ATS Drives Production Success
Reducing tractor backlog and elevating quality standards
Navigating market fluctuations and staffing challenges
In 2024, a leading agricultural heavy equipment manufacturer encountered significant challenges due to fluctuations in market demand. These fluctuations complicated product forecasting and made staffing adjustments difficult. The surge in demand led to a substantial backlog of tractors requiring rework, with each tractor already purchased by end-customers. After production units rolled off the assembly line, the manufacturer’s quality team would find numerous issues during their inspection, including:
Addressing this diverse range of rework required their workforce to have a broad set of skills. The manufacturer faced challenges in hiring qualified personnel to manage and overcome the backlog. Additionally, the need for flexibility in adjusting team sizes based on fluctuating demand further complicated the situation. To address these pressing issues, the manufacturer partnered with ATS to provide a reliable and skilled workforce.
Initial challenges
Tractors in backlog
A surge in demand resulted in a backlog of 800 tractors awaiting rework due to numerous quality issues.
Rework operators on staff
The increased demand created a need to find additional personnel to support the rework.
Overcoming production hurdles
The ATS team quickly integrated, addressing the manufacturer’s current challenges by implementing several key initiatives:
- Deploy production operators to prevent and alleviate production backlog.
- Collaborate with customer’s management team to determine necessary shift support.
- Consistently assess new processes for continuous improvement opportunities.
Strategic shifts drive long-term success
ATS was seamlessly integrated into the manufacturer’s production teams, working closely with management to address production challenges and ensure support for both first and second shifts. This partnership enabled the manufacturer to meet customer demand without compromising quality.
-
Team expansion
Production operator team was expanded, growing from 15 to 172 members.
-
Backlog reduction
Tractor backlog reduced from 800 to 50.