Agile Electric

Automaker a large multinational auto component manufacturer headquartered in North America with plants worldwide. It supplied complete systems to many car manufacturers globally. This particular project was the first time that it had supplied components to MOM. Automaker was looking forward for more business form MOM if this was successful. Due to increasing cost In the United States, Automaker was on a lookout for global low-cost source. During Its search It came across Agile In India and sent Its technical team to assess this potential supplier. The team was satisfied with the facility and approved It as Its supplier of motors to Automaker. As Eagles quality and delivery performance was good. In 2002 Automaker awarded a business for a new product which was not In Eagle’s existing product portfolio. A team was deputed to work with Agile to setup the manufacturing line to produce the product as per Automates requirement. The launch was successful and Agile continued to deliver Zero defects or delivery defaults. Based on previous track record Agile was selected to supply new actuator assembly and they had no experience in this.

As done earlier, Automaker is not deputing any engineers to work with Agile. They accept to process the in house parts. For critical components Agile approach Automaker for support as they no idea on the parts. Agile recommends ESP. who was also an existing supplier to them. The Automaker team audited ESP. and gave a go-ahead to ESP. with some gaps to be addressed. ESP. recommended BILL for supplying of PC. Automaker agreed as BILL was an ISO 9000 certified company. After auditing the recommended some gaps and gave a go-ahead for development.  There were a failure reported by the Ford which seemed to originate from the actuator assembly supplied by Agile. Automaker asked Agile to investigate the problem and report on root cause of the problem. In 2009 Automaker deputes its Process expert to work on the problem. After series of experiments and trials which located the problem as originating from the board shearing operations at Agile. This problem was not being detected at the final testing as there was no test that checked for shearing force. List of Key protagonists and their role.

Surest Kumar, vice -president of Operations Agile Raja Reedy, Chief Executive Officer, Tom Smith, Supplier Quality Manager John Arthur, Purchasing Manager James Roach, SMS process Expert Possible alternatives Automaker should have maintained supplier scorecard to monitor the quality, telling and delivery of Its suppliers. Proper training need to be Imparted before awarding any new project which has no expertise. Work need to be supervised on a regular basis. If any gaps is found in the process need to make sure that it is corrected before asking a go-ahead. This was successful. Due to increasing cost in the United States, Automaker was on a lookout for global low-cost source. During its search it came across Agile in India and sent its technical team to assess this potential supplier. The team was satisfied with the facility and approved it as its supplier of motors to Automaker. As Eagle’s quality product which was not in Eagle’s existing product portfolio.