Thomas Drosten
Directeur Général, Carrier Réfrigération Opérations France SAS 41200 Romorantin
Operational Manager with International experience in Projects and Production.
German engineer, I live in France since 1995. I have a strong and wide experience of international team management in the automotive industry and commercial refrigeration. I like the change and I accepted during my career all activities linked to transition management. Main missions in production and R&D where in Eastern Europe, Germany and Brazil.
Technical challenge may be difficult to deal with but the human factor is the most difficult to manage when change is needed. Change is to b seen as a a positive event. Unfortunately cross functional team management and team motivation is too often underestimated causing huge damage.
After the university I decided to work in the automotive industry. My interest for technical and organizational challenges and the need to work in a cross functional team made it very easy for me.
After 11 years in different areas of the automotive industry I changed to commercial refrigeration.
By avoiding "copy & paste" the application of the main principles coming from my previous experience to the world of commercial refrigeration was extremely positive. Main results are operational excellence and an overall productivity improvement.
My main strengths are:
My aptitude to manage project teams in development and technical departments (Quality & Mfg Engineering);
My capacity to optimize internal and external processes of a department or a company especially in times of change;
My team ability and my sense of mutual communication;
My will for success without neglecting the overall economical and human aspect.
73 contactsDirector, Quality, Manufacturing Engineering, & Continuous Improvement, Carrier Refrigeration EMEA SAS
Put in place, follow, standardise and improve with the local teams in different factories
of commercial refrigeration in Europe :
* the continuous improvement processes of industrial performance using the lean
approach (effectivity, productivity and efficiency).
* a process for the evolution of the existing human resources (polyvalence,
polycompetence).
* communication tools to improve project activity (change management, new projects
and insourcing).
* the production process certification to improve internal and external quality.
* the communication and best practise sharing between the plants and outside.
Responsible for 20 direct reports (manufacturing engineering, quality, continuous
improvement..
Main customers : Carrefour, Aldi, Lidl, Edeka.
Responsible for a turn over of 550 M Euros
Transition management in production plants in Brazil and Eastern Europe (major sites of the Business Unit).
2006 - 2007Put in place an international quality engineer team for connector business :
* hiring & training of internal & external competencies.
* improve customer satisfaction and relationship.
* set up of a supplier quality department.
* structure and improve the quality project activity.
Responsible for 12 direct reports.
Main customers : Peugeot, Renault – Nissan, VW, Ford.
Responsible for a turn over of 140 M Euros
2004 - 2005Head of a quality department of 33 people with 7 direct reports in the automotive
industry for development, customer complaints and shop floor quality.
Put in place a supplier quality department (60% of the added value). Implementation of a new more efficient customer complaint tracking & solving system.
Frequent visits of the Spanish and Brazilian affiliates for project activity and best
practise sharing (Transition Management).
Main customers : GM – Opel, Ford, Peugeot.
Responsible for a turn over of 100 M Euros.
2001 - 2004In an international program responsible for quality, costs and customer satisfaction during the development of a steering column for an American carmaker. Managed an international project team.
Development budget of 2,3 Mio Euros tooling costs included. Original budget 5,5 Mio Euros. Turnover 75 Mio Euros over 6 years.
2000 - 2001In an international program responsible for quality, costs and customer satisfaction during the development of an instrument panel for a German carmaker. Managed an international project team.
Development budget was 14 M d’Euros tooling included. Turn over was 64 M Euros.
1999 - 2000Follow the APQP activity of a dash board development for a German caremaker. Management of a quality team of 6 engineers and technicians.
Quality budget of 0,5 M Euros.
1997 - 1999Interior Wood trims for Mercedes-Benz S-Class.
Organised and innovated the production. Responsible for product quality and in-time delivery. Negotiating party of the customer for product quality, audits and logistics. Managed a production team of 15 persons.