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#HeraeusPeople Story

How a dent turned into a breakthrough

Arthur Charlet, Head of HME; Co-President HME

"When I joined Heraeus Electronics as Head of Operations Controlling in 2018, I had no idea that one of the most instructive phases of my career awaited me. The automotive industry was undergoing a real structural change and our unit was being shaken up by the market waves. There I was, fresh in my position, with eight to nine production sites in my sights and a real dent in the market. 

Thoughts that open paths

My previous experience? Mostly reactive action. But now I was right in the middle of the “chaos seat” - and surprisingly, it felt just right for me. A carousel of questions ran through my head: Where do we start? What data is really relevant? How do we involve the various stakeholders? The time pressure was palpable. My jogging laps became valuable pauses for reflection. One insight crystallized: you only have to think two steps ahead to steer the organization in the right direction.

The turning point came when I dared to take an unusual step for Controlling/Finance. Instead of just documenting deviations from the plan, I actively approached the production manager. Questions turned into conversations, conversations into insights, and insights into a completely new strategy process for the entire operations area.

From crisis to conviction

Together with the lead team at the site, we set about bringing order to the chaos. What began as crisis management developed into something much bigger. We not only developed a new strategy, but also established a completely new format for processes and reporting - a real footprint that brought us benefits for years to come. More importantly, a new mindset emerged with a fresh focus on supply chain and excellence."

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