Page 18 - Fedral Mogul News Collection

Bradford United News - Issue 3

Surfin’ Safari Planning Permission

Federal-Mogul Goes Live
On E-Commerce Site Bus Plan Review Focuses On Activities

HASE ONE OF THE REVIEW of the Key Goals Business Plan – whereby each key
HAT CAN THE INTERNET DO goal has been meticulously examined (and amended, deleted or added to where
for Federal-Mogul at Bradford? P necessary) to make sure we’re still concentrating on the major issues of the business
WThe answer is that it makes a – is now ready to be stress-tested by the general management team.
strong statement to our customers that Meanwhile, phase two, which was to come up with a more effective method of reviewing
we are continuously looking for ways progress, is working well. Each business plan review session – which is now scheduled to happen
of offering them the best service around. fortnightly – concentrates on an overall review of only two key goals. More important though is the
The IT geeks at Federal-Mogul have been activity focus which is now a central element of each review meeting.
working hard to provide the company with a The activity focus asks one or two team leaders to present the full findings from their
means of doing business on the internet. Of individual team’s problem review process. This means that the whole issue – from initial
course, that doesn’t just mean trading with problem identification to proposed solutions and any resultant extra resource requirement
customers for product, it also opens up a (such as training) – is given a thorough
whole range of transactions which are airing in front of the full board.
currently done over the fax or telephone or, So far, Richard Dixon has outlined his
even, snail mail! And, of course, it also opens team’s (Martin Wardle, Geoff Waterhouse,
those same routes for doing business with Glenn Smith and Mark Robinson) analysis of
our suppliers. their task - ‘to improve technical services’ under
Within the last few weeks, The F-M the general key means of improving the standard
internet system, which enables real-time of the current customer service package. The
transactions to be made, has gone live. The same key means is the driver behind the team
system is still experimental in the sense that, (Shirley Glenton, John Keighly and Tracey
as with any new route to market, problems Robinson) looking at ways of improving the
and improvements will unfold as the site is credit note process which team leader, Charles
used and its users begin to stretch its potential. Saer, presented. Finally, Tony Bellwood, the new
Once the system is fully operational, warehouse manager, has detailed the task his
it should be possible to receive an order team (Andy Branthwaite, Dot Blair, Lynsey
via the internet which is then passed Drummond and Alan Wilson) is tackling – the By John Roberts
straight to the warehouse for picking and elimination of picking and packing errors.
packing. Each of these activity focus reviews has Fork Lift Truck Awards
It’s by no means clear whether the shown that not only are the teams aware
hype surrounding internet trading will of the breadth of the immediate issues but Properly trained staff are fundamental to
actually result in the huge benefits that they are prepared to think big about maintaining a safe working environment,
claimed for it but, in this age of instant the potential solutions. especially where potentially dangerous
accessibility, it is important that Federal- In a very real sense, the review of the equipment is involved. Recent additions
Mogul is seen to be on the leading edge Key Goals Business Plan will never end to the growing list of approved drivers
and ready to offer whatever medium the because, in a dynamic marketplace where who have passed the test on
customer chooses to deal in. However, expectations are changing almost by the counterbalance and reach trucks, are
conventional order processing looks set minute, any plan which is standing still is, Stuart Lupton, Richard Birkby, Jackie
to remain the mainstay of the business in effect, going backwards. Joseph and Phil Baldwin.
for a long time to come and, if and when The new procedures put in place to Watch Your Step
that changes, there will be many review progress on the Key Goals Business It is the intention of the company to
opportunities to increase the role of sales Plan will help to ensure Federal-Mogul UK introduce the compulsory use of safety
development. ❖ is firmly focused on going forwards. ❖ footwear – to be paid for by the company
– to all employees in warehouse and
continued from page 1. assembly who handle product.
UK Wins European Accolades Being aware of a health and safety risk is
H & S Training
half the battle of ensuring that risk doesn’t
Bradford Supplier of the Decade turn into reality, especially in a factory-
type environment where machines and
ROUP AUTO UNION (GAU), the European equivalent of the UK’s FSG (Factoring moving trucks operate. Recently,
GServices Group), has voted for Federal-Mogul in three of its top supplier awards. warehouse and assembly employees
In addition to the GAU awards, the UK partner group, FSG, took the opportunity took part in interactive health and safety
of GAU’s 2000 Congress in Biarritz to announce that Federal-Mogul UK had been awareness sessions. Action plans –
voted its supplier of the decade. created as a result of real issues raised
As a major, pan-European buying group, the competition for the prestigious top during the sessions – with target
supplier awards is fierce. Every GAU supplier throughout Europe – France, Spain, completion dates are now posted on all
Italy, Poland, Netherlands, Turkey, Portugal, Austria, Denmark and all the UK suppliers W & A noticeboards. Any employee on
to FSG – is vying to prove its worth. holiday or off sick during the course of
Previously, the Group made one overall award, voted on by all member partners, the sessions will be contacted.
to a single supplier of the year – this was won by Champion in 1998 – but for the
new millennium the Group decided to change the format. From 2000, each member Cut Above The Rest
partner can bestow its own supplier of the year award, but the choice is still between Safety knives, scissors and wire snippers
all the suppliers of all the member countries. have been introduced into the warehouse.
2 individual partner awards. The UK, Poland and Italy each decided that the The ultimate goal is to eliminate the use
Federal-Mogul UK was the only supplier to achieve no less than three
of Stanley knives.
service from F-M UK was better than from anyone else. ❖