Thorsten Sauer Email & Phone Number

Utica, Mi, Us

Grand Rapids, Mi, Us

Sterling Heights, Michigan

Manage Quality activities for one Stamping facility & one machining facility supporting an Int’lCustomer base, including North American & Japanese customers. Developing systems that drive improvements of processes. Direct & coordinate Quality & Cont’l Improvement activities in all departments to achieve superior results while obtaining optimum efficiency & economy. Resp. for all supplier & customer quality, as well as the development activities, which include APQP, launch readiness & production part quality.  Overhaul of PFMEA’s, Control Plans, work instructions & in-process checks Developed a group PFMEA’s, CP’s & process flows Ongoing implementation of a robust quality system compliant to ISO/TS 16949 as well as customer specific requirements to improve product quality, improve program Launch performance & profitability. Resp. for managing all customer concerns, from problem analysis to problem resolution. This includes initiating corr. actions, following the 8D process & implementing corrective & preventive actions. Implemented A3 problem solving standards, provided training & coached root cause analysis utilizing 5 Why & fishbone diagrams. Application of Lean manufacturing principals supporting implementation of Mafact systems Supporting implementation of 5-S workstation practices throughout the facility Supporting cross-functional teams for program launch preparations, corrective actions, & systems improvements Working w/ Maintenance on improvements to Preventive & Predictive maintenance system Resp. for scrap reporting & improvement actions Leading implementation of quality tools to drive improvements to product quality & process reliability Improving relationships w/ customers & suppliers & Improving supplier performance  Building a new quality team in both facilities & developing required skill sets to support a world class manufacturing environment. Developed new technology application for non-contact surface quality checks

Greenville, South Carolina Area

Provide leadership in Engineering and Quality activities to drive improvements. Directs and coordinates Quality and Continual Improvement activities to achieve superior results while obtaining optimum efficiency and economy. Utilizing participative management, lean manufacturing philosophies and techniques; leads, manages, and provides technical expertise/work direction. Maintains contact with customers, suppliers, manufacturing, and support resources to ensure that Quality Assurance systems are meeting objectives and continuously improving. Providing methods to reduce the cost of daily operations by continually improving processes and eliminating waste.

After Magna’s acquisition of Donnelly, I was tasked with the consolidation, work standardization and management of the Design, Testing and Prototype for the two companies and combine them into one newly established Engineering Center. In addition, I was tasked with managing the testing, design and prototype services out of the new facility as a profit center. I successfully executed the tasks and proved to be very successful, generating positive funds throughout the recent downturn in the automotive industry. Developed processes and successfully implemented ISO 9001 for Design and Testing allowing me to develop a customer base with outside companies (within 6 months) Developed processes and successfully implemented ISO/IEC 17025 and achieved A2LA Accreditation of the testing Laboratory (within 8 months), providing a foundation for new business Achieved TS Compliance for all of the services which support the automotive sector of our business Performed studies to identify all cost drivers and developed methods that successfully reduced the cost of our services and improved performance Led all facility management activities which include implementation and maintenance of Health and Safety and Environmental systems, coordinating building maintenance and facility expansion activities Conducted regular risk assessments and quality assurance reviews to evaluate compliance with requirements and to identify potential gaps in policies, procedures and business processes Translation of customer specifications and standards from German to English ACHIEVEMENTS:  Substantially reduced overhead and operating costs through work standardization and improved planning processes. Overhead was reduced with 37% of the Design group, 52% of the Prototype and 28% of the Laboratory.  Standardized design features and implemented a design library, best in class database and lessons learned library.

Guided the creation of a strategic purchasing group by centralizing the purchasing functions and maintaining only tactical buyers in the manufacturing facilities. Led the purchasing group through a massive cost evaluation and reduction project. Participated in selection of strategic suppliers by evaluating customer needs, specifications and requirements. Established strategic supplier relationships. Gathered data and performed studies on components produced within our divisions for plastic injection molding, paint and assembly. Based on these studies, I categorized the information and was able to identify Best-In-Class processes for each component. I facilitated several VA VE workshops for outside mirror and door handle assemblies. Conducted benchmark activity which broke down competitor parts by component and gathered data to compare materials and processes used and identified changes to our designs to reduce cost. Developed processes and utilized analysis tools to evaluate cost models for various commodities. Analysed low cost countries price structures to identify potential new suppliers. Identified new suppliers to reduce cost. Initiated VA/VE workshops to optimise manufacturing cost.ACHIEVEMENTS:  Successful centralization of purchasing and establishing a strategic supply base through the evaluation and reduction project yielded $19.8 million in savings to the organization.  Selecting a strategic supply base resulted in a more streamlined supply chain with fewer and stronger suppliers.

Led the successful start up of a new outside mirror actuator division. Successfully managed the facility until the product transferred to Mexico. As part of the start-up, I designed all of the assembly equipment and defined the production methods for a new mirror actuator. I had full P&L responsibility for this facility. The facility grew from start-up to a $30 million dollar facility producing five different product lines, all prior to the purchase of Donnelly by Magna. This purchase provided Magna with access to a manufacturing facility in Mexico and the decision was made to move this product and close the facility in order to reduce labor cost further. I managed the entire transfer and trained their personnel as well as provided on-site support. This meant spending time in Mexico to ensure the product performed to specification and obtaining customer sign-off. Established all systems to manage this new facility effectively. Established a well trained very motivated work force. Developed automated and semi automated assembly equipment. Implemented a highly effective materials management system yielding high inventory turns. Established the supplier base for this product. Created and managed a profitable company.ACHIEVEMENTS:  Managed the facility to be profitable after 5 month from the start-up. Produced a lower cost actuator with better performance characteristics. Grew the facility to $30 million+ manufacturing location.  Implemented an inventory control system and a manufacturing planning process. Achieved TS certification.

I successfully managed the implementation of automated equipment, development of assembly aids to reduce quality issues and the design and manufacturing of test equipment capable to test product coming off the production line as a 100% in line inspection for performance and completeness. Took over the maintenance team, trained personnel and led the implementation of a predictive maintenance program. I was part of a workshop evaluating the option to develop and produce electromechanical actuators. This workshop resulted in opening up a new plant focusing on the mass production of actuators. I was tasked to manage the setup and start-up of a new facility focusing on this new product.  Established a predictive maintenance program. Set up a new paint line. Developed new test equipment and improved assembly methods. Reduced quality issues. Root causing of product failures and implemented corrective actions.ACHIEVEMENTS:  Setup a new paint line and achieving a 97% first time quality. Implemented a predictive maintenance program reducing machine downtime by 8%. Reducing assembly related quality failures at the customer level to 0.

After accepting the offer to work for Magna in the USA I led the technical maintenance team and trained all technical maintenance personnel to be able to maintain and repair the manufacturing lines independently. Supported the growth of this facility by setting up and improving further equipment transferred into this facility from acquisitions from other companies in the US. While working in the US, I was sent to two additional facilities where I improved their equipment performance, which led to increased profitability, improved quality and process reliability all while maintaining the main plant production equipment and maintenance systems. In 1994, I was sent to a Siemens facility in Austria where I evaluated an automated paint system and the possibility to modify the system to be used for painting automotive rear view mirrors. Based on the results of my evaluation, I was tasked to manage the disassemble, transport and setup of the system including all needed modifications to get the paint system up and operational in the US. After successful implementation of this project, I then transferred full time into the Magna Lowell Engineering facility. Established a preventive maintenance program. Set up various manufacturing equipment. Reduced quality issues and improved production output. Trained technical maintenance personnel.ACHIEVEMENTS:  Eliminate all late shipments resulting from pour equipment and process performance. Improved the process cycle time of the 6 major production lines by 23% to 31% better then original design.  Implemented a preventive maintenance program. Improved the profitability of the organization.

 Worked as an electrical engineer for a company which developed new processes and manufacturing equipment for a verity of industries. Assignment was to design, direct the building and program the computer systems controlling the equipment. I was sent to the US as the project leader and spent 18 months in the US setting up all equipment in a new 150,000 sqft building supplying parts for Ford, Chrysler and BMW. The next assignment brought me to Italy working on a similar product for FIAT. Issues with the technical abilities of the maintenance team trying to maintain the equipment in the US causing delivery and quality issues triggered the request for me to permanently work for Magna in the USA.  Designed the electrical control systems, managed building the electrical systems and programmed PLC’s.  Managed the project in the US for my German employer. Managed Union relationships with American work force. Interpretation and understanding of customer needs and requirements Managed the launches of new equipment.ACHIEVEMENTS:  Set up equipment per customer requirements and achieving all Contractual performance criteria. Successfully managed the relationships with Unionised skilled workers for their participation with the equipment installation effectively to maintain the time line for the production launch.  Launched all equipment on-time and within budget