02: Strategy and Business Development for a High-Tech Group in the Photonics/Optics Industry
in the role of "Head of Business Unit"
High-Tech Group in the Photonics/Optics Industry
The “Light & Optics” Division is the OEM business of the integrated Photonics Group, which consists of 4 divisions: Light & Optics, Light & Production, Light & Safety, and Defense Business. The company employs approximately 4,000 people worldwide.
Head of Business Unit Industry
Responsible for Sales, Product Development, CAD Design, Project Management, Operations, and Quality Assurance for
- high-precision polymer optics for various sensor applications
- mechanical and opto-mechanical modules (lenses) for ADAS cameras
- complete assemblies for LiDAR sensors (ADAS/automated driving)
- VR HMD glasses for consumer electronics applications
- opto-electronic sensors for industrial and healthcare applications
- IR LED emitters, among others, for LiDAR sensors
- LED industrial lamps
- Operations with polymer injection molding production, automation concepts for separation, assembly and coating processes, assembly of opto-mechanical modules, toolmaking and ultra-precision technology, CAD/CAM tool design, tool maintenance, electronics manufacturing with wafer processing, chip bonding and chip packaging, manufacturing test concepts, partly also “built-to-print” process.
- Leadership of approx. 240 employees with a reporting line to the EVP of the Healthcare & Industry Division.
Initial Situation & Tasks:
- Unsatisfactory earnings situation had to be improved.
- Key projects with automotive, healthcare, and industrial customers facing cost, schedule, and quality issues had to be stabilized, profitability increased, and series production launches secured.
Activities / Measures:
- Definition and implementation of a transformation strategy.
- Increased efficiency and effectiveness of the existing Product Development Process (PEP/PDP) and project management through regular project status meetings and implemented standardized reports.
- Value Stream Analysis/Design (VSA/VSD) conducted for polymer injection molding production to increase manufacturing efficiency and automation level.
- Introduction of Lean methods and consistent shopfloor management.
- Restructured quality and toolmaking organization.
Special Achievements/Results:
- Significantly expanded automotive business with existing and new Tier1 customers (~ +150% order intake with camera and LiDAR components for ADAS sensor systems).
- Acquisition of a new Automotive Tier1 Key Account with the development of automotive sensors (LiDAR for ADAS application and air particle sensors).
- EBITDA increase from 8% to 12% in 1 year.
- Double-digit revenue growth.
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