The Construction Industry's Digital Transformation Story | Maxion Wheels Did It
About the Company
Maxion Wheels is one of the world’s leading brands in the production of steel and aluminum wheels for passenger cars, commercial vehicles, and specialty vehicles. With over 100 years of experience serving the global automotive industry, the company operates in Turkey under the Maxion İnci Wheel Group umbrella in partnership with İnci Holding. Maxion Wheels, which carries out high-capacity production at its state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Manisa, embraces operational excellence as a key part of its corporate culture. Focusing on quality, efficiency, flexibility, and sustainable growth, the company has made its production processes more transparent and manageable through its digital transformation journey with ProManage.
Emine Uslu
Reasons for the Need
Maxion Wheels’ primary goal in taking steps toward digital transformation in production was to make on-site processes more visible, measurable, and manageable. In the highly competitive automotive industry, the company needed accurate and reliable data to increase efficiency, reduce costs, and respond more quickly to changing customer demands.
- Data-Driven Decision-Making: By determining project priorities based on transparent data rather than personal opinions, the goal was to unite the entire team—from shop-floor workers to senior management—around common objectives.
- Preventing the Misleading Nature of Manual Tracking: Instead of relying on manually recorded data from the production floor—which has a high margin of error—the goal was to identify the true causes of losses using systems that accurately measure, in particular, product changeover (setup) times.
- Increasing Operational Efficiency (OEE): The goal was to raise efficiency rates—which were initially around 50%—to higher levels through the multiplier effect provided by digital data and to maximize production capacity.
- Flexibility and Customer Focus:The goal was to adapt to dynamic market demands and achieve a flexible factory structure capable of efficiently fulfilling even very small orders.
- Sustainable Improvement: To prevent problems that can only be solved through experience but may revert over time, the goal is to achieve lasting and verifiable results through digital control mechanisms.
- Cost Competitiveness: In response to the constant pressure to reduce costs in the automotive supply industry, one of the main goals has been to identify waste using data and implement regular cost improvements each year.
Motivation for Choosing and Important Details
The primary reason Maxion Wheels chose ProManage for its digital transformation journey was not only because it is a leader in its field, but also because of its operational ease and rapid integration capabilities.
- Data Reliability: The fact that data collected through manual methods does not always accurately reflect actual losses has highlighted the need for a digital and reliable data collection system.
- Joint Priority Setting: Defining project priorities based on transparent data rather than personal opinions has ensured that all teams—from the shop floor to upper management—are aligned toward the same goal.
- OEE and Downtime Tracking: It was anticipated that a digital solution would make a significant contribution to accurately measuring production efficiency and providing real-time tracking of micro-downtimes and setup times.
- Industry Research and Benchmarks: During the decision-making process, data collection systems used by companies implementing Six Sigma and lean manufacturing were analyzed to identify the most suitable solution.
- Sustainable Improvement: A system that enables regular monitoring was selected to ensure that resolved issues do not recur over time and that improvements become permanent.
- Operational Alignment:ProManage’s ability to address on-site needs, align with production processes, and offer an easy-to-use structure played a significant role in the selection process.
Personal Experiences
Maxion Wheels’ experiences during its digital transformation process and the key highlights of its transformation journey are as follows:
- The Importance of Leadership Support: Top management’s belief in the transformation and close monitoring of the process ensured that digitalization efforts were embraced within the organization.
- Natural Resistance to Change: In the early stages of the transformation, teams exhibited resistance and a tendency to cling to old habits; this resistance was gradually reduced by launching the process with volunteer teams.
- Involving Field Teams in the Process: By involving operators, engineers, and managers in the process, we ensured that real needs were properly understood and that the solution resonated on the ground.
- Building Trust Through Pilot Projects: The digital transformation process was made more visible and reliable for both management and field teams through measurable results achieved in selected pilot areas.
- Sustainable Monitoring Discipline: Digital monitoring, regular checks, and close management support emerged as critical requirements to prevent resolved problems from recurring over time.
- Alignment of Culture and Technology: It has been recognized that digital transformation is not merely a technology investment but a transformation that must be supported by strong leadership and organizational culture.
- Contribution to the Employee Experience: Successful digital transformation initiatives have not only provided financial benefits but have also streamlined operational processes, thereby reducing employees’ workload and stress.
What Has ProManage Brought?
ProManage has delivered multifaceted benefits to Maxion Wheels:
- Increased OEE and Productivity: Through digital monitoring and continuous improvement efforts, OEE rates on serial production lines—which were initially around 50%—have been raised to 70–75%.
- Improvements in Setup Times: By analyzing product changeover processes using digital data, average setup times—which were around 180 minutes—have been reduced to as low as 30 minutes.
- Transparent and Data-Driven Management: Thanks to reliable data from the shop floor, all teams—from operators to upper management—have been aligned around the same priorities.
- Sustainable Cost Reduction: By making waste and loss points visible, the systematic management of regular cost improvement targets has been supported.
- Flexible Production Capability: Reduced product changeover times and greater visibility into production processes have created an agile structure capable of responding more quickly to small-batch orders.
- Employee Motivation and Reduced Workload: The reduction in unplanned downtime and uncertainty has alleviated stress on field teams, making work processes more manageable.
- Faster Project and Decision-Making Processes: Access to accurate and reliable data has enabled faster identification of problem areas in Kaizen and Six Sigma projects and more effective implementation of corrective actions.
- Quality and Scrap Reduction: Digital tracking of production processes has contributed to reducing quality-related costs and scrap rates.
- Sustainable Improvement Culture: The visibility provided by ProManage has supported the transformation of improvement efforts from one-time solutions into a continuously monitored structure.
Discover Digital Solutions
Tailored to Your Industry
Discover how ProManage can help you improve specific areas in your industry, increase your efficiency, and bring tangible benefits to your business. Fill out the form, and we’ll get in touch with you right away.
