CLGO 2013 Complete China Factory Field Trip

Since 2010, CLGO would organize field study in different factories around China. This not only expanded CLGO influence in manufacturing circles, but also exposed students to various management styles and company cultures, providing information for their future career choice. The field trip of this year was distinctive in route-choosing. It shifted from the south to the west of China, moving into local famous industries like SANY Industry, China Grand Enterprise, Fiat, Pratt & Whitney, Dell and TIMKEN.

On September 1st, 2014, CLGO 2013 students came to Sany Heavy Industry (SANY) in Changsha, Hunan province, unveiling the manufacturing trip to west Chian. Sany Heavy Industry was established in 1994 by Sany Group. After years of development, SANY now has been recognized and trusted as one of the leading brands of crane machineries and land drilling machineries in China and established itself as one of biggest manufacturers of concrete pumps in the world.

CLGO students were warmly received by SANY managers and showed to control center first. There they learnt how monitoring system was working to keep safe operation of equipment. Then students came to its assembling plant which astonished them of its garden-like view. Trees, benches, springs and ponds, the assembly line was surrounded by those enjoyable features and worked in good order. This showed SANY special attention to working environment and distinctive company culture. After visiting the factory, students communicated with SANY executives about what they saw. Ms. Chen Shuang, director of liaison department introduced general information of SANY and Mr. Chen Xinde, engineer of lean quality department, gave a detailed explanation on “five steps to excellence” managing system. Students also discussed about SANY global strategy, upgrading transformation, lean management and marketing with executives.

In the afternoon, CLGO students came to China Grand Enterprises (CGE) in Changsha High Technology District. CGE’s made innovation and protection of life as the doctrine of their corporate. Students visited product exhibit, office building, manufacturing plant, control center and “New Ark Hotel” in CGE, the last one was built only in 6 days with CGE’s new building technology. In product exhibit, quality manager introduced their latest air detector, air purifier and central air-conditioning to students and answered their questions. Students got better and deeper understanding of CGE’s product structure and managing idea. During the visit, artistic posters and sculptures attracted students and overthrew the traditional old-style impression to manufacturing industries. Zhang Yue, president of CGE, majored in painting believed that, only an honorable person with a serious attitude can lead CGE move forward steadily. Although he had personal airplane and luxury cars, he seldom used them for environmentally-friendly low-carbon lifestyle.

On September 2nd, CLGO students arrived at GAC Fiat in Changsha, which was established in 2010 with 50: 50 shareholder proportions between GAC and Fiat. During the visit, students were all attracted by one unique herringbone building -- WCM (World Class Manufacturing). The product line and staff office were located on each side and intersected at the quality center, emphasizing on efficient and high-quality working. Then students were showed to stamping workshop, welding workshop and assembling workshop. There were several hundred of robots working in the workshop, which realized automatic production to 65%. The modernized and comfortable working environment left a deep impression on students’ minds. After the visit, several senior executives talked heatedly with CLGO students about operation, supply line, market competition and prospects for future. They all gained a lot from the communication.

On the next day, CLGO students came to Chengdu with no break and visited Pratt & Whitney Aerotech Manufacturing (Chengdu) Co., Ltd. It was established in Feb 1996 and was the first Sino-foreign equity joint venture in Chinese aviation industry. CLGO students first learnt the development and general information of Pratt & Whitney. Then they visited workshop and witnessed how precise components were processed with special crafts like vacuum brazing, vacuum furnace, plasma spraying, NDT (non-destructive test), magnetic particle test, and electrical sparking. They were all impressed by those eye-opening top technologies. As usual, students had opportunities to ask managers questions on their supply chain and crafts and got satisfactory answers.

On the afternoon, students visited TIMKEN (Chengdu). Timken Company was founded in 1899 in America and soon developed into an international company. It was known for its quality products like bearings, transmissions and applied its deep knowledge of metallurgy to improve reliability and efficiency of machinery and equipment. TIMKEN (Chengdu) was its first aero equipment factory in China and mainly produce auxiliary power system and tapered roller bearing. Manager from quality and engineering department showed CLGO students around the workshop and elaborated on production and quality test process to them. He also introduced lean production method like visible monitoring and emergency response system. Managers from HR, operation and supply chain welcomed students and introduced TIMKEN’s strategy, market and talent resource to them. They shared lean production improvements made in operation and discussed with students on how to control and maintain stable quality. At last, senior manager from supply chain introduced their purchasing, logistic and storage policy with value stream mapping and exchanged views on exploiting new supplier and shortening production cycle. 

On September 4th, CLGO students reached their last destination, DELL (Chengdu). As CLGO partner industry, DELL supervisors in charge of operation department and quality department introduced their business in China at first. After learning general information of Chengdu operation center, students visited its workshop. The lean-level of assembly line was very high and the working station was also well-organized. DELL has realized “zero storage” with its strict-managed storage policy, which really impressed CLGO students. CLGO students and DELL managers discussed about questions they interested like operation, management, supply chain and corporate culture in heated atmospheres. The meeting ended in laughter and CLGO students gave gifts to DELL to show their gratitude. CLGO west field trip also finished with a satisfactory ending.

Close to market and focus on practice, SJTU-CLGO educated talents to future employers’ needs. The annual factory field trip was just a case in point.