Understanding what’s happening at Icon Aircraft today demands a quick look at continuous quality improvement, a culture-driven process widely used in automobile manufacturing to help companies manage an unwieldy production process often caused by rising costs, poor planning or a lack of innovation. But continuous improvement isn’t simply about cost cutting. It’s also about refining the quality of the finished product. In order to succeed, however, a good CI system requires the buy-in of every company employee. Toyota created one of the most well-known versions, which they called TPS for Toyota Production System.
Icon Aircraft: Behind the Scenes
Key Takeaways:
- Icon Aircraft adopted a Continuous Quality Improvement (CI) system, led by COO Thomas Wieners, to address significant manufacturing inefficiencies and product criticisms for its A5 light-sport aircraft.
- This strategic shift involved establishing an advanced in-house carbon-fiber manufacturing facility in Tijuana and implementing rigorous employee training and standardized production processes.
- The CI efforts resulted in substantial improvements, including increased manufacturing efficiency, a reduction in defects per unit, decreased labor hours per aircraft, and a corresponding drop in the A5's price.
- Despite past challenges such as cash flow issues and public criticism, Icon now delivers a high-quality product and aims to sustain its business by focusing on the A5's unique lifestyle appeal for a targeted customer base.
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