Review on the 4th edition of Sibiu Quality Days, 8 – 9 november 2013

Qualification as a factor of quality. Optimization
of products, processes and personnel

In Shanghai and Sibiu are the fastest growing plants of the German automotive supplier Marquardt. The Sibiu branch is also the largest plant for the automotive sector of the Group worldwide, informed Jürgen Schmidt, CEO of Marquardt Schaltsysteme SCS, at the opening of Sibiu Quality Days on 8 November 2013. Around 40 quality managers from the Romanian automotive industry joined the 4th edition of the only conference for quality management in Romania.

Marquardt in Sibiu is a prime example in terms of growth and quality orientation, Werner Seeger said. The organizer of the Sibiu Quality Days reminded of the strong growth of the company since its start in 2006 that was made possible mainly by the quality of the products. Whether Mercedes, VW and Audi – the products of Marquardt are used in the cars from renowned manufacturers.

For two decades, the family-run company recorded organic growth of more than 10 percent annually. “Most of the growth comes from the automotive industry, it accounts currently for about 80 percent of the increase”, Schmidt said. The positive sales trend is also reflected by the increasing number of employees. Currently, the company employs more than 1,400 people in the production, development and administration. These people produce, i.e. in the electronics department more than 65 million parts per month, which lead finally to some 2 million end products.

If you look at such quantities the issue of quality is particularly important. “It is clear that quality management is becoming increasingly important,” Seeger said. The German entrepreneur still sees backlog demand. “Unfortunately, more than 90 % of the participants the Sibiu Quality Days come from companies with foreign roots, in this year’s edition of the conference”, regrets Seeger.

The Sibiu Quality Days are the only conference for quality management in Romania. The conference is organized by Werner Seeger Quality Management Romania. Speakers at the 2013 edition were Zoltan Jánosy (T & T Quality Engineering ), Christian Curec Lucian Facas (Aeronamic Eastern Europe) and Bianca Buta (Marquardt switching systems SCS).

Workshops

Process management through proper application of statistical methods

Referent: Zoltan Janosy,
Administrator T&T Quality Engineering Romania, Tg. Secuiesc

Quality management is based in large part on the use of sophisticated statistical techniques such as SPC and Six Sigma. To ensure an adequate performance, quality managers must collect, use and evaluate statistical data in an effective way. Therefore, it is necessary to choose for each measurement the best suited method as well as to focus on important data and results that enable profound decisions for the management. In this workshop the participants will examine data collection with and without software support. We compare programs like Excel, Minitab, and Q-DAS. Furthermore, we will work on examples regarding online data collection and SPC online application. We develop a “data flow matrix” for statistical process analysis and will finally discuss the evaluation and improvement of processes with statistical methods, taking into account specific customer requirements.

Quality management methods – Let control plans help you!

Referent: Cristian Curec,
Quality Management Consultant, Timişoara

In quality management exists a wide range of control means, i.e. control plans. These plans allow documentation and the proper management of processes. They consists of, among other things, the measures implemented regarding quality, costs and defect prevention. As a result, control plans depict a suitable tool to improve quality management performance. In this seminar we get to know to different kinds of control plans and the linkage between statistical studies and control plans. We then deepen our knowledge in this regard by analyzing statistical studies proceeded on the basis of measurements according to control plans. In this context we also deal with the capability of processes, machines and the measuring instrumentary. The participants will examine the instability and lack of statistical normality of the data. Eventually, we will practice a concrete control plan, namely a Poka Yoke reaction plan resp. a 100% inspection.

Customer orientation – Granting tomorrow’s desires today

Referent: Lucian Facas,
Manager, Aeronamic EE, Sibiu

This workshop will investigate the reasons for the gap between targeted customer orientation that ist embedded in a company’s culture, and its actual delivery to the customer. We will learn, which measures and actions can be established to cover this lack. What’s the problem? In a competitive market like the one we face today organizations want and have to be customer-oriented. The most important in achieving this goal are the employees. The challenge is that only a few companies really manage to create a truly customer-oriented culture, where the customer is the boss. The idea that the employee has the greatest impact in building a customer-oriented culture becomes a key issue for those who want to create and maintain a competitive advantage.

Human resources and quality management – Effective management of recruitment, training and qualification

Referent: Bianca Buta,
Director Human Resources, Marquardt Schaltsysteme SCS, Sibiu

he performance in quality management is actually determined by the proper personnel selection and training. Given limited human resources availability on the labour market, human resources management plays a crucial role in the development of a sustainable quality management. In this workshop, participants will learn the key factors of an effective human resource management. With practical examples, they will analyze the core processes of recruiting, training and qualification in detail and apply them to real problems. The goal is that the participants learn how a company can build and secure its human resources in quality management.

Speakers

Werner Seeger is a mechanical engineer and has been working for about 25 years in the field of quality assurance/quality management. After holding management positions in this field in various industries, since 1994 he is working as a freelance consultant, coach, 3rd party auditor in the automotive industry and interim manager for quality management, enjoying international success. As managing director of Werner Seeger Quality Management he runs the organisation of „Sibiu Quality Days“.

Christian Curec is one of the most experienced Romanian managers in the Automotive industry working in this field for 14 years. In 2000 he occupied his first position as Quality Manager with Lipoplast SRL. Quickly he got responsable for the quality department of the company. During the last decade he dealt with a broad range of management systems, starting from the widespread-systems ISO 9001 or ISO/TS 16949 to more specific systems like CCC (China Quality Certification) and ARAI (India Quality Certification). Currently, Curec works as a quality management consultant.

Zoltan Janosy is an expert in the application of statistical methods. After initially working as a programmer in the 1990s, he has specialized since 2000 in the management of software development projects. In the meantime he acquired also a profound knowledge of statistical methods in quality management, which is needed i. e. for Statistical Process Management or Measurement Systems Analysis. He teaches these methods as a Bosch Qualified Trainer also other quality managers and auditors.

Lucian Facas is an expert in the management and improvement of production processes. Facas is currently operations manager of Aeronamic EE in Sibiu. In this position he is responsible for all business operations – and, implicitly, the quality of the corresponding processes. For his current position, Facas qualified as production manager of Hartmann Romania in Cisnadie, where he initially organized the relocation of production lines and afterwards contributed to the significant increase of production and financial outcomes, i.e. by the introduction of innovative technical solutions in the production process or several training programs for the staff.

Bianca Buta is an expert both in human resources management and quality management. As head of the Human Resources Department of Marquardt Schaltsysteme SCS she is responsible for the recruitment and development of currently some 1,300 employees. Together with the department heads they creates specific preparation and training programs, stabilizes and manages the respective budgets, and controls the results of these activities. Her skills are complemented by a depth knowledge of quality and environmental management systems. In addition, she has qualifications as internal auditor in the quality area.

Andreas Petschke is a certified B2B-specialist. Since 2011 he works as sales manager for the sycat IMS, mainly responsible for international direct sales and for sales partnerships outside of Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Before he joined the sycat IMS he worked as sales representative for different international operating companies of all lines of business. He made the experience, that there are numerous treasures in a company’s business processes – only hidden by unsuitable or unstructured management systems. He helps companies building up modern management system, by using database driven tools, that increases a company’s efficiency in adopting the market’s requirements.

Partner of the Sibiu Quality Days 2013

Marquardt Schaltsysteme SCS

Marquardt has been a successful, international and independent family enterprise for over 85 years. We are a leading manufacturer in the field of electro-mechanical and electronic switches and switching systems. Our products are used by many well-known automobile manufacturers and our systems are also found in household appliances and other industrial applications. In the field of power tool switches, we are the global market leader. The Marquardt Group operates in all the important markets all over the world and has offices at 12 locations with more than 6,000 employees in total – and everyone makes sure that ideas develop into marketable, cutting-edge technologies.

Learn more about Marquardt Schaltsysteme SCS…

Review on the 4th edition of Sibiu Quality Days, 8 – 9 november 2013