Master Plan – the path to the vision
To optimize business operations within Saab Aerostructures, the business unit is following an action plan called Master Plan.
“Master Plan is a reorganization in which we adapt the organization to the demands of the future through various actions. That is our path to the vision”, says Pontus Kallén, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Saab Aerostructures.
Two-thirds of Saab Aerostructures’ business operations consist of production of the Gripen fighter aircraft. Saab is continuously adapting it's production capacity to actual orders. Currently production of Gripen a/c for the Swedish, South African and Hungarian customers is going on. The Swedish deliveries will be concluded in late 2007, but the South-African order gives production until 2012. This means Saab Aerostructures must adapt its operations
to a lower delivery schedule while meeting the requirements for already committed and potential export orders.
Part of the Master Plan is to build up a new, slimmer organization. In June, Saab gave notice regarding 350 blue-collar employees at the Saab Aerostructures, Saab Aerosystems, Saab Aircraft and Saab Support business units in Linköping. This, together with other actions, i.e individual solutions for white-collar employees will lead to a new organization, effective on 1 October 2005. Saab Aerostructures new organization will include 1,000 employees, a reduction of close to 500 employees when compared to the 1,500 currently employed.
“These actions are tough but necessary if we are to reach our goal and vision – to survive as a long-term, stable and reliable actor on the global market”, says Pontus Kallén.
The work concerning Master Plan involves a total review of all expenses and operations, including facilities, equipment and manning.
“The goal is to be more efficient and cost-conscious. Within production this includes co-locating of operations to reduce the size of our facilities and to increase resource flexibility. We are also concentrating on increasing the degree of automatization and improving our supply chain management”, explains Pontus Kallén.
The employees at Saab Aerostructures have been involved in Master Plan from the beginning. Through the project “Altered organizational behavior”, all employees have, together with management, discussed the organization’s goals, future prospects and risks; but also every employee’s values and the desire to take part in the changes.
“We have openly provided information about the organizational changes. It is important that everyone in the organization understand the reasons for the changes and that we all work towards a common goal”, says Pontus Kallén.
Back to CBN 4/2005