our supply chain to stay ahead,” he says.
“A vital part of this incline has been
getting the right people on our side.
We encourage trust, loyalty and
a sense of pride, and we have
high employee retention. Our
engineering division has more
than 70 brilliant engineers
injecting fresh ideas into the
company. Our people are
experts in all aspects of
engineering and production:
we have the whole process
chain and value chain inside
the company.”
Komatsu Germany
is uniquely positioned to
service both domestic and
international markets through
its two manufacturing divisions.
“Our construction machines are
produced in Hanover. They are
smaller machines with a high demand
and short production time, and are
predominantly popular with German and
European customers. On the other hand,
the mining machines produced in Dusseldorf
are large, with heavy components, long
production times, and cater to a small
group of international customers. Although
they’re separate, our teams work together
synergistically, and this is what sets us apart.
We share ideas, and management methods for
our production, logistics and supply chain.”
The Komatsu Mining team is committed
to global partnerships as a top supplier of
mining equipment including dump trucks,
hydraulic shovels, rope shovels, drills, wheel
loaders, dozers, graders, draglines and mine
management systems. However, these
partnerships would not be possible without
the support and strength of Komatsu’s own
supply chain. “From the beginning, we work
closely with our suppliers to explain our
needs and those of the mine sites. The tricky
part is the final delivery, due to weather
unpredictability and the enormous weight
of some components,” explains Ralf.
“Quality service and design is the number
one priority at Komatsu so it’s essential to
engage our suppliers from the start.”Over the next 12 to 18 months, Ralf is
looking to implement a special production
process to further enhance the quality
and efficiency of Komatsu Germany’s
international output. “We are part of the
bigger Komatsu family of 38 plants around
the world. As the mother plant for hydraulic
mining shovels, we have the responsibility to
improve our processes, recruit and develop
specialist staff, and optimise our supply chain
for the benefit of the wider organisation,”
he explains. “This involves working with
Komatsu’s many technical centres in Japan,
and using their highly sophisticated
technology to develop the best components
for our excavators.”
Komatsu is dedicated to SLQDC – safety,
law, quality, delivery and cost. “In Germany,
we’ve made excellent progress in improving
our safety. Ten years ago, we had 80 accidents
per year, and in 2017 we had just three, but
we’re aiming for zero,” Ralf says proudly.
“Our quality is highly regarded in the
mining industry: we are the premium brand
for hydraulic mining excavators and we have
the best-performing shovels in the world.
And to increase our flexibility, we have
reduced our lead time from eight months to
three.” These achievements are just the tip of
the iceberg, according to Ralf. “We plan to
further extend our market share and better
understand our customers, so we can be
proactive in providing unrivalled solutions.
Although the market is volatile with many
unforeseeable changes to come, I believe the
trust and appreciation of customers, suppliers
and employees will lead us to success.”In September 2017, Komatsu
Germany Mining opened
a new Technical Centre in
Dusseldorf to boost internal
collaboration, and act as a
local touchpoint for worldwide
customers, partners
and suppliers, as well as
foreign Komatsu units.
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