Honeywell invests in people and productivity
Gazeta Mercantil - 04/22/2008
Although the restrictions in the supply chain - mainly of the casting sector -, Honeywell, manufacturer of turbocompressors for trucks and buses admits it is possible to meet the large demand of the truck market. " We already invested US$ 2 million in 2006 to expand the capacity of the plant of Guarulhos (SP) and we are planning to invest the same amount in 2009", said Jose Rubens Vicari, general director for South America. "The greatest investment now will be in qualification of people and kaizen activities in order to have lean production and higher productivity, therefore, the company already has quite an automated and modern production process, equivalent to the one the company has abroad", said Vicari. In Honeywell the volume of orders of the assembly plants for the first half is already 17% superior than same the period in 2007. "We are speeding the production. We have two shifts in the machining sector and we are studying implementing the third shift in the assembly line in the second half ", said Vicari. "But what we worry about are the restrictions of the casting sector, which is in the limit of the capacity and delivering products with up to 20 days of delay", complains the company's director. Although it has not received an order review from the assembly plants, Vicari's expectation is that therer is no "crazy' production rhythm for trucks in the second half. "The entrepreneurs courage may change due to the increase of the interest rates announced by the government". Nonetheless, the company's growth this year should be between 10% and 12% over 2007.