TE Connectivity, plant Wört/Dinkelsbühl, Germany

The Wört & Dinkelsbühl factory has more than 6,000 active article numbers (including so-called catalog goods) in its range. The company's primary objective is to ensure optimal customer satisfaction by meeting deadlines effectively, which poses a significant challenge considering the stage in the value chain and the market's high volatility.

The factory's key strengths have always revolved around their in-house tool development and toolmaking expertise, covering both stamping and injection molding tools. Additionally, they take pride in their on-site engineering capabilities for product development and the skilled workforce, which is partly a result of their commitment to extensive employee training.

In terms of Lean practices, the factory follows the Group-wide Business System known as TEOA (TE Operating Advantage). They apply this methodological framework as required to enhance the value streams. Within the internal peer group's TEOA assessment, the factory consistently holds a top position.

The Wört & Dinkelsbühl plant has taken on an absolute pioneering role within the TE Connectivity Group with regard to digitalisation. Being the first plant within the Automotive EMEA production locations, Wört & Dinkelsbühl integrated digitalisation into the TEOA department back in 2016. They laid the groundwork for digitalising production by implementing an MES (manufacturing execution system) early on. Many use cases were initiated and tested at the plant before being expanded across the entire group. Some noteworthy examples include "Data Driven Stamping," the "Real Time Camera Dashboard of Pin Positions," the "Tool Tracker for Injection Moulding Tools," and the "dPIM" (Digital Shop Floor Management) in the electroplating shop.

The jury is pleased to award the Wört & Dinkelsbühl plant with the Special Award "Data Driven Manufacturing." Under the leadership of Lukas Hlava, the management team effectively leverages data along the value streams to make informed decisions, leading to continuous improvements in quality, process time, and costs.