Autoliv Wins Shingo Awards in Mexico

Autoliv Steering Wheels Mexico (AWM) produces leather wrapped steering wheels and airbag modules, while Autoliv Components Mexico (CMX) manufactures airbag cushions. Both facilities are now among an elite list of companies to earn what Business Week has called "the Nobel prize of manufacturing". The Shingo Prize is awarded annually to select companies that have demonstrated outstanding achievements in manufacturing processes, quality enhancements, productivity improvement, and customer satisfaction. The prize focuses on lean manufacturing techniques and promotes world-class business performance through continuous improvements in core manufacturing and business processes. "Autoliv is honored once again in North America and for the first time in Mexico to be recognized with this award for its effective implementation of the lean manufacturing philosophy," said Lars Westerberg, President and CEO of Autoliv, Inc. "Of course, these principles of continuous improvement can only have the kind of remarkable results we have seen when combined with the dedication and commitment of our employees. Their teamwork has made it possible to consistently reach higher levels of world-class performance." The two facilities have demonstrated significant year over year improvements including a 15% improvement in productivity, 18% improvement in inventory turns, customer quality improvement of 50%, scrap reduction of 25%, and employee suggestion rate improvement of over 60%. In addition to the Shingo Award, the AWM facility recently received recognition from the Mexican Federal Government for its revolutionary program utilizing the special skills of physically handicapped workers in its leather-wrapping operations. This special team of workers known as the "AWM Angels" has set new standards of productivity within the AWM facility, setting new benchmarks for the rest of the AWM team. Both facilities used the culture of continuous improvement known as the Autoliv Production System to drive the process improvements which qualified both plants for the Shingo Prize.