Manufacturing Director at Technicolor
When WBS Group were recommended to us we were still defining our requirements and writing the brief. WBS worked with us to establish our objectives and clarify in our minds what was necessary to meet our overall objectives of consolidation across Europe and a reduction in labour costs.
It was a huge challenge for Technicolor and WBS Group. At the time we had several facilities in Europe but with escalating labour costs and a reduction in business, we had too many facilities to operate profitably. WBS Group helped us to establish that was definitely the case, and made recommendations for consolidation. They also managed project teams to handle the relocation of our Netherlands factory into the UK and Italian facilities. This involved the closing of one site, the relocation and transfer of activities to another and the expansion and redesign of operations to cope with the additional work. WBS helped us to expand our warehousing space in London and introduced solutions to maximise space with new racking and mechanical handling equipment.
To reduce costs across Europe, WBS analysed labour and material costs and advised management on our approach to handle the negotiations and reduce costs. Our clients demand a high level of service – 3-4 day turnaround from our factory to distribution outlet for a very wide range of products. WBS Group actually got involved with our clients the Hollywood Studios and provided reassurance that the transfer would be managed so as not to impact their business.
The difficulty was to maintain that level of service whilst at the same time transferring the production facilities with all the ensuing complications of language, transfer of knowledge, infrastructure, stock, materials etc.
Technicolor were delighted with the outcome which was the successful transfer of customers from our Dutch facility to London and Italy without any disruption to supply – we achieved it to the timescale planned. As far as the clients were concerned, it was seamless.
With global contracts for the business in jeopardy, there was a lot riding on WBS and Technicolor working together to get this right.
I’ve used consultants before with mixed results. Some are happy to assess and produce glossy reports in a clinical and cold way. WBS aren’t like that, they prepared to integrate with the permanent members of the client to become part of the team. And they do so in a totally non-threatening way. Their willingness to support without dictating is very evident and in that way they get results.
“Technicolor were delighted with the outcome which was the successful
transfer of customers from our Dutch facility to London and Italy without
any disruption to supply – we achieved it to the timescale planned. As far
as the clients were concerned, it was seamless.”