AeroSystems Engineering – Profitably Scale to Support 3x Growth

This aerospace company was experiencing 3X growth in revenue and project backlog.  Profitably scaling engineering and operations to support this growth was both an immediate and critical need.

The company needed a partner with extensive engineering, manufacturing, and project management expertise to strategize and implement changes necessary to operate at this new growth level. They approached Turning Point Consulting because of our advisory expertise and track record of exceptional project outcomes.

Challenges

The company self-identified for decades as an engineer to order (ETO) company but was a project delivery company. Add to this, they lacked standard processes and procedures and operated on 15-year-old business systems. 

Solutions

Utilize Turning Points Assessment Methodology℠ looking at the Sales, Engineering, Manufacturing, Project Management, Service/After Market and Technology groups. This assessment culminated in strategies, benefits, and roadmaps to profitably scale the business.

Employed Turning Points Kaizen & Value Stream Mapping Methodology℠ for detailed learning of current state and ideation/creation of the new future state as a project execution company, “The ASE Way.”  

Use Turning Point’s Software Selection and Systems Implementation Methodology℠ for new ERP, Professional Services Automation (PSA), and Reporting systems.

Leverage Turning Points 5Ps Methodology for Change and Transformation℠ to execute process optimization and technology projects in the roadmap.

• Purpose – Clarity of intent, to be the best project execution company in aerospace testing, was defined from the assessment and crystalized through several Kaizen events, culminating in the “ASE Way.”
• People – an emphasis on change management was critical to success. The Kaizen events led to collective ideation and ownership among key stakeholders and executives, called the “ASE Way.” “ASE Way” benefits were clearly articulated for customers, employees, suppliers, and share-owners. Continuous communication of the benefits and project status was conducted while soliciting feedback, listening to ideas, and addressing concerns. To establish the “ASE Way,” Project Mustang was coined, creating the mantle for a common purpose and buy-in for the many changes it entailed.
• Process – Conducted five Kaizen/VSM events uncovering numerous opportunities for improvement while defining new future state operations with emphasis as a project company. Through these events, employees owned the change, defined how best to operate the business, and outlined what was required to execute the change.
• Platform – Using the Process outputs, selected and deployed best fit ERP, PSA, and reporting systems aligned to future state processes.
• Project – Program managed Project Mustang and numerous continuous improvement projects to achieve future state process, leading to successful systems deployment and operational changes. Effectively utilized Executive Sponsor, Steering Committee, and Project Core Team structure and governance. Our team did all communications around Project Mustang.

End Result

Project Mustang was not only an enormous undertaking but a massive success for AeroSystems Engineering. Turning Point helped them discover “the ASE Way.”