FORCE Program
force program
The Timeless FORCE Program
How satisfied is Board Member Dr. Michael Oeljeklaus with the toolkit to prepare the Production and Logistics department for the future?
Our goal:
Through efficiency and flexibility towards globalisation
Our path:
Simply Clever solutions
Our motivation:
Changing mindsets to secure the future
Two years after the first presentation of the FORCE Program, it is time to evaluate it. Has it met your expectations?
We started working on it back in 2018 by developing the contents of the initiatives with ambitious goals. Forming the working teams and clarifying the owners played a vital role in this respect. Today, we can proudly say that the FORCE Program is our toolkit to boldly tackle the challenges of tomorrow and lead Production and Logistics into the future. The past two years have shown us that we can deal with the topics in a structured and process-oriented way and implement them successfully. We were able to prove this by facing the challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic presented. One success factor throughout this situation has been “securing the future by thinking afresh”.
What was 2020 like, and how successful was the FORCE Program?
The past year has been particularly challenging for us, but not just because of the COVID-19 pandemic. We launched the ENYAQ iV, our first all-electric vehicle based on the MEB platform. With this model, the company has taken a tremendous leap towards eMobility. The relevant targets were also anchored in the FORCE Program, and the progress was regularly reviewed at our meetings. The FORCE Program has proved to be a timeless initiative. Unlike many other long-term plans or strategies (e.g. those of some external companies), it doesn’t need to be changed or adapted. In the end, the numbers speak for themselves. Thanks to the outstanding commitment of our ŠKODA team, we are one of the few automotive brands that have managed to remain in the black in 2020. In the ŠKODA AUTO, the FORCE Program contributed more than EUR 37 million (almost CZK 1 billion) to this positive result.
My sincere
thanks go to
the entire ŠKODA
team. With your
active support,
we are in the
best position to
tackle 2021 and
the years ahead.
Dr. Michael Oeljeklaus
Board Member for Production and Logistics
To what extent have you managed to achieve the goals of the FORCE Program despite the production shutdown in the spring and other restraints?
In my entire business career, I have never experienced anything like what happened last March. From day one, we were working on the conditions under which production could restart. Calling the project “Day X”, we addressed the issue daily, developing hygiene and organisational measures in frequent and trusting cooperation with the KOVO Trade Union. I would like to express my sincere thanks to everyone involved. In this way, we were prepared and could not only restart production in an orderly manner but also contain the spread of the pandemic. I’m very proud of the enthusiasm and high motivation of my team throughout this period. This systematic and methodical approach is a cornerstone of our FORCE Program for dealing with critical situations. In addition, we tried to help our colleagues at the plants abroad as much as possible. We also provided protective equipment for hospital staff and police officers at the Pune and Aurangabad sites in India and organised a fundraising campaign for children’s homes.
Regarding India, are some of FORCE Program tools different because of conditions in the region?
Our colleagues in India have understood and already adopted both the content and the added value of the FORCE Program. The Pune and Aurangabad plants are continually working on developing it further and reporting on their successes in regular Skype video conferences. The basic structure of the eight initiatives is the same. But naturally, the specific tasks are adapted to the local conditions. For example, due to the climate, the decision was made to install solar panels on the roofs of the production facilities. In addition to cost-effectiveness, the energy generated also makes a significant contribution to environmental protection. The project was launched in 2019 and is constantly being expanded to cover more areas.
The VW Group has now entrusted ŠKODA AUTO with responsibility for the Russian region. What does implementing the FORCE Program mean for the local conditions?
Assuming responsibility for production in Russia is one of our major challenges for the coming year. First, the FORCE Program must be presented to the colleagues, and our results have to be shown. This will help them appreciate that it is not just a new administrative task but a useful tool; it supports the implementation and achievement of crucial goals. Next, the procedure will be identical to the one here or in India. In collaboration with local colleagues, we are discussing and making decisions regarding the key issues that will be tackled. The local conditions need to be considered, and regional challenges have to be addressed. ED
Topics for 2021
While some goals have to be considered over the long term, such as reducing production costs or reducing the environmental impact, others are evaluated annually to see whether they are relevant for the next period.
Cybersecurity
The Production and Logistics department is facing significant challenges this year. In addition to assuming responsibility for Russia, we are also entrusted with establishing an entirely new commissioning process for the electronics architecture. “The focus here is on our customers, providing them with a vehicle that is both bug-free and protected against hacking. Cybersecurity is an increasingly important factor in automotive production and will fundamentally change part of our assembly process”, explains Dr. Oeljeklaus.
Efficient production
ŠKODA AUTO has to manage production even more efficiently in the future because vehicle production often has to be rescheduled due to the volatile supply of parts and the current shortage of staff.