http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/RSS.ashxVestasInside PagesSat, 02 May 2009 10:05:18 +0200http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=1http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=1No 2, 2009 Co-operation at 30 below Iron will in Magdeburg Bonus programme zeros in Eye on the future2009-05-02T10:05:18+02:00http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=2http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=2Closer to you Over the coming weeks, a total of 38 million euro will be paid in bonuses to Vestas’ employees as a tangible reward for their input in 2008. This year, the total sum could more than double, and greater significance is attached to local performance. Page 4 A new spirit at Hohhot An important part of Vestas’ future is now unfolding at the capital of Inner Mongolia. Page 7 A sense for service The new president of Vestas Spare Parts & Repair has a strong feel for what matters in a global distribution network. Page 17 A display of iron will Major quality improvements and a vast reduction in waste – the introduction of critical quality parameters at Vestas Castings Magdeburg has brought out the best in foundry staff. Page 28 2 VestasInside2009-05-02T10:05:18+02:00http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=3http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=3There IS light ahead of us – though some places look much brighter than others Vestas is a global company. Everyone following us knows that. That our strategy rests on three legs – North America, Asia-Pacific and Europe – well, that isn’t news either. And of course we organise and run our company in accordance with local developments in each market. Quite new, however, is the development that is currently taking place in each of the three legs. Our growth scenario is intact, although not with the same strength in all markets. Such a situation can of course not be disregarded in the way we run the company. A number of people have said that we should have adjusted and trimmed the company already in the fall of 2008 when we published our expectations for the year to come. I disagree to that. In no way did we conceal that 2009 was going to be a challenging year for Vestas. At the same time we pointed out that for us, layoffs are the absolutely last way out. This is still how it is. However, as we now realise that there is not an adequate convergence between the countries in which we have plants and the markets that are expected to purchase our products – well, that leaves us with no other choice than to adjust the company to match the conditions that are actually being offered us by these markets. The demand in Northern Europe is not big enough for us to maintain our current capacity in these markets. The lack of demand is caused both by the credit crunch and also a problematic exchange rate development for the British Pound, the Swedish Kroner and the Polish Zloty. To this comes also lack of will and desire to put up wind turbines in some of the North European markets. All in all elements that have hit the demand in the North European countries harder than expected – leading to an unavoidable negative impact on our production business units especially in Denmark, just as the blades plant on Isle of Wight, UK is affected in high scale. This means that we now start consultations and negotiations with labour unions representing the affected employees in Denmark and UK. The aim is to reduce the number of employees in Denmark and the UK by approximately 1,900. No one should doubt that I am really sorry that we have to take such drastic steps as to negotiations with the aim of laying off colleagues – and in such big numbers. I know that everyone really have worked very hard and made great efforts. A fact that naturally makes layoffs seem unbearable and incomprehensible. I am the first one to acknowledge this. It hurts, but we must always do what is best for Vestas and no matter where we are in Vestas, we always need to relate to this in an objective way. Fortunately, there is light ahead of us. Less than one week ago the British government stated, with the Minister for Energy and Environment Ed Miliband in front, that the environment challenges now will be given greater priority to a level never seen before and I have to my great satisfaction noted that especially the modern energy is placed very first on the list of the Brits. I find every reason to value this fact. The initiative promises well and therefore I sincerely hope that the Brits’ budget leads to specific orders in the months to come. As we in the past have played most matches on foreign soil – ‘away games’, if you will (whereas virtually all competitors have been blessed with the advantage of playing home games only), the challenge we are facing is to convert as many away games as we possibly can into future home games for Vestas. Because we ARE present in full scale as far as sales, production, service and so on is concerned on the principal markets which we therefore to a larger extent may regard as our home turf – the world’s as well as our largest markets, the US and China, are showing strong growth prospects which is why our huge investments in these countries continue steadily. Vestas has previously been under pressure in more markets, just as we previously have demonstrat2009-05-02T10:05:18+02:00http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=4http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=4Vestas’ bonus programme 2009: Closer to you Over the coming weeks, a total of 38 million euro will be paid in bonuses to Vestas’ employees as a tangible reward for their input in 2008. This year, the total sum could more than double, and greater significance is attached to local performance 4 VestasInside2009-05-02T10:05:18+02:00http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=5http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=5ins defacts How bonuses for 2009 will be calculated Just like in 2008, Vestas’ four overriding objectives or KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) are crucial to the bonuses for all employees. They are weighted 100 per cent for employees of Vestas’ Group staff functions, and accorded different, varying weight in other parts of the organisation. The four overriding objectives are: • An EBIT margin of 13 per cent • Net working capital of no more than 10 per cent of the turnover for the year • A turnover of EUR 7.2 billion • A customer loyalty index figure of at least 65. In the production business units, these objectives are combined with local targets for aspects such as quality, safety and cost prices. In Vestas’ sales and service business units, they are combined with goals for aspects such as safety, mean time between turbine inspections (MTBI) and turnover. The specific goals that apply for your business unit will be explained to you. In most cases, your immediate superior or your local People & Culture department will be able to answer any questions you may have. “The intention behind our bonus programme is to ensure better understanding of the relationship between the work our employees do and Vestas’ overriding strategic objectives. One way to do this is to align the targets as closely as possible with the input of each employee.” So says Roald Steen Jakobsen, President of People & Culture, regarding the changes that have been made to Vestas’ bonus programme for 2009. These changes mean that while the bonus for 2008 was based on the profits returned by the Group and by the business unit as a whole, the bonus programme this year goes one level deeper. Profits generated by the individual factory or region will also be accorded significance when calculating bonuses for 2009. This applies, for example, to areas such as safety and quality. In other words, from now on it will no longer be sufficient to maintain good safety statistics for the business unit as a whole – the number of accidents at individual factories will also be taken into account. “This is only the second year we are running the global bonus programme, and we aim to optimise the arrangement on an ongoing basis. But it is positive that we now have the capacity to measure at a more local level, as this means that we can reward the input of individual employees to an even greater extent,” states Roald Steen Jakobsen. The bonus programme was originally introduced precisely to reward Vestas employees financially for good annual results – both the financial profits and results in areas such as safety, production stability and customer loyalty. Roald Steen Jakobsen thinks that the programme plays an important role, not only as a reward for effort and commitment, but also as a means to encourage all employees to work towards the same goal. In his opinion, a more locally based bonus programme is crucial in this context. “That is why we intend to continue developing the programme so that bonuses become increasingly tied to local input.” i VestasInside 52009-05-02T10:05:18+02:00http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=6http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=6A new spirit Michael Tia n 6 VestasInside2009-05-02T10:05:18+02:00http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=7http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=7at Hohhot An important part of Vestas’ future is now unfolding in the capital of Inner Mongolia It was quite a change for Michael Tian, his wife and their 8-year-old son when they made the move from the Chinese industrial city of Tianjin to Hohhot, Inner Mongolia last year. But Michael enjoys the provincial capital, where prevailing winds keep the skies clear and the air fresh, even if the nighttime temperatures can drop to minus 30 degrees Centigrade in winter. “In the daytime we enjoy the sunshine, and then it’s only minus ten,” he laughs. Michael, 34, came to Hohhot when he was hired as a line manager with the new Vestas organisation here. It was a 600-kilometre move, but the mindset at his new job was even further from his previous work as factory manager with Siemens. VestasInside 72009-05-02T10:05:18+02:00http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=8http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=8“Siemens’ R&D was in Europe, far away from the manufacturing site in Tianjin,” Michael Tian says. “If we needed help, we would have to call Europe, and they would have to send someone to China. Here in Hohhot, we all sit together in one office where we can share information and exchange ideas. If we have any problems, we can find a solution very quickly.” Danish expats working at Hohhot feel the difference in spirit, too. “The distance from thought to action is wonderfully short,” says systems engineer John Steffensen, 62, who came to China last May. “We don’t have to struggle with a big administrative system, so we can make decisions and do what needs to be done very quickly. “Being so close to every aspect of the work here makes me feel like I am part of a whole project, rather than just one little aspect of it. I really enjoy that,” he adds. Strategically important Breaking down traditional silos and working across functions is something that characterises both the organisation and the new Vestas factory at Hohhot. The 45,000 square metre facility combines three different functions: administration, production of blades and assembly of nacelles, hub and control systems. Sales, service, technology, sourcing, quality, logistics, and health and safety are all considered part of the same team effort, and employees in many of these functions work under the same roof. It’s all about speed, agility and responsiveness to customer needs in a market with huge potential – and relentless competition. “The Chinese market is one of the most strategically important for the entire wind energy industry,” says Vestas China Vice President and Factory General Manager Lu Ming. “Almost all the international industry players are in China today, in addition to some very aggressive local wind turbine companies.” 8 VestasInside2009-05-02T10:05:18+02:00http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=9http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=9ins defacts The V60-850 kW: made in China, made for China The V60-850 kW turbine is created especially for the wind and weather conditions in Northern China, making it the first Vestas turbine ever localised to a specific market. Development took place both in China and in Denmark, and the turbine will be manufactured at the new Vestas facility at Hohhot. The turbine design was based on an existing Vestas platform, the V52-850 kW, which was upgraded and redesigned to target the large low and medium wind resources in Northern China. Wherever possible, extra customer value has been built in to the V60-850 kW. A few examples: • A larger rotor/longer blades can pull 20 per cent more power out of the wind than the V52-850 kW. • The V60-850 kW was designed for ease of transport and installation in challenging sites – and is easier and less costly to maintain. • The turbine is well prepared to withstand the extreme cold of Northern Chinese winthers. • Improvements to the V60-850 kW ensure smooth integration between the turbine and local power grid requirements. • Locally sourced components help keep the turbine’s cost low and help to develop strong local suppliers. “Customers are also becoming more and more knowledgeable about what they need,” he adds. “So the game is about understanding the customer and the competition, and about being able to take quick action to respond. “Everyone, regardless of function and leadership level, must be reading the same book and aligned in the same direction. We must have a business approach that is focused on providing value to our customers.” Beyond the Battle The new turbine will soon be going into production at the Hohhot factory (see box). The completion of two i VestasInside 92009-05-02T10:05:18+02:00http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=10http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=10Lu Ming, General Manager “Everyone, regardless of function and leadership level, must be reading the same book and aligned in the same direction.” V60-850 kW prototypes this month was a milestone that marked the formal end of what was known as the Battle for China, one of the 12 Must-Win-Battles set in motion at Vestas in 2008. The Battle team laid the foundation for the factory, the organisation and the development of the new turbine. And since market conditions are bound to change over time, the Battle spirit must continue to set the agenda at Hohhot, Lu Ming says: “We must make sure that our way of doing business is not limited to a discussion of the V60-850 kW. We must carry the Battle for China culture into the future. This, combined with strong leadership, will be a key factor to ensure sustainability.” A region with huge potential Hohhot (pop. 2.56 million) is the capital and economic centre of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China. With 40 per cent of China’s total usable wind resources, Inner Mongolia has been chosen by the national government as one of four regions in China where wind power is to be promoted. The provincial government at Hohhot is extremely interested in projects to develop this vast potential. Vestas is regarded as an industry leader here, but the company is not alone in offering its services. More than 30 companies, most of them Chinese, are vigorously competing for the chance to help increase the region’s installed capacity. In general, new construction and development projects are rapidly changing the look of the city and the capacity of its industries. The opening of the Vestas factory at Hohhot on 16 April contributes to this development, with locally sourced components, locally based customers and locally hired employees. By the end of this year, the factory is expected to employ 800 people, many of whom will be from the Hohhot area. 10 VestasInside2009-05-02T10:05:18+02:00http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=11http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=11Scroby Sands team earns safety award An offshore wind turbine is a work environment with many potential risks, but at Scroby Sands wind farm off the East coast of England, the service team have shown such strong dedication to improving the safety standards that they have been awarded a safety award from customer E.ON. The award is a by-product of E.ON’s efforts to improve their contractors’ safety handling at their sites, reducing the number of people who get hurt at work. “Perhaps the most important point for E.ON is how far Vestas have come from the early days of our relationship where we had very different views about safety issues to a team who are now very committed and very proactive and demonstrating real leadership in offshore safety,” said David Rogers, UK director for Environmental Compliance and Restoration when presenting the award. Graeme Rudd and Peter Marjoram, both from the team at Scroby Sands. More than 300 Vestas ambassadors Many Vestas employees take pride in telling students and other potential new employees about Vestas as a workplace. In fact, 331 colleagues so far have signed up to be a Vestas ambassador, a role that includes participating in job fairs and helping students on projects. But there is still room for more ambassadors, says Employer Branding Manager Birgitte Brix Andersen. She characterizes a good ambassador as someone who is passionate about Vestas, has an international mindset and would like to share his/her knowledge of Vestas as a workplace. All Vestas employees can become ambassadors, regardless of job and workplace. You can read more about the network on the intranet: People & Culture > Employer Branding > Ambassador Network VestasInside 112009-05-02T10:05:18+02:00http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=12http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=12A new reality 12 VestasInside2009-05-02T10:05:18+02:00http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=13http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=13On the surface, the nacelle in Vestas’ technology centre in Århus, Denmark, looks like any other nacelle – but what it contains is anything but ordinary Allan Molbech stretches out a hand, grasps a giant yaw motor in the nacelle and lifts it effortlessly. Allan, who is the Virtual Reality Administrator at Vestas Technology R&D, guides us around a universe he himself has helped to create, and where components that weigh tons in the real world can be moved with the lightest of touches. We are in Vestas Technology R&D’s virtual reality nacelle, which, from the outside, looks just like an ordinary V90-3.0 MW nacelle. However, when you step inside, the surroundings initially resemble the inside of a passenger aircraft with the seats removed. What you see is an empty room with a soft carpet, indirect lighting along the white, curved walls – and much more space than there is in the nacelles that Vestas’ service technicians normally have to crawl around in. However, the view changes dramatically as soon as you put on one of the special 3D helmets. All of a sudden, you find yourself inside a “normal” VestasInside 132009-05-02T10:05:18+02:00http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=14http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=14nacelle. Sensors in the helmet and in the ceiling of the nacelle register your movements and use them to transform the images you see. For example, if you want to take a peep under the generator, all you need to do is to kneel down and turn your head. This alters your line of sight and you can instantly pick out the generator, the gearbox and all the other components in the turbine. So what does Vestas intend to use this for? “In contrast to a 3D cinema presentation – which can be a great experience – it was important to us to make this a tool for our colleagues to use on a daily basis,” explains Allan Molbech. “When a designer is working on a minor change to a design, he can come into the nacelle and use Virtual Reality to see whether it will function in practice,” he continues. In addition, the nacelle gives visitors to the technology centre an opportunity to take a look at Vestas’ hi-tech products and the processes behind them. With this nacelle, Vestas has pushed back the technological boundaries once more. “When we presented our visions for working with virtual reality to the supplier, you could have heard a pin drop. Then someone said: ‘No-one has tried that before,’” recalls Allan Molbech. “But we succeeded, and are helping to cut a new trail in this field, partly because we are combining the various functions in a way that no-one has done before – and we are working with equipment that not even NASA is using yet,” he adds. The technology was used in the development of the V112-3.0 MW turbine, which involved input from colleagues from both the production and service departments. The VR nacelle allowed them to experience how the turbine design would function as a workplace for service technicians, and to comment on solutions that might cause problems in actual nacelles. The turbine could also be taken apart piece by piece and then reassembled – which was a great help in planning the future production processes. In the long term, however, the technology has even greater potential. For example, it could allow Vestas colleagues in different parts of the world to work on the same project “in the same place” and to discuss their work in the virtual universe. And virtual reality may also be used as part of the training course for Vestas’ service technicians. Almost anything is possible – when you are wearing the helmet. 14 VestasInside2009-05-02T10:05:18+02:00http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=15http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=15An innovative approach Chris Spruce, Senior Specialist for Technology R&D in London, U.K., is one of many Vestas employees cooperating with partners outside Vestas – including students and researchers – as well as with other parts of Vestas. A new Innovation Network has recently been making that task a lot easier. “Innovation Network is very useful to us. It has removed the legal and administrative work associated with forming external partnerships, so technologists can concentrate more fully on engineering work,” explains Chris Spruce. The network is anchored in Vestas Technology R&D and assists employees who form both internal and external research partnerships. The network supports the employees and ensures that all research projects are aligned with Vestas’ strategy, that the knowledge sharing between Vestas and partners is actively fostered and that all partnerships are managed – all making the partnership more rewarding for both Vestas and the partner. “Technology R&D has expanded massively over the last few years and there has been a greater demand to coordinate on research activities in a structured way. Innovation Network is the central place between IPR, Legal, project managers, specialists and of course partners,” says Zoe Moore, Innovation Network Manager. And the structured approach is paying off for the colleagues. “Working in Singapore, the network allows me to easily locate and find partners worldwide. They compare the capabilities of possible partners and help me ensure that we choose the best partners. It is also effective in helping us engineers focus on the real work while they iron out the details of non-disclosure agreements and project agreements,” says Senior R&D Engineer Jian Huei Choo, Technology R&D. So far Global Research in Vestas Technology R&D alone is involved with over 100 research partners globally, including leading academic institutions such as Cambridge, MIT, Tsinghua and Colorado. ins defacts Virtual reality is a technology that makes it possible to move and act in computer-simulated environments displayed in genuine 3D. Most people are probably largely familiar with virtual reality from the entertainment industry – in the context of computer games, for example – but the technology is also used in connection with product design in a variety of sectors. i VestasInside 152009-05-02T10:05:18+02:00http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=16http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=1616 VestasInside2009-05-02T10:05:18+02:00http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=17http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=17A sense for service The new president of Vestas Spare Parts & Repair has a strong feel for what matters in a global distribution network Phil Jones has an inescapable enthusiasm for the enormous task that awaits him. Through 16 years of working for US aerospace companies – the last five for Honeywell Aerospace at their locations in France and Switzerland – he has gained a strong sense for what a successful, customer-oriented service organisation is all about. And he is keen to implement that at Vestas. “US aerospace companies have a mature service mentality. Complicated things have to be repaired very quickly because you can’t have assets not operating. It’s the same philosophy with wind,” he says. Capability building Phil started in his new position as President of Vestas Spare Parts & Repair on VestasInside 172009-05-02T10:05:18+02:00http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=18http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=18“It is important that, when people walk into one of our workshops round the world, they immediately understand that it is part of the same family and has the same ideals and processes,” says Phil Jones, President, Vestas Spare Parts & Repair. 1 January. His primary challenge is to build up the organisation and capabilities of the global spare parts and repair service that previously was part of Vestas Nacelles but, today, is a Vestas company in its own right. The existing spare parts and repair service is patchy. Some of the sales business units (SBUs) have established their own regional repair organisations. Each have their own warehouses dotted round the world. “It is a disjointed model by evolution rather than by design. We will be pull- ing that together to develop a global distribution network with regional hubs and depots closer to the customers,” Phil explains. Master Black Belt As a Six Sigma Master Black Belt, Phil has process improvement embedded in him. Tools for understanding data, measurements and goals, defining work processes and making improvements stick have long been integrated in his way of working. Now he expects them to be an invaluable aid again. “There are a lot of practical things in the Black Belt training that stop you going down blind alleys and help you focus people on what they should be doing – to look at the doughnut instead of the hole. I will be encouraging people to do that,” he says. Drawing people together from across the SBUs and spreading the right message are top priorities for 2009. A strong culture that crosses many geographical locations is essential to secure the customer benefits that Vestas Spare Parts & Repairs was set up to bring: on-time delivery of components 18 VestasInside2009-05-02T10:05:18+02:00http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=19http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=19ins defacts Phil Jones’ career has been more varied than most since he took a degree in mechanical engineering at the Polytechnic of Wales. After following up with a postgraduate diploma in business studies, he has worked with sales, product management, and customer service and support and run aircraft repair shops. Wales remains his home, and he spends each weekend there with his wife, daughter and two sons. for maximum turbine uptime and the lowest Cost of Energy. Phil expects to spend a lot of his time travelling around the Vestas Spare Parts and Repairs locations and teams to bring that unifying culture to life. “It is important that, when people walk into one of our workshops round the world, they immediately understand that it is part of the same family and has the same ideals and processes.” European head office While the organisation Phil heads is currently predominantly Denmark- based, a suitable location is currently being sought for a head office somewhere in Europe. The aim is to find a location capable of attracting a diversity of necessary skill sets – and still in easy reach of Denmark. “Service is a growing industry,” comments Phil. “But I’m always conscious that to build up a service mentality, we have to do it Lean. How many people we employ and how many factories we have are of no consequence. It’s about adding value for customers, shareholders and, of course, employees.” i VestasInside 192009-05-02T10:05:18+02:00http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=20http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=20Welcoming the expats The Vestas International Club gives new colleagues an introduction not only to the company, but also to an entirely new country 20 VestasInside2009-05-02T10:05:18+02:00http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=21http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=21“When I moved to Denmark from the United States in 2006 the transition was not easy,” explains Judi Sandwick, Cash Manager in the Treasury department based in Randers. “One of my colleagues helped me get settled but there was not enough support from human resources at the time.” Today, Judi is member of The Vestas International Club. The club began as the brainchild of one of Vestas’ most culturally diverse departments, Technology R&D in Denmark, but has grown to a network of more than 140 members from various business units and all corners of the world. “The purpose of the club is to build a social network for expats, to help their spouse find work, to establish a buddy system and to form procedures and initiate cooperation with associations that help expats in Denmark,” describes Jette Lydersen, Manager for Development & Culture, People & Culture, Technology R&D, who founded the International Club in 2008. Filling in a gap “The addition of the club provides a really needed support system for foreign employees. I was really happy to see it created and it is really necessary for expats to help them understand Danish culture and what it is like to move to a different country,” says Judi Sandwick. Often the best resources for a new colleague from a foreign country are other colleagues who have been through the same experiences. “You often don’t know what you don’t know,” describes Sandwick. “What a CPR number is and how to get one, the best places to shop, the intricacies of leasing an apartment; unless you have been through the experience it is difficult to imagine the hurdles that a foreigner faces when trying to integrate. It’s nice to see the International Club filling in some of those gaps.” The International Club aims to offer social and lifestyle support for foreign colleagues and their families. Other departments handle issues with visas, payment and relocation. The club’s activities include arranging outings such as a family trip to Copenhagen planned for this August and a turbine climb which will take place in June. The intranet page offers links to noteworthy destinations throughout Denmark and Northern Europe, cultural courses and a link to their Facebook group where you can chat with other foreigners working for Vestas in Denmark. A helping hand The club’s appeal has reached all the way to the top. President of Vestas Spare Parts & Repair, Phil Jones, joined Vestas in January 2009 and as a foreigner (he is Welsh), joined the International Club as one of his first orders of business. “I look forward to helping in any way I can,” described Phil Jones. “I have lived and worked in Switzerland and France and now Denmark as well so I would be happy to share what I have learned through living and working abroad.” And that is what the club is all about – colleagues learning from each other to help ease the transition into a new job, home and country. To join the International Club, email GRPPCVestasInternationalClub@ vestas.com – or visit the intranet page for more information: VestasIndex > People & Culture > Global Mobility Centre > Vestas International Club VestasInside 212009-05-02T10:05:18+02:00http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=22http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=22Colorado digging in Their Royal Highnesses the Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Denmark were among the guests, when Vestas played host on 26 March to a ground-breaking ceremony for two manufacturing facilities – a nacelle assembly factory and blade factory – in Brighton, Colorado. Ole Borup Jakobsen, President of Vestas Blades, was among the Vestas representatives at the event, which was also attended by Colorado Governor Bill Ritter. “Today is a bright spot for us and for our economic development efforts. Vestas is very much one of the earliest companies that really understood our vision here in Colorado to build a newenergy economy,” said Bill Ritter. “We believe we can develop jobs and create jobs and at the same time create a clean energy path forward. Our first economic success has been with Vestas.” The factories will employ about 1,350 people once fully operational in 2010. 100 workplaces saved in Scotland After months of negotiations between Vestas and Skykon, the sale of Vestas Towers’ factory in Campbeltown in Scotland was officially announced. The formal takeover took place 1 April 2009. Vestas proposed ceasing of production in August 2008 and the decision was taken as the factory was not dimensioned for products which make up an increasing part of the market. Shortly after, Vestas received an offer from Skykon regarding a possible takeover of the facility as an ongoing concern. The past months Vestas has been working on saving the workplaces in Campbeltown and with the sale to Skykon, this has now been accomplished. “Vestas is very grateful to the employees at the Campbeltown facility, who all have been very loyal to Vestas and maintained production during this very uncertain period,” said President Knud Bjarne Hansen, Vestas Towers, when the takeover was celebrated. “It is fantastic news for workers and their families. It is fantastic news for Campbeltown and the local economy,” said Scottish First Minister, Alex Salmond at the event. 22 VestasInside2009-05-02T10:05:18+02:00http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=23http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=23Adiba is off to a concert – will it be you next time? Vestas Quiz Adiba Nielsen, a Technical Assistant at Vestas Nacelles in Ringkøbing, Denmark, k can start looking forward to an evening of live music because she won the quiz in the last issue of VestasInside – and received a pair of tickets to a concert. Like many other quiz participants, Adiba knew that Vestas’ aim is to be able to produce 10,000 MW in 2010. And now we have another pair of concert tickets to give away. To participate this time, simply answer the following question: Which country was Vestas’ biggest market in 2008? a) The United States b) China c) Spain Mail your answer to vestasinside@vestas.com no later than 1 June – and check the next issue of VestsInside to see if you are the lucky winner. VestasInside 232009-05-02T10:05:18+02:00http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=24http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=24V E S TA S EXCELLENCE: An excellent start Eight new Excellence Centres are to align and optimize the way Vestas works – but what exactly do they do? PRODUCTION EXCELLENCE Per Thiesen Vice President What is the principal objective of Production Excellence? “We are to support the work to introduce Lean Six Sigma in Vestas’ production units so as to make sure that all areas are working with the same focus on improvements in order to ensure that we operate world-class production. At the same time, we focus on how we, in other areas of the value chain, can help reduce the time between order and finished product so as to increase Vestas’ total output. We do this, for example, by contributing to improving the working relationship between Production Engineering at the production business units and Technology R&D, or by optimising other internal processes.” 24 VestasInside2009-05-02T10:05:18+02:00http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=25http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=25PROCESS EXCELLENCE Per Thiesen Vice President What is the principal objective of Process Excellence? “Our task is to establish and develop a structure and a culture in which we focus continuously on improving the way we do business. This demands unambiguous definition of all business processes, as well as clear ownership and role distribution in connection with the processes. Process Excellence is to control the business processes in all parts of Vestas, and to ensure uniformity. Moreover, we are to develop guidelines and tools for the work on improvement projects, based on Lean Six Sigma, and to ensure the best conditions for the dissemination of best practice throughout the Vestas organisation.” For instance, in China the long lead time from order to commissioning is the key constraint for increasing sales. By analyzing this part of the value chain, the processes with the longest lead times have been identified. Through improvement workshops, the work structure has been improved and organized with clear roles and responsibilities, ensuring that the overall lead time is reduced.” How much progress have you made in your work? “We are consolidating and continuing to build on the work that was previously positioned under Continuous Improvement at Group People & Culture, and Business Process Management at Group Finance and Operations. Process owners have now been appointed for all the business processes, and they met for the first time in April. Following on from this, we will work closely with them to introduce and support the process-oriented culture that is essential for Vestas to achieve its strategic goals.” Who at Vestas will be affected by your work? “Very few Vestas employees will experience a direct influence of the work done by Process Excellence. However, because our work covers all areas of the business at Vestas, many tasks and processes in the everyday work of individual employees will be affected by our work to optimise the business processes.” VestasInside 25 How much progress have you made in your work? “We are continuing to build on the results of last year’s Must-Win-Battle, Production Excellence. This involves ongoing work to build up a culture in which we constantly focus on reducing time consumption, costs and errors in all processes. For example, this involves training the local employees and managers in using the different improvement tools so that we can reduce the costs per megawatt and help Vestas to achieve its goals.” Who at Vestas will be affected by your work? “Everyone who works with production at Vestas will come into contact with Lean and Six Sigma, and to achieve success with Production Excellence it is essential that development is driven forward by the employees who work at the factories on an everyday basis. Without their input and commitment, we will be unable to achieve the good results.”2009-05-02T10:05:18+02:00http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=26http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=26SALES EXCELLENCE Søren Madsen Senior Vice President What is the principal objective of Sales Excellence? “Briefly put, our job is to support the sections of the Vestas organisation that work with our customers, i.e. make sure that the sales process creates value for the customer, and to provide our colleagues with the best support so as to facilitate their work and allow the business to grow. The customers express their requirements to our sales organisation, and our task is to interpret and react to these demands so that we can supply what the customers want. In practice, we do this by creating a shared strategy, uniform structures and processes, and by improving skills. We also support the sales organisation by introducing tools such as Key Account Management, and by otherwise making the sales process better and more efficient for us and for our customers.” How much progress have you made in your work? “The Must-Win-Battle, Sales Excellence, from last year has laid the foundations of our work – in the field of Key Account Management, for example, and in the work to define our three ‘Must-Dos’. These are to lower the Cost of Energy, ensure Business Case Certainty, and make sure that we are Easy to work with. These are the areas we are now to continue working on, for example by analysing our customers’ requirements in more depth and ensuring that our working relationship runs smoothly. It is also important that we support knowledge sharing between the separate sales business units, as this will help us disseminate the best solutions to all parts of the organisation.” Who at Vestas will be affected by your work? “Our work will have an influence on all employees of Vestas’ sales units – from the President to the newest addition to the staff. All the employees in the organisation have a role to play in relation to sales, so we will be working not only with the front line sales staff, but with the entire organisation.” ins defacts Vestas has eight Excellence Centres in total: • Sales Excellence • Production Excellence • Service Excellence • Process Excellence • Sourcing Excellence • Construction Excellence • Quality Excellence • Transport and Logistics Excellence – read more about the last four in the next issue of VestasInside. 26 VestasInside i2009-05-02T10:05:18+02:00http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=27http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=27SERVICE EXCELLENCE John Nielsen Vice President What is the principal objective of Service Excellence? “In short: develop and drive a service business that supports the No 1 in Modern Energy strategy. We will do this by offering the service products our customers demands at competitive prices and on balanced terms. Then deliver what we have sold in time, in scope, and according to specification agreed upon. Service Excellence will make sure Vestas is capable of doing the right things during the life cycle of operating turbines. And yes, it’s all about risk and money whether you are a customer, Vestas or one of our owners. As customers pay our salaries, customer satisfaction is the leading star also for service.” How much progress have you made in your work? “Service Excellence has been around for almost two years, and a major effort has been to create a new structure for Vestas’ global service offering – the AOM concept – securing we always have the right products, which will be a continuous task. Along with Group Finance and Operations we have developed a range of indicators that will help both manage and optimize the service business. We have also developed the Vestas Site Management Model which covers all the processes related to the planning and execution of turbine maintenance, and relating this to SAP tools and Mayflower rollout. Also, Service Excellence has developed the new Vestas Customer Portal (VCP), which is now being implemented. The continuous development of VCP will be another task moving forward.” Who at Vestas will be affected by your work? “Currently we are around 3,900 people working with service in Vestas. I believe all in some way or the other will be influenced by our efforts, right from the service technician in the turbine to the Vice President of Service – to make sure that all are aligned, up to speed, and not least customer focused. Much of this will happen by having a close dialogue with both Service VPs and other key functions in the service organisations in the SBUs, as well as interacting in specific projects regarding processes, products and performance. This kind of collaboration is crucial for changing and improving our global service business. But we also work closely with colleagues in Vestas Spare Parts and Repair, various departments in Technology R&D, and most of the group functions. It will be a key to success that we use all inputs, share knowledge and work together across functions.” VestasInside 272009-05-02T10:05:18+02:00http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=28http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=28A display of iron will 28 VestasInside2009-05-02T10:05:18+02:00http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=29http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=29ins defacts Vestas in Magdeburg Vestas Castings in Magdeburg, Germany, is part of Vestas Nacelles and produces heavy cast components, primarily rotor hubs, bearing housings and torque arms. As of 31 December 2008, the foundry had 117 employees. Foundry workers at Vestas Castings in Magdeburg are hard pushed to remember a time when continuous quality improvements were not part of their everyday work. Opportunities to do the job better have, as far as they are concerned, always been an important motivator. Major quality improvements and a vast reduction in waste – the introduction of critical quality parameters at Vestas Castings Magdeburg has brought out the best in foundry staff By fine-tuning specifications for incoming raw materials and stepping up the evaluation of casting processes, the Magdeburg staff have upped the quality of key components such as But something has happened over the past year. The introduction of 130 process CTQs – critical to quality parameters – has pushed foundry standards to a new level. Four Sigma to be precise. i rotor hubs and cut waste to just 1.7 per cent. Not bad when you consider the challenges involved in controlling the quality of cast iron components that weigh somewhere between 100 and 11,000kg and are produced from 17,000 tonnes of raw materials a year. Steffen Hupfeld, Quality Manager, is the man who ensures the right specifications are in place to meet the high quality standards. That means having VestasInside 292009-05-02T10:05:18+02:00http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=30http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=30ins defacts The Four Sigma goal Four Sigma was the goal for all four of Vestas’ production business units in 2008. At the start of the year, just 30 per cent of Vestas Nacelles’ 367 CTQs were at Four Sigma level. Twelve months later the situation was very different. Vestas Nacelles was 100 per cent on target and already making progress on a series of new CTQs introduced in the third quarter. an ongoing dialogue with the people on the factory floor. “Factory staff are closely involved in defining the CTQs, and they are also responsible for informing the foreman if there is a deviation,” he says. “In the case of difficult CTQ questions, we have a lot of support possibilities, for example the raw material suppliers and special test laboratories. Production is a living system, and we have to improve all the time.” Employees driving improvements A large number of CTQs relate to the raw materials. One in particular concerns the presence of a specific trace element in the iron, which has been found to have a negative impact on the structure of thick-wall castings. Now they keep this in check through chemical analyses, which has stabalised quality markedly. In the shop floor discussions about scrap reduction, persistence has proven a real virtue, says Steffen. The dialogue and investigations have simply continued until goals are achieved. For example, shrinkage, caused by errors in the casting volume, was a major contributor to foundry scrap levels – but not anymore following implementation of the appropriate CTQs. “This defect, detected by ultrasonics, has almost disappeared over the past year,” says Steffen. Many small initiatives have added up to big changes at Magdeburg. But there is no doubt what really lies behind the Four Sigma achievement. The strong commitment of foundry employees has made the changes count. 30 VestasInside i2009-05-02T10:05:18+02:00http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=31http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=31Towering expectations Today – Vestas’ largest ever construction site. From 2010 – the largest tower factory in the world. In the flat landscape around Pueblo, Colorado, in the United States, a record-breaking construction project is underway. Here, in the heart of the North Ameri- can continent, the factory is to process a staggering 200,000 tons of steel every year, and this makes high demands on the facilities. For example, the construction site covers more than 1.2 million square metres, which is equivalent to 150 football pitches. When completed, the roofed production area will comprise more than 40,000 square metres. The transport of materials and finished products also places high demands on the infrastructure, with a total of 12.8 km of railway tracks being laid in the factory area alone. VestasInside 312009-05-02T10:05:18+02:00http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=32http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=32No more waiting for the crane Lean Conversion of the new generator factory in Tianjin has gone so well that the factory is already rated “Best in Class” within Vestas Nacelles Mobile phone games were one way to fill out the time while operators at the Tianjin 2 MW generator factory waited until the semi-manufactured rotors reached their part of the production line. That was when it took six hours to produce one rotor. Now it takes two hours and fifty minutes with five fewer operators. Mobile phones are packed away, and the operators are able to work efficiently right through their shift. Training in Lean standard work has made all the difference. “We used to waste a lot of time,” says Jacky Fan Yang, Lean Change Agent in Tianjin. “We had nine processes in rotor production, and they were not in balance. After the standard work training, we calculated that the standard ‘takt time’* should be two hours and fifty minutes. Then we designed a new layout, reduced the number of work stations from nine to seven, eliminated lots of waste and designed special tools to replace the crane, which had contributed to the long waiting time between processes.” 32 VestasInside2009-05-02T10:05:18+02:00http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=33http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=33Young and efficient Production at the Tianjin 2 MW generator factory started in 2008. Since then, the 200-strong staff have succeeded in making it a very efficient factory. The 850 kW generator factory under construction on a neighbouring site will go into operation in September this year. ins defacts Similar improvements have been achieved on the stator line, enabling the factory to reach its production target. The five operators released from 2 MW generator production will be transferred to the new 850 kW generator factory currently under construction next door. Kresten Ovesen, who has run the Lean training with Thierry Masson, praises the Tianjin staff for their magnificent effort. “They took this on board from day one and have maintained a disciplined approach. During each shift, management walks through the factory ensuring that problems are solved immediately.” “The operators also enjoy their smooth, Lean work processes,” says Jacky. “People now come to the factory to work, not to wait around. It is much more satisfying.” * Takt time matches the time to produce a part or finished product to the pace of sales and is the basis for allocating work among employees. Conversion to Lean In Tianjin, around 20 members of staff participated in the Lean training, which comprises a series of week-long modules. Standard work is one of the most important Lean Conversion tools. By establishing an efficient workflow in terms of safety, quality, quantity and cost, it provides the basis for continuous improvement and enables correct application of other Lean tools. i VestasInside 332009-05-02T10:05:18+02:00http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=34http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=34The customer has spoken – so listen Find out what the customer expects – and then make sure to deliver. The formula for improved customer loyalty is simple. Now it is a matter of applying it in practice Turn the spotlight on the customer, put yourself in the customer’s position, or perhaps simply “be customer-focused.” The list of clichés about how best to look after customers is almost endless – at Vestas, too. But how can you turn good intentions into practical action? Much of this task has been placed on the shoulders of Group Marketing & Customer Insight. Morten Albæk, Senior Vice President, heads up this new Group staff function that was established at the beginning of the year. In his opinion, the first step of the process is quite simple: find out what the customer wants. “It sounds almost self-evident, but companies often tend to forget that the customer is the starting point for their business. That is why there is little reason to celebrate when we create an exceptional piece of technology. We should wait until the technology in question has proved its worth to the customer, and the customer acknowledges this. Not until that moment can we claim with credibility that we have developed an exceptional piece of technology” he explains. “The same applies in the context of marketing. Here, we should measure our work on how relevant the customers find the information we provide them with – and not on whether we win awards for our creativity from our peers,” continues Morten Albæk. It is precisely to be able to use input from customers as the basis for improving working relationships that the work with customer loyalty analysis and Customer Dialogues has been transferred to the new staff function. The same applies to the work with Vestas’ Value Proposition, describing the value and advantages that Vestas gives customers, as well as the roll-out of the new shared system for Customer Relationship Management. “Our customers are telling us – most recently in this year’s loyalty survey – that they are keen to enter into close working relationships with us. 34 VestasInside2009-05-02T10:05:18+02:00http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=35http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=35ins defacts Group Marketing & Customer Insight comprises four departments: • Customer Experience – responsible for Vestas’ Value Proposition, Customer Excellence Board and Customer Dialogues • CRM and Customer Intelligence – responsible for Customer Relationship Management and Customer and Market Analysis. • Strategy and Planning – responsible for Market Strategy and Campaign Management. • Concepts and Ideas – responsible for Visual Identity, Idea Lab, Online Marketing and Communities, Offline and Product Marketing and Exhibitions and Events. Senior Vice President Morten Albæk. At the same time, they are making it clear that it is not easy to work with us. So we have a lot of work to do to remedy this, ensuring customers want to partner with us and ensuring that we deliver the intimacy which is a prerequisite for a close partnership,” says Morten Albæk. He goes on to emphasise that the task is largely to be dealt with locally in Vestas’ business units. The central function is simply to deliver the tools to make the work easier, and to react to the input that the business units provide. For this reason, staff from the Group Marketing & Customer Insight department are to be physically positioned in each of the sales and service business units. In addition, the marketing budgets will from 2010 be divided so that the biggest markets – today and in the future – receive the largest slice of the cake. “These are measures that reflect the fact that the actual conditions and markets of the local business units are what we need to relate to,” explains Morten Albæk. Another key principle of the work is to increase focus on Vestas’ 100 most important customers. Vestas’ performance in relation to these customers will be traced with regular follow-ups and a “dashboard” that illustrates the customers’ most recent assessments of their working relationships with Vestas. The intention here is to ensure that Vestas can deal with any problems without delay. “We will not become more customeroriented by spouting trendy buzzwords to each other. We need to change and development our company’s systems, processes, incentive structures and strategies, so that they to an even greater extent are based on our customers’ needs and reality,” stresses Morten Albæk. In the long term, the new initiatives are to ensure that Vestas customers are more than satisfied and loyal customers – they are to become ambassadors for Vestas, recommending partnering with the company. The work to achieve that objective may well prove to be long and tough. “If we want to be number one in our industry and a strong global energy brand, there is only one way to go. And that is to become the most customer-focused company in our sector.” President and CEO meeting the customers Vestas must move closer to its customers, and this is a philosophy that involves everyone. For this reason, the plan is for Vestas’ senior management – including Ditlev Engel, President and CEO – to meet Vestas’ largest customers at least once a year. In addition, Vestas’ largest customers will be invited to attend annual “Wind Camps” that will provide an opportunity to discuss how partnerships between Vestas and customers can be improved. i VestasInside 352009-05-02T10:05:18+02:00http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=36http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=36Vestas Central Europe: The big leap 36 VestasInside2009-05-02T10:05:18+02:00http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=37http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=37From a position as one of the worst performing sales business units in 2008, a focused effort has meant record improvements in the loyalty scores in Vestas Central Europe in 2009 ins defacts Core principles of the changes in Vestas Central Europe • Regular meetings between Customer Relationship Managers and customers • Close follow-up, logging all actions taken • Keeping track of the customer’s “loyalty pulse” by recording the customer’s actual state of satisfaction on a frequent basis • Proactive communication with the customer, including updates on improvements in Mean Time Between Inspections (MTBI) Vestas Central Europe stands out when looking at the results of this year’s loyalty survey among Vestas’ customers. Results that show Vestas Central Europe almost doubling its loyalty index in this year’s survey. This vast improvement is the result of a multipronged strategy which was rolled out in July 2008. Awareness was – and is – a keyword. “We launched a campaign in our organisation aimed at creating awareness of the importance of customer loyalty and of motivating customers to partici- i pate in the annual survey,” says Katrin Jacobi, Dialogue for Development Manager in Vestas Central Europe. One of the steps in the campaign was to assess the individual customer expectations and needs by having a close dialogue with them. Internally, the core message to all employees was clear: “It was very important to change the mindset of the employees and make them understand that whether they climb a turbine or answer the phone, they should keep in mind that our VestasInside 372009-05-02T10:05:18+02:00http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=38http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=38ins defacts respondents in the 2009 Customer Loyalty Survey in terms of cooperation with Vestas. In addition, the business unit has the highest score on the parameter “Easy to Work With.” One point of contact One reason behind the result could be the organisational changes that were implemented when the unit established the Customer Relationship Manager function. Customer Relationship Managers ensure that all major customers have a single point of contact in Vestas – regardless of whether the customer is in the sales or service phase. A total of 515 respondents from 350 customers took part in Vestas’ Customer Loyalty Survey 2009. The survey was carried out in December 2008 and January 2009 and the results show an overall loyalty index of 52, short of the target of 60, but up from the result in 2008, which was 46. “The Customer Relationship Managers are the advocates of the customers within Vestas. They will not stop running until the customer’s problem has been solved,” says Katrin Jacobi. She adds that the close dialogue with the customers has also led to improved teamwork among the employees. “The Customer Relationship Managers must overcome the internal barriers in Vestas that the customers might have experienced earlier. Along with the new setup, we have tried to make all the employees understand that this is teamwork. It is like playing soccer; it only works when you are a team.” customers are watching, listening and finally honouring our effort,” says Katrin Jacobi. The focused approach worked. Customers of Vestas Central Europe were some of the most satisfied among all 38 VestasInside i2009-05-02T10:05:18+02:00http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=39http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=39my Vestas The heat of summer and the cold of winter. This time, Vestas colleagues have focused on the changing of the seasons In Thenksai in the Indian province of Tamil Nadu, Aswim Cumar from Corporate Social Responsibility in India met these women, who are at work cleaning chillies. On a trip to the beach with his family, Finn Dybro Kallehauge of Master Data Management at Technology R&D enjoyed both a refreshing dip in the water and the sight of Vestas turbines in the distance. Ole Juulsgaard, Master Machine Technician and Installation Supervisor at Vestas Northern Europe, sent in this picture from a cold site in Bliekevare, Sweden. VestasInside 392009-05-02T10:05:18+02:00http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=40http://nozebra.ipapercms.dk/Vestas/VestasInside/UK/022009/?Page=40Editors: Peter Wenzel Kruse (editor-in-chief), Peter Gisselmann Rasmussen. VestasInside is an international magazine for Vestas staff, and is published in English, Danish, German, Italian, Spanish and Chinese. This edition closed: 28 April 2009 Print run: 21.000 Text: Anne Nielsen, Cath Mersh, Rina D’Angelo and Peter Gisselmann Rasmussen. VestasInside is published by Vestas Wind Systems A/S, Alsvej 21, 8940 Randers SV., Denmark Tel. +45 9730 0000 – Fax: +45 9730 0001 www.vestas.com UK2009-05-02T10:05:18+02:00