Mark Locher

Mark is a Senior Advisor with FTE Performance Consulting who brings over 31 years of experience in manufacturing operations with a major automotive OEM.  He has gained extensive knowledge in a wide-range of areas that include tool and die, metal fabrication, welding, as well as body, paint and general assembly processes. In roles with increasing responsibility, that included functions in process engineering, product launch, production operations and engineering-maintenance management, Mark has a proven record of delivering results on time and within budget in a high-paced, dynamic and complex environment.

Notable experience and accomplishments:

  • Led an intense $25mil Fanuc robot upgrade project with a team of GM engineers and contractors over a 5-week period from demo to validation. This included 52 paint application robots that improved FTQ by 8%, uptime by 20% and transfer efficiency by 10%.
  • Transformed skilled trades organization into a mature team that used many tools of lean manufacturing and CI initiatives. There was team engagement in establishing goals, tracking business metrics and results, and feedback through consistent reviews and team meetings. PM/CM completion improved 20%, energy consumption reduced to set the GMNA Paint standard for shutdown efficiency and non-PDR PM compliance to < 3.
  • Integrated DFM/DFA practices in the design stage of the original Buick Enclave launch as the body shop launch manager. Key wins to the build process were reduction in fasteners, eliminating expandable patches and reducing the number of welds by 20%.
  • Spearheaded a team to transition 300 team members per contractual guidelines as the plant moved from a 3-shift to 1-shift operation in parallel to a line speed increase from 45 to 54 JPH. FTQ improved by 3% and DRR improved from 99% to 99.7% at the completion of the shift reduction.
  • Planned and executed a paint color deproliferation project through the engagement of multiple, vested parties ranging from paint engineering, color harmony group, marketing, suppliers, maintenance and plant engineering. This initiative reduced color options, spare parts and PMs by 50%. It also saw efficiency gains in skilled trades manpower and enhanced equipment degrade capability.

Prior to consulting, Mark ended his career at GM as an Engineering/Maintenance Manager. Through his many and various roles and positions throughout the organization, Mark has gained competencies in program management, lean manufacturing, CI activities, UAW contract language, health and safety systems, production management, indirect materials, engineering processes, and multiple vehicle launches. Mark is a strong people leader that fosters an open, inclusive environment and culture to generate ideas and find solutions engaging floor personnel with multi-disciplinary functions for successful results.

Mark holds a Master of Science in Engineering~Management of Technology from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a Bachelor of Science in Manufacturing Systems Engineering from GMI Engineering and Management Institute (currently Kettering University).

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