The SNECI appointed by the PFA and the DGE to support the automotive industry in improving Operational Performance

The automotive sector is currently undergoing major changes, both in terms of technology and mobility practices, in the context of the environmental agenda and the digital revolution.

The years 2020 and 2021 have been marked by a very significant acceleration of these transformations, under the dual effect of structural changes linked in particular to regulatory deadlines and a downturn in the economy, aggravated by the Covid-19 crisis.

All of these factors are having a strong impact on industrial facilities and employment. A large number of industrial companies have already anticipated these changes, but some companies, particularly ETIs and SMEs, are still very dependent on declining markets and are sometimes in a fragile or even survival situation.

In this context, several measures to support the supply side have been put in place by the Platform of the Automotive & Mobility industry (PFA), in association with the French General Directorate of Enterprises (DGE).

Since August 2020, small and medium-sized companies in the sector have been able to call on the services of a specialist consultant to help them make the necessary changes in their industrial, commercial and human resources environment: diversification of their customer and export portfolios, diversification of their product range within the automotive sector or within other sectors, or, failing that, restructuring or even reintegration of their employees.

This scheme has met with sustained demand, with more than 75 companies benefiting from it to date. Following the government’s announcement of a support plan for subcontractors in the automotive sector on February 16, 2022, this scheme has been strengthened to enable more companies to benefit from it.

To enhance this offer, the PFA and the DGE have appointed SNECI to support companies in the automotive industry with a complementary component aimed at improving operational performance.

SNECI is already involved in the A & B plan of the automotive recovery plan.

Details of the industrial support related to this plan C

This action aims to accompany the beneficiary companies in the improvement and/or redesign of their industrial, service and administrative operations and processes.

This support includes in particular :

• A diagnosis and operational benchmark of the industrial (including maintenance), service and/or administrative processes of the beneficiary company
• Identification of possible ways to optimize these processes to improve the company’s operational performance and competitiveness, whether in terms of costs, quality or deadlines
• Definition and elaboration of a detailed action plan for process optimization
• Monitoring the implementation of the detailed action plan
• Orientation, according to the company’s needs, towards complementary measures such as the support fund for the diversification of subcontractors in the automotive industry, specific consulting modules offered by Bpifrance, regional aid measures, etc.

Within the framework of our expertise at SNECI support you on :

• Evaluations and audits of processes with our quality expert engineers
• A Lean Manufacturing approach through the use of different tools such as Monozukuri, VSM, TPS, 5S site method… in order to improve costs and quality
• Support and logistical assistance to reduce delays
• Raise the competence of the people with training

The mission is scheduled for a maximum of 15 days according to the following steps : 

1. Diagnosis phase: 2 to 3 days
2. Action plan construction phase: 1 to 2 days
3. Transformation support: 8 to 12 days

– Implementation phase

– Consolidation

As an example:

• 1° week: 3 days of Diagnosis,
• 3rd week: 2 days to build the Action Plan

Then 2 days per month for 5 months on the transformation process.

SNECI supporting manufacturers in their industrial performance improvements :

SNECI is specialized in improving commercial and industrial performance for 70 years.

SNECI is able to draw on its international network to enable SMEs to develop not only in France but also internationally.

SNECI has advised more than a hundred equipment manufacturers of all sizes and all over the world on improving their industrial performance in order to develop new products and/or win new customers (manufacturers or equipment manufacturers).

Each year, SNECI manages more than 25 industrial projects dedicated to performance, and has carried out more than 1,000 audits/diagnoses of industrial sites to support the upgrading of factories.

In this respect and within the framework of the 3rd part of the plan to support companies in the transformation of the automotive industry:

• Framing meetings with the project steering committee
• Days worked on site or remotely
• The drafting of the action plan for each accompanied company
• Follow-up and support actions in the implementation of the action plan
• The drafting of summary reports submitted to the project steering committee

As a reminder, SNECI is also involved in the 2 other parts of the support plan:

• Part A: Strategic analysis and development of an action plan
• Part B: Support for the implementation of the action plan

Who is concerned?

French SMEs with an activity in the automotive upstream (design, manufacturing) representing at least 15% of turnover

Subsidiaries of large (foreign) groups are eligible provided they have proven management management autonomy

Note: the company must not have reached the €200k ceiling for de minimis aid over the last 3 fiscal years

What is the cost for the company?

The remaining cost for the company is €200 (excl. tax) per day, resulting from a daily cost of the consultant of 1,200 excluding VAT and a subsidy of 1,000€.

With the ceilings of days per component, the remaining expenses are:

• Part A: capped at 12 days, therefore 2400€ HT maximum
• Part B: capped at 20 days, so 4000€ HT maximum
• Part C: capped at 15 days, so 3000€ HT maximum

How to benefit from it?

By contacting us  via our contact tab on our website. The coaching missions can take place in 2022 and 2023. End date: December 31, 2023.