NORDPro Lab: Training to increase customer satisfaction
Optimum customer satisfaction can only be achieved with optimally trained employees: This is the basic idea behind the NORDPro initiative, which has operated a laboratory with the same name since 2011. Here, employees receive training in the fundamentals of lean management and are given ideas for implementing these ideas in their daily work. The programme is organised and managed by NORD trainees who use this opportunity to extend their organisational and representational skills. This “hands-on” experience is also an important part of the comprehensive NORD training programme.
NORDPro was founded in 2008 to sustainably ensure customer satisfaction in an age of increased expectations. The idea: To actively communicate lean management methods to employees in order to give them tools with which company processes can be optimised for the benefit of customers. The programme first started with the five tools KAIZEN, FLUSS; SMED; TPM and Q-Groups, but since then has been continuously developed to include new methods. In 2011, the initiators went a step further with the NORDPro Lab. Specially equipped areas were created at the Bargteheide site, where various modularly structured training courses with a heavy practical emphasis are now held. Here, the theoretical knowledge of lean management which has been acquired is utilised and deepened using simulation games. By dealing with hypothetical problems, participants learn the effects of process improvements, in addition to which cross-departmental understanding of work processes is promoted. The NORDPro tools can be used for assembly, logistic and production processes, as well as at an administrative level, so that the training is used equally by all NORD employees across the various sites.
A further special feature of the NORDPro Lab is that it is now organised and led by NORD trainees and dual-training students who take on the organisation and implementation of the courses. However, their remit is also to continuously develop the laboratory and the content of the courses. This requires organisational expertise as well as a confident manner and specialist theoretical knowledge, which will be a great advantage in their further careers.
Independent management of the NORDPro Lab is a part of NORD’s sophisticated training strategy. Within the NORD Group, young talent can receive business, industrial or technical training or even carry out a dual course of study at several locations. NORD provides training in the professions of industrial management, technical product design, mechatronics, IT system integration, industrial mechanics and cutting machine operation. Dual bachelor study courses are offered in industrial engineering, IT for business, applied IT, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and mechatronics.
Company background
NORD DRIVESYSTEMS develops, produces and sells drive technologies with around 3.900 employees, and is one of the international leaders in the industry. In addition to standard drives, NORD supplies application-specific concepts and solutions, even for special applications, for example with energy-saving drives or explosion-protected systems. Gross sales amounted to approx. EUR 630 mn in the 2017 business year. The company founded in 1965 now has over 36 subsidiaries worldwide. The closely meshed sales and service network ensures optimum availability for short delivery times and customer-oriented services. NORD produces a wide variety of drive units for torques from 10 to 200,000 Nm, electric motors with powers from 0.12 kW to 1,000 kW as well as the necessary power electronics in the form of frequency inverters and servo controllers. Inverter solutions are available for classical installations in the switch cabinet and for decentralised and fully integrated drive units.
For more information
www.nord.com
