Weathering the storm at Beneteau USA: A proactive response to economic headwinds

Abstract

When demand fell for sailboats made by Beneteau USA of Marion, South Carolina, the North American arm of Groupe Beneteau of France, management could have ridden out the economic tempest by slashing its workforce and costs. Instead, the company's managers used the slowdown as an opportunity for growth. They teamed up with the South Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership to instruct workers in 6S lean manufacturing and value stream mapping to reduce waste and improve quality, reconfigured production so that eight processes were streamlined into one, and invested in new manufacturing technology, all while involving the bulk of their workers in the transformation of the facility. As a result, Beneteau USA has seen sales of its boats in North America grow to unprecedented levels and is well positioned to remain a leader in its market.