Interim Plant Manager & SCM Transformation | Case Study Process Industry

Operational stabilization and sustainable end-to-end transformation in the process industry

When production performance, delivery reliability, and supply chain stability are under pressure at the same time, isolated improvements are no longer enough. This case study shows how the interim plant manager, Uwe Born, restored operational stability within months and how this became the foundation for a sustainable transformation of the entire supply chain organization.

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INITIAL SITUATION AND PROJECT CONTEXT

A globally active industrial service provider in the process industry (approx. €5 billion in annual revenue) delivers highly complex industrial projects with strict requirements for quality, safety, and on-time delivery. In this project, the company was responsible for pipeline construction for a safety-critical energy facility in the nuclear sector.

The operational environment was characterized by:

High time pressure in a project-driven business
An international workforce from 18 different countries
Highly specialized technical personnel
High turnover combined with strict quality and compliance requirements

This combination led to a situation many companies in process industries and plant engineering recognize:

Production output significantly below target
Lack of transparency on capacity and bottlenecks
Manual, error-prone shopfloor processes
High complexity in communication and coordination
No end-to-end visibility across the supply chain

The result:
Performance, predictability, and delivery reliability were increasingly under pressure.

[Translate to English:] Sustainable transformation and long-term success through interim management in industry

INTERIM MANAGEMENT APPROACH

The interim manager took full operational responsibility as plant manager and developed a structured two-phase model. Operational stabilization becomes the foundation for long-term transformation.

Phase 1: Operational Stabilization

Initial situation:

750 units/week output
Target: 2,000 units/week
Low transparency and manual processes

Focus:

Strong leadership presence on the shopfloor
Daily management based on clear performance targets
Digitalization of key processes
Systematic bottleneck management
Reduction of inventory between process steps

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Results within months

+167% increase in production output
+18% productivity improvement
–25% reduction in lead times

Additional improvements:
Transparency, predictability, and employee motivation, even in a highly complex international setup.

Sustainable Handover

A key element of the assignment was not only improvement, but securing long-term results:

Definition of the role profile for the successor
Full support throughout the selection process
Structured onboarding of the new plant manager

Result:
No performance drop after the interim mandate ended.

[Translate to English:] Interim plant manager stabilizing production and supply chain in the process industry

BUSINESS IMPACT

The combination of operational leadership and structural transformation resulted in measurable business impact:

Return on Interim: approx. 9.2x
Significantly improved management and control capabilities
Increased competitiveness in follow-up projects

The company was able to successfully win another major project based on these improvements.

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Phase 2: SUPPLY CHAIN TRANSFORMATION

Based on the achieved operational stability, the mandate was extended. This was not planned, it emerged from the operational impact.

Transformation focus

Development of a clear SCM vision
Introduction of a unified KPI and performance system
End-to-end alignment of the supply chain

Implementation:

Application of the Hoshin Kanri method
Involvement of all key stakeholders
Establishment of a consistent management framework

Transformation results

Transparent KPIs across all processes
Clear end-to-end supply chain structure
Sustainable organizational anchoring

The transformation was not only designed, it was implemented and embedded.

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CONCLUSION

This case study highlights how interim management delivers impact when operational leadership and structural transformation are combined.

Stability creates the foundation for change.
And that is where sustainable value is generated.

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[Translate to English:] Interim Plant Manager for Transformations

Are you currently facing similar challenges in production, supply chain, or organizational performance?

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FAQ

When does it make sense to hire an interim plant manager?

When production targets are missed, leadership gaps arise, or operational processes become unstable.

How is interim management different from consulting?

Interim managers take operational responsibility and execute directly within the organization.

How quickly can an interim manager start?

Typically within days, depending on availability and project requirements.

What results can be expected?

Typical outcomes include rapid improvements in productivity, transparency, and operational control—depending on the starting point.