowledge / experience available in plants and its transmission to the rest of plants / organization. · A UNIQUE Management Model of Grupo Antolin based on Processes. · Reliable information to support the decision making. Its principal objectives for 2010: Working in a cross-section, what is being defined are processes standards, information needs and interconnections of the different organizational areas, designing informatics solutions to meet these needs. Also, they are redesigning the management indicators needed to make the processes information more readable. As a complementary activity, it coordinates the Client Guarantees management, acting as a Client-Plant interface. The mission of the department is to contribute added value to this function. For this reason following activities are conducted: · Support for plants: logistic management of suppliers, material entrance management, etc. · Standardisation: of logistics processes, packaging, application of MMOG norm, etc. · Actual picture of logistic network in Grupo Antolin and its optimization through global agreements. · Consolidation of databases related to the Logistics of our clients. · Participation in improvement proposals to achieve economic savings. To realize these activities it is fundamental to maintain a close contact with other areas of the company. For this reason different work teams coordinated by Corporate Logistics were created which results will be distributed throughout the Organization. w News Grupo Antolin Spring - Summer 2010 · 25 Occupational Health and Safety at Grupo Antolin occup. health & safety “ The Health and Safety has been referred to Grupo Antolin from its origins and in the development ” and industrialization of all its projects News Grupo Antolin 26 · Spring - Summer 2010 From this number the Health section included in this Newsletter changes its name for Occupational Health and Safety. The purpose of this change is to include in this chapter all information related to Health and Safety at Grupo Antolin and this way to contribute spreading the culture of risk prevention applicable in all areas of our lives We can define Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) as conditions that affect or could affect health and safety of the employees themselves, of other workers or any other person in the workplace. It can be said therefore that the purpose of OH&S is to control these conditions in a way to minimize risks of accidents at work and / or professional diseases. Current situation OH&S at Grupo Antolin The Health and Safety has been referred to Grupo Antolin from its origins and in the development and industrialization of all its projects. However, the OH&S area at the corporate level was created in early 2003 within the Human Resources Department. Since its introduction, the aim has been to control accidents through a systematic, rigorous and effective management. Therefore, the first step was to develop OH&S management system based on the OHSAS 18001 standard. At Grupo Antolin we are convinced that a healthy company is a company with greater guarantees for the future. For this reason, and now more than ever, we want to continue betting on the implementation of OH&S Policy in our companies all over the world. Thereby in 2009 the main achievements were: ·Breakthrough in the implementation of OH&S Management System worldwide. ·14% reduction in the frequency of accidents at work and professional diseases with a sick leave. The system, that shares high number of procedures with Quality and Environment management systems, describes how to perform the following activities: -Labour risks evaluation. -Preventive and / or corrective actions planning. -Legal requirements identification. -Defining resources, functions, responsibility and authority. -Training and education. -Control of machines, equipment, raw materials and contracts. -How to react in case of emergency. -Investigation of accidents. The development of the activity has been progressive since its beginning and the most important milestones have been as follows: February 2003 Approbation of the first Corporate OH&S Policy by the CEO. December 2003 Launch of OH&S Management System. December 2004 First Audit of OH&S Management System. 2005-2008 Realization of 46 Internal Audits. 2008 OHSAS 18001 certification of Grupo Antolin-Turnov. 2009 OHSAS 18001 certification of Grupo Antolin-Kent/ Leamington. Objectives 2010 For 2010 the first objective is to achieve greater integration of OH&S within the organization and, therefore, further reduction of accidents in our companies. The keys to achieve this objective are: ·Support and encouragement from the Management. The leadership of the Management of each company is essential to improve the safety conditions in all plants. Because of this we will promote greater participation of the Management in the monitoring of the preventive activity. -Involvement and participation of all employees. Instant fulfilment of internal standards, collaboration in the identification of risks and proposal of preventive measures are basic aspects to achieve a real integration of OH&S in the Organization. -Reinforcement of the awareness and training. Convincement and staff participation are easier to achieve through a solid training about labour risks, its preventive measures and functions as well as responsibilities of each position. From the Corporate area of Occupational Health and Safety we remind you that its objectives are objectives of all Grupo Antolin and, therefore, we encourage you to keep on working together with the convincement that “Safety is our business as well”. w News Grupo Antolin Spring - Summer 2010 · 27 Design and Innovation for the Low Cost designing the future Department of Industrial Design Grupo Antolin-Ingenieria Grupo Antolin wants to give innovative, real and feasible answers to the current tendencies on the market, like the challenge of electric vehicles, sustainability, differentiation and personalization, and of course the Low Cost tendency, of which overall philosophy we have discussed in other publications of this newsletter The Low Cost vehicle, realized by the Design Department, has an innovative manual window regulator that provides simplicity and functionality News Grupo Antolin 28 · Spring - Summer 2010 “ What is needed are cars that are more economic ” but at the same time lighter, more sustainable, and of course more attractive Following this important strategy, the team of Industrial Design has worked during the 2009 on an entire car that aims to bring forward certain innovation lines which respond to the “Low Cost philosophy” from the different horizons. It is necessary to create a technological breakthrough which allows realization of quality products without big investments, reducing to the maximum the complexity and contributing a large burden of creativity to intelligently rethink the basic functions, gaining, this way, modern and attractive products further from industrial complexity. On the other side, the innovation of the materials is essential in this new adventure. What is needed are cars that are more economic but at the same time lighter, more sustainable, and of course more attractive… the new materials should respond to these existing requirements. Grupo Antolin is now working on having its own materials as well as the processes associated to them, which meet the automotive industry requirements and contribute to our products these fundamental values. The colour is another key element to create different sensations in the interior of a car. A game between colours and materials allows differentiating and personalizing of each interior dependent on the user profile to which it is addressed to. The result of this internal work is a small and city car which offers in its interior a space and functionality thanks to the idea of its elements and to the brightness generated through the usage of neutral and bright colours with touch of other which are more youth and happy. On the other hand, it stands out because of its simplicity, which is away from su- Interior of the Low Cost concept where new volumes for headliners, usage of sustainable materials and movable lighting spots are included perfluous elements, also because of the intelligence of its solutions (i.e. manual window regulators) and for the freshness of the ideas included. Some of these ideas respond as well to the sustainability values (i.e. usage of PP + natural fibres in the visible parts, trims based on regenerated materials as well as the foam elimination in headliner and seats…) This is an interior focuses on Low Cost, but at the same time, an interior which is modern, original and to a certain point daring. The aim is to attract the final user with innovative solutions, not necessary complex or expensive, but very creative and comprehensive. The challenge which we already work on is to convert these innovative ideas into industrial developments allowing products of Grupo Antolin to be highly competitive. w Exterior view of the Low Cost concept News Grupo Antolin Spring - Summer 2010 · 29 news in brief in brief Opening of Grupo Antolin-South Africa plant in Uitenhage New business in Brazil with Ford and General Motors On the 19th of November 2009 the new GA Uitenhage facility was officially opened by Riaan Goosen (General Manager of Grupo Antolin-South Africa), Dave Powels (Managing Director of Volkswagen South Africa), the Mayor of Port Elizabeth and other government officials. The town of Uitenhage is situated approximately 40 kilometres from our nearest city namely Port Elizabeth. The facility is located within the Nelson Mandela Bay Logistics Park, closest to the customer, Volkswagen of South Africa. This JIT facility is responsible for the supply of door trim panels, headliners and other plastic parts for the VW Polo local and export contract from South Africa. The plant headcount is currently 96 permanent employees of which 14 are staff members. These employees manage a 24 hour supply From left: David Powels (MD – VWSA), Nondumiso Maphazi (Mayor PE), Mcebisi Jonas (MEC –Economical Development & Environmental Affairs), Riaan Goosen (General Manager GA-South Africa), Pepe Silinga (CEO – Coega Development Corp.) to Volkswagen South Africa by means of a three shift pattern. In 2010 we will be supplying components for 102 000 Polo’s. These vehicles will be a combination of right hand drive, left hand drive and Cross Polo. Its manufacturing process consists of Injection moulding, assembly of all plastic parts as well as the assembly of Headliners. The plant is in the ramp up phase towards 471 vehicles per day in May of this year. “Considering what we have achieved and learned in a short period of time, we are truly very excited of what the future potential this plant may hold.” Jacques Coetzee (Plant Manager) w Exterior of GA- Uitenhage facility News Grupo Antolin 30 · Spring - Summer 2010 After one year of dealing with Ford, we have achieved the first project for a lorry with Ford Brazil that opens new business opportunities in this sector. To be more specific, the order consists of latches for the cabin of Ford Cargo H-534. The start of the production is dated on March 2011 with an annual volume of 39,000 units a year. Iramec is Grupo Antolin plant that will produce mentioned above latches. In the same way, Trimtec and Intertrim have gained some new projects for General Motors. We are talking about two different platforms to which they will supply headliners, door panels and hard trim pillars. For Trimtec, it means the beginning of activities with General Motors when talking about plastic parts, while Intertrim, thanks to these new projects, will significantly increase its sales. w Sale of Grupo Antolin-Transport to Saira Europe it currently has a workforce of 120 people and foresees a revenue of 20 mio euros in 2010, mainly divided between the manufacturers Bombardier, Alstom and SNCF. Last 14th of April took place the signing of the agreement to sell Grupo Antolin- Transport (France) to Gruppo Industriale Tosoni S.p.A, an Italian company specializing in interior rail and construction; operation which was conducted through its subsidiary Saira Europe SpA. The operation responds to the trend of concentration of providers’ network of the railway market and the desires of our customers to develop suppliers of complete interior; and allows Grupo Antolin focus on the products that strategically constitute the core of our activity. GA-Transport, hereinafter Saira Seats s.a.s., is dedicated to design, development and production of railway seats; We thank our colleagues of GA-Transport for their effort and we wish them all the luck in the future. w I Knowledge Transference Meeting Within the strategic line of Knowledge Management, there has been created a new initiative which objective is to share knowledge and experience of all professionals that create Grupo Antolin. This initiative aims to spread the internal knowledge to all the people. On the 26th of November took place the first Knowledge Transference Meeting dedicated to Ultrasonic Welding. It was prepared by our colleagues José Ramón del Campo and Raúl Santamaría, the experts in this topic. These meetings are supposed to be highly interactive, giving place for debates which allow deeper understanding of explained subjects. Ultrasonic Welding is a technology widely used for the assembly of plastic components of the car, due to advantages such as: Changan Ford Mazda Automobile awards Grupo Antolin in Shanghai · Being suitable for use in most plastic components. On the 8th of January, CFMA Nanjing (Changan Ford Mazda Automobile) awarded Grupo Antolin office in Shanghai with a prize for Annual Excellent Quality Supplier during the first gala organised for these awards. · Energy efficiency. In the photo taken during the ceremony we can see the General Director of Grupo Antolin office in China, Kevin Zhang (the second from the right) and the vice president of CFMA Nanjing, Teruyuki Ogino (the first from the left). This type of recognition from our clients is a further incentive to continue working on their satisfaction. w · Quickness > Reduced cycle time. · No joining substances (adhesives,…). Almost all door panels produced by Grupo Antolin are made with the usage of the Ultrasonic Welding technology in its post-processes while only few programmes use heat riveted technology. w News Grupo Antolin Spring - Summer 2010 · 31 Historical picture of our President, José Antolin, in the workshop of Salas street (Burgos) “Grupo Antolin” receives the Gold Medal for Merit in Work On the 5th of December 2009, the Spanish Cabinet Meeting granted 32 Gold Medals for Merit in Work, of which one of them was awarded to our President, José Antolin Toledano. This award has as an aim to reward and highlight the merit of a socially useful and exemplary behaviour in the performance of duties given by the practise of any work, profession or service. José Antolin would like to share this prestigious award with all who are a part of this company. w Virtual image of the plant Opening of a new plant in CHINA In November 2009 a new plant in China, Gongzhuling Antolin Huaxiang Auto Interior Trim, has had its inauguration. This plant, based in Jilin province (North China), is a joint venture among Grupo Antolin, Ningbo Huaxiang and private equity where the shares are divided adequately: · GA - 47%, · Ningbo - 47%, · Private equity - 6%. Main building News Grupo Antolin 32 · Spring - Summer 2010 With a total number of 238 employees, the plant is specialized in headliner manufacturing and provides products for the clients such as FAW-Volkswagen Automotive, FAW Car and FAW Jilin Automobile. Apart from headliner substrates it supplies absorber reinforcement roof, carpet protecting pad, door-boards pro- tecting pad and package frame. It is as well equipped in test chambers to be sure of the best quality of products supplied to its clients. Shortly, a key plant for the future growth of our company in China. w For a GOOD REASON Coinciding with Christmas time, the year 2009, thanks to the gifts donated by our suppliers, was closed with a charity auction organized by the Corporate Responsibility Department. During three days, 14, 15, 16 of De- cember, at the time of lunch break, the employees from the Headquarters of Grupo Antolin were betting for almost 80 items on auction, reaching 226 registered bids. This initiative, started in 2008, has met with a big acceptance during its two editions, as can be noticed through the participation rates as well as the amount of money gathered, and aims to be a beginning of the Christmas period. On this occasion the participants of the auction were the ones who decided what the money will be assigned for. Among the different options suggested, “For a Good Reason” auction result will be donated for a project of development cooperation for the earthquake victims in Haiti. w Grupo Antolin would like to congratulate all the people who contribute with their proposals to the continuous improvement in our products and services Quality, exceeding our clients’ expectations. Thank you all. w AWARDS FOR INDIVIDUAL IMPROVEMENT PROPOSALS 1st prize Santos Arribas San Juan Grupo Antolin-Eurotrim (Spain) Proposal: “Improvement of the headliner production process” 2nd prize José Antonio Pérez Carvajal Grupo Antolin-Ardasa (Spain) Proposal: “Improvement of the production operations for the seat backs in Magnesium” 3rd prize Alberto Tudanca Alvarez Grupo Antolin-Plasbur (Spain) Proposal: “Reduction of time when changing moulds” AWARDS FOR COLLECTIVE IMPROVEMENT PROPOSALS 1st prize 2nd prize 3rd prize Grupo Antolin-Ingenieria (Overhead BU) - Spain Group “Improvement in the headliner trim process”, made up of: - Javier Merino Rojo - Leader - Santos Tabliega García - Miguel Ángel Grande Collado - Luis Marcos González Martínez GAntolin-Lusitânia - Portugal Group “Detection of noise in the assembly processes “, made up of: - Luís Filipe Antunes (GA-Lusitânia) - Leader - Paula Ribeiro (G.A. Lusitânia) - Carla Sofia Lopes Vaz (GA-Lusitânia) - Marta Velasco Díez (GA-Ingenieria - Spain) - Ignacio Gil Santamaría (GA-Ingenieria - Spain) - Jorge Manuel González Pérez (GA-Ingenieria - Spain) - Carlos Ortega Pérez (GA-Dapsa - Spain) Intertrim - Brasil Group “Optimization of Barberan line “, made up of: - Edmar Luiz Adhamann - Leader - Luiz Carlos Kachel - José Edson Pereira Guimarães TOTAL QUALITY IMPLICATION AWARD João Augusto Cardial Paes Iramec (Brazil) News Grupo Antolin Spring - Summer 2010 · 33 Recognition Recognition Recognition Opening of a Literacy School in Tanger During the first quarter of 2010 a Literacy School for the employees of Grupo Antolin-Tanger (Morocco) was launched. For 6 months, 61 people, 25 women and 36 men, divided in three groups with different levels, will be attending to OFPPT (Office pour la Formation Professionnelle et la Promotion du Travail) facilities to receive French classes of reading and writing. Through corporative documents and every day texts, appropriate for each work position, the final aim would be to develop in all participants an ability to communicate orally and in writing that allows them to cope adequately within and outside of the company. Spanish Ambassador in China visits Burgos On 14th April, we received in the R&D&I Centre in Burgos the visit of the Ambassador of Spain in China, Carlos Blasco Villa, just after having a meeting with local authorities and companies with commercial and financial interests in China. Accompanied by Antonio M. Méndez Pozo (President of the Chamber of Burgos) and José María Vicente Domingo (General Secretary of the Chamber of Burgos), he had a walk all over the facility as our Vice-president, Ernesto Antolin Arribas, explained him the last technological advances and product innovations. w The launch of the school is included in the INNOVERSIA project, a project that includes different initiatives of social responsibility training. With this one there are four educative projects functioning at the moment in different communities where Grupo Antolin has its operations: Brazil, with a school to train Plastic Technicians addressed to relatives of employees, Portugal with its programme Telecurso to obtain basing training for workers, South Africa and Tanger, with the literacy training. w The Ambassador and our Vice-president during the visit to the Design Area News Grupo Antolin 34 · Spring - Summer 2010 Blood Donation Camp in Chennai On the 2nd of December 2009 Grupo Antolin plant in Chennai (India) in association with Lions Club Blood Bank organised a Blood Donation Camp on the occasion of a Disability Day. DONATE BLOOD, DONATE LIFE: II Blood Donation Campaign On the 17th of December in the building of Grupo Antolin Headquarters a second Blood Donation Campaign was realized. The company collaborated with the Hermandad de Donantes de Sangre (Blood Donates Brotherhood) in Burgos, which was in charge to prepare our facilities for bringing a success. Solidarity of 70 employees of Grupo Antolin has contributed to increase of our blood reserves, in the community where they established the donation record last year. of traffic accidents that, unfortunately, are happening on our roads. For that reason, the initiative takes place before the holiday time period, summer and Christmas, when the biggest number of travels is expected. It cannot be forgotten that, on the contrary what one may think, despite the therapeutic improvement every time more blood is needed in hospitals for very serious cases as accidents but as well for the area of surgery, transplantation, etc. Blood donation is a part of the activities developed by the area of Corporate Social Responsibility in the topic of Road Safety. As the active protagonists in the automotive industry we do not want to stay outside of the reality From here we would like to thank all who, with their blood, are altruistically giving life as well as Hermandad de Donantes de Sangre without which help we would not be able to launch this type of initiatives. w Did you know that... …apart from the Spanish, the most spoken languages* among our employees are Portuguese, Czech and English, following this order? Our employees participated in this camp voluntarily and wholeheartedly in the noblest of donations. 55 employees participated and 44 employees donated blood. The employees who donated blood were awarded certificates and donor cards. This is one more example of how Grupo Antolin and its employees´ are committed to social and public causes. w Sources: HR Department and magazine “Castilla y León Económica” …Grupo Antolin is in the fifth position of the 5,000 biggest companies in Castilla y Leon in 2009? *Mother language News Grupo Antolin Spring - Summer 2010 · 35 Chrysler spirit of survival The Chrysler we know from nowadays had gone through a long road of successes and failures, changes and merges. It has 85-year history during which it has put many exciting products into the market of automotive industry the history corner Marketing departament Grupo Antolin “ We chose a technology – one in which we have the most experience, and which is most accessible to ” the consumer, and that’s electricity Robert Nardelli, Former Chrysler CEO News Grupo Antolin 36 · Spring - Summer 2010 First car created by Walter P. Chrysler, a Detroit industrialist who was the founder of the Chrysler Group, was denied entry to the 1924 New York Auto Show. It was then when its owner parked his first Chrysler Six prototype in the lobby and started convincing to his technology and affordable price arriving to the event investors As the result of the actions in 1925 Walter Chrysler established a company called Chrysler Corporation. He bought the Maxwell Motor Corporation and used it as the foundation of the new one. In 1928 he started its expansion by purchasing the Dodge Bros. and opening two divisions – DeSoto and Plymouth. This was the year that Walter Chrysler has been named Time’s Man of the Year for his achievements. The 1934 was the year of Airflow. The car was the first full-size American production car to use streamlining as a basis for building a sleeker automobile, one less susceptible to air resistance. However, it was a financial failure. Even though it set new speed records people preferred Dodge and Plymouth brands, whose vehicles boasted more traditional designs and much lower prices. Thanks to these cars Chrysler was able to survive the lean years of the Depression. 1924, Walter P. Chrysler and the Chrysler Six concept car Through 1938- 1941 Chrysler Corporation shined as the world’s No. 2 automaker for 4 years, behind the General Motors but ahead the Ford. Meanwhile in 1940 the founder of the company, Walter Chrysler died. The same year the luxury-oriented Town and Country was presented to the world. From then on came times of World War II which forced the shut down of the auto production but opened opportunities to produce Sherman tanks and other military vehicles as well as aircraft engines. All these products kept Chrysler development ongoing. Airflow, launched ahead of its times Next product from Chrysler Corporation was “Hemi” V8 engine which made its debut in 1951. It was a significant improvement offering 180 horsepower. But they did not stop on that. In the 1955 Chrysler C-300 was launched with the engine so powerful that the car was banned from racing. With its 300 horsepower it became the most powerful car you could buy in these times in America. During these times the company introduced the whole range of new features to its cars including transistor radios, fuel injection and power steering. News Grupo Antolin Spring - Summer 2010 · 37 “ I feel sorry for the person who can’t get genuinely excited about his work. ” Not only will he never be satisfied, but he will never achieve anything worthwhile Walter P. Chrysler , Chrysler Corporation founder Canadian Chrysler plant in 1972 The new sparkle of hope came with the new chairman Lee Iacocca. He started managing Chrysler Corporation in 1978, after being fired by Ford, and helped in the company come back to the automotive market. Through an impressive public campaign the K-car platform and the new modern minivan were presented. Because of the fact that the company still did not recover from its big financial problems Lee Iacocca had to convince the government in Washington to invest the money into its new products. Just like the company founder Walter P. Chrysler more than five decades before, the new chairman convinced the Congress and the President Carter to rescue the company from bankruptcy. By the mid-‘80s the sales have improved dramatically and helped in the full repayment of the loans by 1983. The joint venture with Mitsubishi, called Diamond-Star Motors, was established in 1985 to help Chrysler in the small cars market. Only two years later, 1987, the company continued with its merges and acquired American Motors Corporation and took over the Jeep brand. The same year it has surprised the industry by purchasing Lamborghini - Italian sports car maker. Chrysler plant nowadays In 1960s Chrysler launched few new models including the Plymouth Valiant, Dodge Dart, Plymouth Barracuda and Dodge Charger. New technologies presented with these cars consisted of unibody construction and the replacement of generators with alternators for a car’s charging system. At the same time comes the decision to drop the De Soto nameplate and stop the production at this plant. Everything went well until the 1970s when the oil crisis has started and put a significant trace on the future of Chrysler. Changing consumer tastes and new government regulations increased the financial problems the company was struggling with. No one wanted a big Chrysler that was using lots of petrol which prices were tremendously high these days when having the Japanese imported cars with the greater fuel efficiency. Attempts of improving the situation with the costly overseas expansion were ineffective and only caused further loss. News Grupo Antolin 38 · Spring - Summer 2010 From the 1993 the changes began in the Chrysler Corporation when Lee Iacocca retired from his chairman function. In 1998 Daimler-Benz bought Chrysler for $36 billion and formed DaimlerChrysler AG. It was initially called a merge of equals but actually it was clear that Daimler purchased Chrysler and became the dominant partner. From the 2001 platforms and components begun to be shared to cut the costs. The first model produced from the DaimlerChrysler brand was Chrysler Crossfire. Unfortunately for Daimler this “marriage” was not as good as they all hoped for. Financially troubled Chrysler became a problem. At the times of growing environmental awareness and still rising gas prices the company based on highpowered SUVs and trucks did not have any chances to survive. These factors never let Chrysler stabilize financially and finally in 2007 Daimler sold it to a private equity group - Cerberus Capital Management for around $5 billion (14% of what they had paid for it 9 years earlier). The name has been changed to Chrysler LLC and new logo has been presented to the world. The latest plans for the Chrysler Group LLC are created having in mind the future of the automotive industry which Sergio Marchionne, CEO of Chrysler Group LLC and Fiat SpA is dramatically changing last years. Not to be left behind, Chrysler starts to focus on electric-driven vehicles showing new concepts as the Dodge ZEO, The Chrysler eco Voyager or The Jeep Renegade. It plans as well at least three hybrid vehicles which would be Chrysler Aspen hybrid, Dodge Durango Grupo Antolin is the supplier of the Door Trim Modules for the current Jeep Compass, this includes the door panel and window regulators among other components hybrid and Dodge Ram hybrid Jeep Renegade Dodge ZEO The 2008 was full of hopes that finally the company will be rescued from the ongoing loss. Unluckily, near a financial collapse Chrysler was forced to ask for another loan from the American government. President Bush announced a $13.4 billion rescue loan for the American automakers, including Chrysler that got $4 billion from this sum. Despite all problems talks with the Italian Fiat started. Through these tough times Chrysler was struggling with the same problems as always. However, Italian automaker continued to implement its strategic alliance. At the end, on the 30th of April 2009 Chrysler filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and announced alliance with Fiat. In June the old Chrysler, formally called Old Carco LLC started selling its assets and operations to the newly formed company – Chrysler Group LLC in which Italian producer – Fiat – has 20% and may increase it even to 51% if it meets financial and developmental goals. The Chrysler we see nowadays had gone through a long and bumpy road. However the brand survived all years of ups and downs, losses and successes. Let’s hope the ones who keep the company in their hands nowadays will remember the founder Walter P. Chrysler main aim of creating this business and with excitement keep creating new cars we would like to drive. w News Grupo Antolin Spring - Summer 2010 · 39