The time
for change
is now!
The invention of the automobile is a symbol of progress. It has fundamentally changed the way people travel and where they go and the speed with which things are transported, to name just two examples. Quite a few advantages that people would not want to miss, not then and certainly not now. And yet Henry Ford, the inventor of modern automobile production, was firmly convinced that if he had asked people what they wanted, they would have said: “We want faster horses.” Fortunately for all of us, Henry Ford was not impressed by this, but instead came up with his radical idea of a motorized vehicle.
This story shows us two things: First, that that you have to remain open to new things. And secondly, only real change moves us forward, but you have to have the courage to do it.
Of course, the analogy to the invention of the car was not chosen at random, because the automotive industry is currently facing probably the greatest challenge it has ever faced. Mobility forms and drive types are changing, but political and social influences are also intensifying. Climate crisies, scarcity of raw materials, energy prices – all of these are having an impact on vehicle manufacturers and, of course, on us. This means we have to adapt, be flexible and adjust to continuous change.
“The new RBU Asia will enable the region to expand business more autonomously. RBU Asia regional sources and competencies will also contribute to the Group Strategy, e.g. TEC for product development, SCM for sourcing. “
Dongliang Jiang, CEO Asia
“Autonomous decision-making can only be successful through alignment of the global vision. With the vision aligned, focusing on developing each region’s competencies with support from the group will better serve the customer and position the entire KAMAX Group for growth.”
Mark Hilfinger, CEO Americas
More responsibility on site
In 2019, we began to introduce the first real changes at the organizational level, and we are now working to refine them. To this end, in July we took further steps to equip our company for the challenges we are currently facing and those that lie ahead. In addition to things that affect us all equally as a global corporation, the three KAMAX regions of Europe, Asia and America are all facing a different set of challenges. In order to better address these challenges, we have increased the level of responsibility of the individual regions. This means that departments such as Sales or Supply Chain no longer have a global VP, but instead control lies exclusively in the hands of the regionally responsible individuals.
Currently building the new department New Markets: Richard Drummond
Another logical consequence of our dependence on the automotive industry and the associated risks is to increase our range of customers. This is a necessary in order to ensure the growth and stability of the KAMAX Group. And this is exactly the task of our newly created New Markets department. Richard Drummond’s team is currently looking after new customer strategy and acquisition in sectors for which we have not previously been active (e.g. construction, leisure and energy). We are already successful in the street chisel market, but we could also develop and produce hanger bolts for photovoltaic systems in the future. It is important to us that we can contribute our technical expertise and thus bring tangible benefits to customers in these segments. To ensure the success of New Markets, the team is working at the interface with our production sites and the “Business Innovation Center”, which has also been newly created.
The person globally responsible for the Business Innovation Center (BIC): Dr. Stefan Wallmeier
Changes to departmental structures
The Business Innovation Center is the second department that was newly created and serves as the heart of all our engineering expertise. The international team is responsible for corporate development with a focus on markets, products, processes and production. This includes, among other things, the coordination of new company acquisitions and startup activities as well as the Business Development department and the Innovation Hub. On top of that, Tooling and Equipment Development will become part of the Business Innovation Center working on the development of new processes, which in turn will be needed to develop new customers. In terms of ESG (see box below), the team has begun work to reduce our carbon footprint. The BIC will therefore also take care of issues related to the environment. Legal & Compliance, on the other hand, will continue to be responsible for matters related to social engagement and corporate governance.
Henry Ford changed mobility not only with the automobile, but also with the way he produced it. To become more efficient and flexible as an organization, everyone needs to do their part. Even if the changes largely concern our global organizational structure, this change will help to bring about a significant improvement in production. It is at the very heart of KAMAX, and its condition is crucial to our success. It is therefore all the more important that we create good conditions to support production and work together – in the regions and globally.
Everything we have tackled in recent years and will tackle in the future is intended to make us better together and move us forward. That’s how we are well prepared for the future and that’s how we make our way back to the top. You can be a part of it all!
KXpress
