Success Stories
European Standards,
Turkish Execution
That’s why SME and mid-market company leaders trust us with their Turkish business challenges.
Case Studies
Real transition missions across manufacturing — the situation,
the methodology, and the measurable results.
Situation
A French-owned automotive parts manufacturer with a production facility in İzmir was experiencing a sharp decline in operational performance. OEE had dropped below 55%, scrap rates exceeded 8%, and delivery delays were becoming systematic. The plant had lost its production director unexpectedly, and an internal interim manager failed to stabilize the situation. Headquarters in Lyon was under pressure from the main OEM customer, who threatened to remove volumes. Communication between the French HQ and the Turkish plant had broken down, leading to distrust and finger-pointing.
Methodology
Bosphorus Transition Partners deployed an interim Industrial Director within 72 hours. The first two weeks consisted of an immersive on-site assessment using Gemba walks, KPI audits (QCDP), and structured interviews with operators, shift leaders, and union representatives. A rapid diagnostic identified three root causes: lack of daily management routines, poorly defined standard work, and no-reactive maintenance. The team implemented a lean daily management system with tiered meetings (shift → cell → plant), established visual KPIs, and launched a 30-day quick-win program focused on changeover reduction and line balancing. A 180-day structural plan included TPM deployment and a supervisory skills program.
Results
Within three months, OEE improved from 55% to 72%, scrap was reduced by 35%, and on-time delivery reached 94%. The interim director transferred knowledge to a newly hired local production manager. The relationship between HQ and the plant shifted from conflict to collaboration.
55 → 72%
OEE improvement
−35%
Scrap reduction
94%
On-time delivery
Situation
A mid-sized Turkish-German metal processing joint-venture was facing a severe profitability crisis. Raw material costs had risen, but internal inefficiencies were the real driver: high work-in-process inventory, frequent machine downtime, and a fragmented quality system. The company had no clear performance culture. Internal tensions between the German headquarters and the Turkish management team had led to a complete lack of alignment on priorities. The CEO was considering closing the plant.
Methodology
Bosphorus Transition Partners conducted a four-week industrial and organizational consulting engagement. The team performed a value stream mapping of the entire production flow, from raw material to finished goods. A structured root-cause analysis revealed that 40% of downtime was due to unplanned maintenance and lack of standardized changeover procedures. The methodology included: daily stand-up meetings, OEE tracking by shift, a 5S program across three pilot cells, and a simple visual management board for production KPIs. A cross-functional workshop involving both German and Turkish managers re-established shared objectives and a joint action plan.
Results
In six months, the plant reduced work-in-process inventory by 28%, increased machine availability by 18%, and improved first-pass yield from 87% to 93%. The profitability crisis was averted, and the CEO reversed the closure decision. The German headquarters adopted the same visual management system in two of its domestic plants. The local team reported higher engagement and clearer direction.
−28%
WIP inventory
+18%
Machine availability
87 → 93%
First-pass yield
Saved
Closure reversed
Situation
A Turkish plastics manufacturer supplying white goods and automotive segments was suffering from chronic quality complaints from two major customers. The rejection rate at customer incoming inspection had reached 5.5%, triggering a formal supplier quality alert. Internally, the quality department was understaffed and lacked authority. Production supervisors bypassed quality checks to meet daily output targets. The company had no real-time quality data system, and corrective actions were never sustained. The managing director needed an urgent transformation but did not want to hire a permanent quality director.
Methodology
Bosphorus Transition Partners provided a part-time Complex Project Management & Consulting intervention focused on quality turnaround. The first two weeks involved a rapid diagnostic: process mapping of three high-rejection lines, Pareto analysis of defect types, and a capability assessment of quality control staff. The team implemented a structured problem-solving framework (PDCA) with A3 reports for each major defect. Daily quality stand-up meetings were introduced at shift change. A simple digital dashboard tracked defect rates, containment actions, and root cause status. Concurrently, the team coached two internal quality engineers to take ownership of the system. Union cooperation was ensured through transparent communication and joint gemba walks.
Results
Within 90 days, the customer rejection rate dropped from 5.5% to 1.8%. Both customers removed the supplier alert status. The internal quality team, now trained and empowered, sustained the improvements. The managing director reported that the intervention “paid for itself in avoided penalties and retained business.” The company later extended Bosphorus Transition Partners’ scope to include lean manufacturing training for all shift leaders.
5.5 → 1.8%
Rejection rate
90 days
Turnaround time
Cleared
Supplier alert removed
2 engineers
Coached & empowered
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