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More than $10 million a year saved, at over 800% ROI
BMW
Manufacturing
$10M+
in annual cost savings and cost avoidance
800%+
annual ROI
6
operations analyzed
The problem
Spartanburg built the Z3 and X5 under a very dynamic workload driven by customer demand, model changes, supplier problems, and a wide range of options. Matching labor to that workload was hard, so the plant had high levels of both overstaffing and overtime. Shifts had no face-to-face handoff, and absenteeism put lines at risk.
What we did
- Analyzed six separate operations (Z3 and X5 body, paint, Z3 and X5 assembly, final test)
- Showed that an extra hour of overtime cost less than an hour of straight time, and balanced that against burnout
- Designed flexible schedules to match the workforce to the workload
- Added small, staggered shift overlaps for live handoffs, continuous equipment running, and absence coverage
The results
- $10 million+ in annual cost savings and avoidance from overtime and break-time policy changes
- 800%+ annual ROI
- Lower risk of lines going down from absenteeism
- More days off and greater predictability for associates
- Further process and staffing efficiencies implemented (not formally measured)
Paying for overstaffing and overtime at the same time? Get a 30-minute workforce diagnostic.
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