Amsterdam’s EBS Public Transportation recently took possession of 164 OmniLinks and 47 Scania Higer A30s. They were delivered in several configurations and produced in Sweden, Poland and China. The buses are equipped with engines complying with the highest European environmental emissions standards – Euro 5 and EEV (Environmentally-friendly Enhanced Vehicles).

To complete these buses, a temporary workshop was established in Amsterdam, where a team of mechanics processed the buses for several months together with other suppliers.

One of the main reasons EBS Public Transportation chose Scania was the extensive support that Scania offers securing the operational uptime of the buses.

Watch a video from the occation.  

Industrialised processes in service workshops.

Scania’s efforts to bring about continuous improvements in its production network have attracted great attention outside the company. Many Swedish manufacturing firms, but also service sector companies, local governments and organisations have visited the workshop floor in Södertälje to let their representatives be inspired by the philosophy known as the Scania Production System (SPS).

Internally, Scania has begun implementing the same structured way of working at its 1,600 service points around the world. The resulting Scania Retail System (SRS) is aimed at improving customer benefit and satisfaction by boosting efficiency in the service organisation.

Continuous improvements
The Scania dealership at Kungens Kurva in Huddinge, strategically located on the E4/E20 European highway just south of Stockholm, is one of the service points that have begun to implement this change. After only a year or so, the results are encouraging.

“We have gained a much better overview of our work situation. As a result, we are less stressed and find ourselves in crisis mode less often,” says Camilla Dewoon, Stockholm regional manager of Scania-Bilar.

Her region has 270 employees and 12 service points in Greater Stockholm, from Norrtälje in the north and Enköping in the west to Södertälje in the south.

SRS efforts permeate all operations. One example of improvements is opening up the workshop environment so that work processes flow better. For instance, while performing one particular type of service, studies showed that a technician walks 3.5 kilometres and climbs down into the lube pit 14 times. Moving the most frequently used tools and parts closer improves the service technician’s working environment while freeing up more billable hours.

Camilla Dewoon, Stockholm regional manager of Scania-Bilar, can show good results from the new working method.

Faster deliveries
Another example: When Scania Value visits Kungens Kurva, Inga Kodu and Johan Höjer of the sales department are busy reviewing the delivery plan for new vehicles. They can easily track where in the chain between order placement and final delivery each vehicle is.

“By using a board where everyone can see and act on any disruptions in the flow, in the space of one year we have shortened lead times for how long a completed vehicle is parked on our premises from seven to four days. We also clearly see if the dealerships in our region need to help each other out to meet delivery deadlines,” says Dewoon. “Shortening lead times at all levels improves capital efficiency in our company.”

The most important element of SRS is employee participation.

“Everyone should feel they can question ingrained working methods and that they enjoy both confidence and responsibility at their workplace. In this way, employees become active participants in our improvement efforts – and managers become coaches instead of someone who just issues orders,” Dewoon concludes.

Same philosophy as at production units

• The Scania Retail System (SRS) rests on the same philosophy as the Scania Production System.
• SRS is based on all employees assuming responsibility for identifying faults or deviations that can be remedied.
• Communication is vital: many departments hold brief daily meetings. SRS also encourages dialogue between occupational groups.
• One basic concept is to “industrialise processes” by viewing operations as flows, identifying whether waste of time and resources can be eliminated at any stage.
• In recent years, Scania has had a corporate SRS Office that backs up the various markets in their SRS efforts. From a number of “role model” facilities in Europe and South America, the new working method will spread throughout the service network, including independent dealerships.

View the press conference at www.scania.com/live at 14:00 CET.

Read the press release

Pressroom opens at 14:00 CET.

Prestons NSW workshop in Sydney, Australia, won Scania Top Team 2011.

“This is a dream come true,” said team leader Christopher Nobbs. “Everyone on the team put forth an amazing effort.”

The Prestons NSW “Kangaroos” are a well-knit team. Several of the members have been working together for at least 12 years.

The Kangaroos were first out in the morning round at the World Final together with teams from China, the United Kingdom, Norway and Latvia. Despite a tough start at the first station, the Australians managed to turn it around in dramatic fashion, improving their scores sufficiently to secure victory in the end.

And while the Australian team pulled out the win, every team at the Final performed exceptionally, displaying good communication and acute focus on the tasks in front of them.

The Australians prepared for the World Final by practicing scenarios. For instance, they applied some Scania Retail System thinking to analyse processes. This helped them to better understand how to use their time more efficiently.

“Our greatest strengths are our close teamwork and comradeship,” said Nobbs. “Even under the most difficult circumstances, we know that all of us aim to achieve the very best.”

In the afternoon the Netherlands, Austria, Belgium, Argentina and Brazil entered the competition.

From Torhout in West Flanders, the Belgian team, finished in second place. and on the third-place Veghel workshop team from the Netherlands.

At the award ceremony, President and CEO Leif Östling emphasised that all finalists should be regarded as winners.

“Dedicated staff is the key to a successful service business,” said Östling. “The teams that competed in this year’s Scania Top Team Final are all good examples of this dedication.”

How have you and your colleagues prepared for the World Final?
“A working group has met on a weekly basis to ensure that all preparations are on track. In addition, the five regional finals worked as a great dress rehearsal for the finals.”

What lessons have you learned from previous competitions at the national and regional levels?
“The competition between the teams has tightened. The level of knowledge has increased, which means that it is more difficult to come up with challenging tasks for the participants. Moreover, it is very important to judge correctly when there are fewer differences between the participants than before.”

“Since factual knowledge amongst the competing teams is high, it is often team spirit and cooperative skills that determine the winner. The competition has grown by 50 per cent since 2007 thereby increasing the requirements on the competition’s organisers.”

How important are the Top Team competitions from an educational perspective for Scania?
“Very important. All participating teams spend many hours training as part of their preparations. We also get more and more feedback from retailers who want to participate in the competition after having it recommended by colleagues who have previously participated. In the Top Team competitions there are only winners: the customers, our service technicians and Scania as a company.”

* Scania Academy is responsible for training and education within Scania’s retail organisation.

Read more about Scania Top Team 2011 >

Nikijs Hofrats, coordinator, Latvia:

How has your team prepared for the World Final?
“We prepare ourselves every day at work by repairing Scania vehicles. Our team consists of professional service technicians; we work together as a team in order to achieve our goals.”

 What is your team’s greatest strength?
“Each member of the team knows exactly what is being done by the other members.”

 What is the most important lesson that your team has learnt by taking part in Top Team?
“By participating in Top Team competitions, our team has learned how to trust in each other.”

Gerhard Hablas, coordinator, Austria:

 How has your team prepared for the World Final?
“The team has met several times after work practising diagnostics and doing online lessons on TMS, Scania’s Training Management System.”

 What is your team’s greatest strength?
“The significant strength of our team are the internal cooperation and communication we share along with the friendship between the team members. We have improved our problem-solving structure and know the individual strengths of our colleagues very well.”

 What is the most important lesson that your team has learnt by taking part in Top Team?
“When you go a step deeper into diagnosis of a failure you get more out of the work contract. Every time you practise with the diagnostic programme SDP3 or similar systems you get more familiar with them, speed up your work and improve your knowledge.”

Artur Westin, coordinator, Brazil:

 How has your team prepared for the World Final?
“We have met several times after work at the dealer and the training centre to study and solve problems. For example, for the last few days we have been focusing on the differences between European and Brazilian products.”

 What is your team’s greatest strength?
“We have a young team that is very united. Every day they have a large volume of service issues to deal with.”

 What is the most important lesson that your team has learnt by taking part in Top Team?
“The competition helps to increase knowledge and team building.”

Fernando Bustamente, coordinator, Argentina:

How has your team prepared for the World Final?
“We have been studying individually and together as a team to define the rules and procedures. For example, we reviewed all of the courses we have taken. In the regional final we didn’t achieve a good result in the bus portion, so this time around a customer gave us a bus to practise on.”

What is your team’s greatest strength?
“The members of our team are very well coordinated and trust each other. We also have a good sense of humour, which allows us to be very motivated and not succumb to pressure. If we take a wrong step, we recover before the next one.”

What is the most important lesson that your team has learnt by taking part in Top Team?
“The importance of focusing on how to diagnose a problem before starting to disassemble anything. As such, we have been working a lot on defining procedures and roles.”

Bart Delhaye, coordinator, Belgium:

How has your team prepared for the World Final?
“We trained the team, in the way the Top Team finals are held. In total, we had four complete days of practice. For each test we gave our team a 20-minute time limit and practised a mix of practical diagnostics and theoretical questions.
“Afterwards we checked our scores and reviewed the test using the Scania SRS-method. What was right? What could be improved? This way, we refine our methods and knowledge after each exercise.”

What is your team’s greatest strength?
“Our team spirit. The members of our team are willing to learn more and more about Scania and remain extremely motivated to finish high in the World Final.”

What is the most important lesson that your team has learnt by taking part in Top Team?
“That functioning well as a team results in a faster and more accurate way of working.”

Piet Meijer, coordinator, the Netherlands:

How has your team prepared for the World Final?
“We have worked on communication, team building and technical knowledge. Before the final, we met three times for eight hours each time. ”

What is your team’s greatest strength?
“To work tightly together; not only during preparation, but in the workshop as well. The members have been working together for more than 10 years now, so they know each other very well.”

What is the most important lesson that your team has learnt by taking part in Top Team?
“To take time to listen to one another. We have the skills to win together.”

Laurence Medina, coordinator, the UK:

How has your team prepared for the World Final?
“Our team has practised every week in the workshop and every Friday at the training centre. We’ve also gone over technical challenges. They received additional customised training in subjects of their choice and of new products in particular. Finally, we asked the whole network to send the team challenging questions or technical issues, in mechanics and parts, so they could practise even more.”

What is your team’s greatest strength?
“Fantastic technical knowledge, amazing motivation, a will to win, team spirit and sense of organisation.”

What is the most important lesson that your team has learnt by taking part in Top Team?
“The importance of team work in order to solve problems quicker, sharing knowledge and the value of bouncing ideas off of each other.”

Craig Pygall, coordinator, Australia:

How has your team prepared for the World Final?
“We have been meeting weekly and practicing scenarios. We have applied some Scania Retail System (SRS) thinking to analyse our processes. This has helped us to better understand how to use our time more efficiently.”

What is your team’s greatest strength?
“Our teamwork and comradeship are our greatest strengths; knowing that every member of the team will always put their best effort forward, even under the most difficult circumstances, to get the job done to the best of our abilities.”

What is the most important lesson that your team has learnt by taking part in Top Team?
“To trust your instincts. We have also learnt that the Scania database is so large and comprehensive that it is impossible to be able to read and digest it, and therefore it is more important to know where to find information than to memorise it.”

Andy Shi, coordinator, China:

How has your team prepared for the World Final?
“We have met for several days of practicing and troubleshooting. For example, we focused on exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), selective catalytic reduction (SCR) and the new Scania Opticruise.“

What is your team’s greatest strength?
“All of our members are the same age, born in 1981. We have been working together for at least five years which makes our cooperation very good.”

What is the most important lesson that your team has learnt by taking part in Top Team?
“The team feels more confident in their daily work. We have also increased workshop efficiency.”

 

Roger Grimstad, coordinator, Norway:

How has your team prepared for the World Final?
“We have used a lot of our leisure time to prepare for the finals. For example, we used one whole weekend together here in Narvik to make our own local Top Team competition. We have also been using time at Scania Norway’s Training Centre.”

What is your team’s greatest strength?
“It is our team spirit, along with the different skills every team member has that complements the others’ talents . We are not from a big Scania Dealer. We work closely to each other every day and have open communication.”

What is the most important lesson that your team has learnt by taking part in Top Team?
“The importance of developing good cooperation within the team. And we have also learnt how our competencies complement each other. We feel that this has also been good for the rest of our colleagues at our dealership, too.”

In addition to promoting the vehicle service technician profession, Scania Top Team is a competition with the goal of developing best practices for working on Scania vehicles.

“Ultimately our customers benefit the most from the Scania Top Team competition,” says Christian Levin, Executive Vice President, Head of Sales and Services Management.

“We know that a better trained service staff solves complex problems quicker. As a consequence, truck owners and logistics companies will get even higher uptime for their vehicles and hence increase their productivity.”

Scania Top Team is also used as a tool to improve the working conditions in Scania’s workshops. Good working conditions result in a more motivated staff that rotates less, which leads to a more professional and skilled workforce. Consequently, this workforce increases the quality of the work performed at workshops all over the world.

The first Scania Top Team competition was arranged in Sweden in 1989. Since then, Top Team has grown, with participants from workshops all over the world. The 2011 edition is the eighth Top Team event held. The finalists come from Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, China, Latvia, the Netherlands, Norway and the United Kingdom.

The Scania Top Team competition final takes place in Södertälje, Sweden, 14-16 October 2011. Follow the final here on Scania Newsroom.

For further information, please contact: Maria Jobenius, Director Communication, Scania Sales and Services Management, tel +46 70 6541328.

The UK team Trafford Reds from West Pennine Trucks i Manchester. From left David Swain, Stewart Shaw, Aaron McGrath, Ian Hughes and Michael Farmer.