From the Giant Cleanroom to Space

Telecommunications, navigation, environmental management and research – these days, it’s scarcely possible to imagine them working without data from space. Thales Alenia Space supplies satellites and other equipment for these endeavors. “Landing on Mars with equipment that can look for life, or delivering pressurized modules to the International Space Station orbiting the Earth – these are not tasks that just any company can perform,” says Mark Manley, who is responsible for quality at the Franco-Italian company. Customer expectations in terms of the speed and performance of cutting-edge technology are rising. 

Porsche Consulting was commissioned to initiate a company-wide transformation process. The central method is called Q6 and ensures discipline, precision and structured work through a rhythm. The consultants supported the implementation at the French location in Cannes. Here, sensitive systems and components are installed in one of the largest cleanrooms in Europe. “A great deal of the work is extremely complex. That’s one of the reasons we have such a highly skilled workforce,” says Mark Manley. With the assistance of Porsche Consulting, the expertise of the specialists is now put to even better use in an efficient, quality-focused mode of working. 

A key part of the campaign was getting everyone on board. Before the launch, Manley and his team visited each site to talk to everyone involved. The results are a manifestation of the broad acceptance: Key measures are implemented faster, meetings are shorter and more efficient, planning is better adhered to, there are fewer production interruptions, and problems are resolved more efficiently. “Our customers will notice the difference,” says Manley. Of the Porsche consultants, he says this: “They stand out not only for their in-depth knowledge, but also the way in which they approach the workforce. This helped speed up implementation of the campaign.”