BRP is a leading global manufacturer of powersports vehicles. Its Austrian subsidiary, BRP-Rotax GmbH & Co. KG, develops and manufactures powertrains for the recreational and powersports sectors, such as for BRP’s Ski-Doo and Lynx snowmobiles and Sea-Doo personal watercrafts in Austria and Mexico.
BRP-Rotax develops and manufactures powertrain systems for a wide range of vehicles on water, on land, and in the air, striving to find the optimal solution for every customer. “We need to develop and produce products more efficiently and put our product architecture on a solid footing,” says Mr. Arndt, VP of R&D Powertrain. “Quality and efficiency are cornerstones that we incorporate through both our processes and the project team members carrying out the work. An analysis of some past projects has shown that there is still considerable untapped potential. We have implemented this as part of a process improvement program.”
The program was launched in collaboration with 3DSE, and the product development organization was involved throughout the entire process—from analyzing pain points to the rollout. 3DSE’s understanding of the company’s culture and DNA was one of the key factors in the program’s success. The improvements were roughly outlined and prioritized based on the expected impact versus effort. Process-related topics—such as handling requirements, change management, clarifying project roles, and better integration of the pre-development process—were designed in three batches and implemented using practical tools.
During the implementation phase, management was regularly involved to steer the direction of the project and provide feedback to the teams working on the improvements. It was also important to engage the product development organization through workshops and get them excited about the improvements. The changes were very well received. The practical assistance in overcoming project challenges was rated particularly highly.
Overall, BRP-Rotax expects to see up to a 10% improvement in efficiency and quality across its projects. This demonstrates how an organization can learn from challenges and translate them into effective improvements in product development.
