Rolls-Royce wins category in “Factory of the Year” competition

• Power Systems division receives GEO Award for production strategy in its Friedrichshafen plants
• Jury impressed by performance along entire value chain

The Friedrichshafen plants of the Rolls-Royce Power Systems division have won an award in the GEO (Global Excellence in Operations) category of the prestigious ‘Factory of the Year’ competition. At its Friedrichshafen sites, Power Systems operates a highly effective production strategy for its mtu engines and systems that allows constant adaptation to changing framework conditions. Processes are improved on an ongoing basis to ensure that the company stays ahead of the competition.  

Marc Goldschmidt, Vice President Remanufacturing & Overhaul Technologies and leader of the application team at Rolls-Royce Power Systems says: "We’re incredibly proud to have picked up the GEO accolade the very first time we entered this competition. It gives our people across production the credit they deserve for their excellent work and dedication and confirms that our processes and results compare very well with those of other companies."  

The operations strategy covers different areas and focuses on themes such as Make or Buy, digitalization for Factory of the Future,   continuous process improvement, efficiency enhancement, site development, purchasing, supply chains, new products, services and sustainability. Thanks to lean processes and short decision-making paths, changes can be responded to quickly and without complications. That makes the company optimally prepared for future challenges. The operations strategy itself is being constantly developed for implementation outside Friedrichshafen in the worldwide production network of Rolls-Royce Power Systems.  

Erik Manning, Executive Vice President Production & Procurement says: "With our operations strategy, we want to be able to react flexibly on different international markets. It enables us to work more and more productively, which motivates the entire team. So we’re truly delighted to have received the GEO accolade."  

"Factory of the Year" is one of the most prestigious industry competitions in Europe and has been organized by the management consultancy Kearney over the past 30 years. The winners are determined in two stages: Firstly, information and typical performance data along the entire value chain must be provided in questionnaires by the companies taking part. Those shortlisted are then visited by an experienced audit team. A jury of experts from industry and academia then selects the winners. All participants receive a feedback report and a confidential assessment of their market position.