Friday, 09 July 2010 07:24
Electrical Components International Sp. z o.o.
MANAGING DIRECTOR: Carlo Alberto Caglieri
OPERATIONS: Wire harnesses
ESTABLISHED: 2002
EMPLOYEES: 800
TURNOVER: 120 MIL PLN
www.ecintl.com
Electrical Components International Sp. z o.o. is a manufacturer of electrical harnesses and special assembly for the household appliances and automotive industries. It is part of ECI (Electrical Components International), an international company having the head quarter in S.Louis USA, which has a global production foot print and facilities in Mexico, China, and Germany. The newly built factory in Bielsko-Biała is the largest plant of the ECI group in Europe. The high automation of production processes, use of sophisticated instruments covering the production and implementation of innovative solutions enable the company to face the most demanding production processes in order to keep the highest quality standards.
American and Italian roots
Located in Saint Louis, the international company ECI can boast over 60-year experience and the position of a leader in the production of wire harnesses for the household appliances industry in the USA, Canada, Mexico and China. The history of the Polish company ECI Sp. z. o.o. dates back to 2002, when it was set up as Cabind Polska sp. z o.o. with its registered office in Bielsko-Biała, which, in turn, was part of Cabind joint stock company based in Italy and business knowledge in the same product lines. In 2006 ECI management board decided to enter the European market, thereby purchasing Cabind together with its five manufacturing facilities in Italy (2), Germany, Russia and Poland. As a result of restructuring, plants in Russia and Italy were closed, thereby transferring all the production to Poland. The company in Bielsko-Biała acted under the name Cabind till January 2010 and formally changed its name into Electrical Components International in February the same year. Since September 2008 the company has had its seat in a new factory with a floor area of over 10.000 square meters.
Top-tier Customers
The company specializes in manufacturing wire harnesses for household appliances, such as washing machines, refrigerators, microwave ovens and dishwashers. The production process, which is multiphase, starts with cutting and crimping of wires with the use of IDC and standard Crimp technologies, and ends with assembly, which takes place on rotary and stationary tables. Since ECI has access to a wide range of modern technologies, it can bring flexible and low-cost solutions to Customers. The products are distributed to top-tier Clients from the household appliances sector, such as Candy, Electrolux, Fagor, Indesit and Whirlpool. Recently, the Polish facility has been given the green light to apply for the ISO 16949 certificate, which is going to open the doors to the automotive industry. Although among the Customers there are top brand names, company assures that each and every Customer is treated as well with the same attention. Therefore it doesn’t matter whether the Client sells 1% or 60% of the produced goods. When it comes to the ratio of the Customers from the household appliances branch and the ones from the automotive branch, ECI strives to reach the 50:50 ratio. Entering the automotive market gives the company a boost to work harder, but also entails introducing some changes. The stock of machines will have to be adjusted to the specific requirements of the automotive branch, such as ultrasound welding, twisting of wires, or cutting of wires with automatic seal fitting. The modernization will enable the company to improve quality in the household appliances sector as well.
Never changing aspirations
The company’s top priority is to anticipate Customers’ needs. Electrical Components International strives to be perceived as a reliable business partner and a synonym for good quality. It also believes that development builds Customer trust, so ECI adopts a proactive attitude – it implements new technologies, invests in employees and sets new goals to increase production. The change of the owner brought a change in the company’s strategy in terms of operational and sales goals. Since 2008 ECI has been improving its production and quality results, as well as safety and environment protection standards. When it comes to quality, ECI succeeded in reducing the external PPM number from 84 in 2008 to 10 in 2010. As far as environment protection is concerned, ECI focuses on reducing harmful influence on the environment by complying with all rules and regulation, training its employees and raising their ecological awareness, or reducing the amount of waste and promoting its safe utilization. Moreover, the company supports the rational and efficient use of energy and water resources. Having in mind all those goals, ECI implemented Environmental Management System compliant with the EN ISO 14001: 2004 norm and received the ISO 14001 certificate. In the area of job safety, ECI managed to reduce the accidents figure from 28 in 2009 to 4 in 2009. All those positive results created a chance to develop even further and apply for ISO 16949 certificate, which is going to happen in June this year. Now, the overriding goal is to receive this certificate and broaden the spectrum of target branches and Customers. The global economic crisis had an impact on the company’s sales figure. However, the crisis may be perceived not only as an issue, but also as a chance. ECI is going to enter on new market sectors. In the nearest future ECI will develop the German market as supplier of harnesses and assembly for Tier 1 automotive Customers.
How to be an attractive employer?
As mentioned before, the company’s ultimate goal is to meet Customers’ demands and come up to all their expectations. However, ECI defines success not only as getting trust and satisfaction of the customer, but also as getting satisfaction of the employer working for ECI. The company attaches particular significance to the safety of its employees, as well as their satisfaction from work and awareness of employment stability. Judging by the good results the company has been achieving for the last two years, the people working in the company are undoubtedly its biggest potential. Apart from the global economic crisis and unstable market, they have managed to achieve defined goals. As a result, the company strives to repay their devotion by creating good atmosphere at work and improving working conditions on a regular basis. For example, 620 ECI employees in Bielsko-Biała are offered an attractive remuneration system – they can be given both efficiency and quality bonuses. The company concentrates on promoting individual achievements. Therefore, it introduced the system of Kaizen philosophy, which aims at rewarding the most interesting and economically effective ideas of employees. Moreover, each staff member has a right to appoint a candidate in the competition for the ‘Employee of the Year’, in which the management takes into consideration candidates’ everyday professionalism, devotion to work and innovative methods. This year, for the first time, ECI is organizing an integration party, which is going to be an opportunity to meet colleagues’ families and relax doing some sport. The next strong point in the company is also internal communication – a news-sheet is published and information meetings with the authorities are held every quarter. Last year the company decided to carry out a survey among the staff about job satisfaction so as to introduce a repair program. Moreover, since employees are the strategic potential, ECI invests in their professional development by offering staff training courses on manufacturing process optimization (Lean Management, Muda, SMED), on quality management (ISO TS16949 and ISO 14001 certification) and also on human resources management. What also contributes to good atmosphere at work is the willingness of the management to listen to employees’ problems and find solutions as well as the promotion of the team work culture and healthy competition. For the last two years ECI has been also cooperating with a foundation for disabled people – the plant which offers binding and printing services (Zakład Introligatorsko-Drukarski Stowarzyszenia Teatr Grodzki – Zakład Aktywności Zawodowej). Today, ECI employs 11 people from the foundation, but it is planning to raise their number to 40. Having been appreciated as an employer, ECI was nominated to the title „Employer of the Year 2008 in the Podbeskidzie region”. Among distinctions there is also the Business Centre Club recommendation from 2009.
Written by Anna Chudzik
