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The Company Consulting was also involved in Macht’s most recent project: adapting the Porsche plant in Leipzig for manufacture of the Panamera. Due to its revolutionary pro- New Man at the Top: duction and logistics system, the plant is widely touted as the most modern automo- bile factory in the world. Today the Panam- Michael Macht era and the Cayenne are produced on a sin- gle assembly line in a “model mix.” And thanks to the sophisticated logistics system, the plant doesn’t need a warehouse. The Porsche’s new CEO, Michael Macht, is a company veteran who Leipzig plant is a prime example of Macht’s has been with Porsche for nineteen years. When asked how strategy at work: he knows that efficient he plans to keep Porsche on track for success, the 49-year-old processes are crucial to a company’s suc- production expert’s reply is succinct: “Work, work, work.” cess. That’s why he never lets up in his quest to optimize work processes—“a never-end- ing challenge,” as he says.

His constant search to make improvements means he knows Porsche inside and out— and the employees know him. He’s a famil- By iar sight and an “old acquaintance” who Jürgen Zeyer has a track record of success in the compa- ny. Because he has tended to work behind Photo by the scenes so far, Macht is known less out- Porsche side Porsche, and that may be the biggest change for him in his new office. His strate- gy, at least, has remained the same. In 1998, when he donned a blue overall and workers It was six in the morning, and the workers cesses at the very outset of his career. Wen- asked him what his recipe for success was, beginning their shift at the assembly line in delin Wiedeking appointed him as advisor he replied: “Work, work, work.” B Zuffenhausen were surprised to be greeted on process optimization in 1992, and over by a new coworker: Michael Macht, dressed the next few years the two succeeded in in a blue overall. “I want to see the plant the making Porsche competitive again. After way it really is. I want to talk to you about seeing kaizen, the principle of lean manufac- your problems and hear what ideas you turing, firsthand in Japan, Macht invited Biography have,” said the executive, who proceeded to Japanese production experts to come to accompany the assembly of a Zuffenhausen. One of the kaizen experts’ Born: Aug. 28, 1960, in from position zero through position eight. first measures impressed him so much he Studied: In Stuttgart from 1981 to 1986, still enthuses about it today: “They merged graduating with a degree in mechanical That was in June 1998, not long after Macht the leather facilities in plants two and engineering was appointed to the executive board of three—without interrupting production. Porsche AG as the designated member in That was pretty amazing,” recalls Porsche’s Professional career charge of production. Though his hands-on new CEO. 1986: Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial approach might have seemed remarkable to Engineering in Stuttgart, research associate some, it did not surprise those who know With its rigorous implementation of lean 1990: Porsche AG, specialist for engine him: Macht has always considered it a mat- production methods, Porsche not only pio- planning ter of course to acquaint himself thorough- neered a new standard in Europe; it also 1991: Porsche AG, head of the work ly with the overall picture, paying attention opened up a new line of business for itself. organization department even to the “little things” that others might Porsche Consulting GmbH was founded in 1992: Porsche AG, advisor to the executive consider unimportant. That is no less true 1994, and quickly developed into a highly board for production and materials manage- today than it was eleven years ago, for the profitable consulting firm under Macht, ment; concept and organization of the PVP company’s new CEO is always looking for its first managing director, increasing its Porsche improvement process ways to improve things, an aim he firmly turnover tenfold in the space of four years 1993: Porsche AG, advisor to the CEO, believes can be achieved only through coop- to ¤6.6 million. Even then, Macht was con- developing and implementing the so-called eration. As he says, “If you don’t want to vinced that “the methods we successfully POLE program, short for process optimization get left behind, you have to constantly work implemented at Porsche can be applied to through supplier integration on getting better.” Macht’s guiding princi- any field and any kind of business.” The 1994: Porsche Consulting GmbH, Bietigheim, ple in a nutshell. Porsche subsidiary will soon be celebrating managing director its fifteenth birthday and counts hospitals, 1998: Porsche AG, member of the executive Macht established himself as an expert in airlines, shipyards, banks, and road con- board in charge of production and logistics Michael Macht: Lean production in his sights, optimizing work flow and production pro- struction companies among its clients. 2009: Porsche AG, CEO the company’s best interests at heart