In a world of efficiency Defond stands out through 'Quality'
In a world of efficiency Defond stands out through 'Quality'
by Team D (David, Claire, Fleur, Julie, Jared)
Over three days in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) we would see a number of manufacturing business who were implementing LEAN quality and cell production methods.
For our group Martha Hao and her team at Defond (in Hong Mei) stood out among the others, embodying their motto of 'powering for success'.
We asked ourselves why the visit there dominated our PRD experience, given there are estimated to be more than 70,000 HK listed factories in the delta.
With rising labour costs and growing adoption of LEAN manufacturing how can any business differentiate itself?
We found the answer not just on their spotless factory floor, but more importantly in the Defond people themselves ... Quality!
From the large "Welcome Victoria University" banner to the allocation of guides to small groups and the conversation over lunch, we saw this theme of 'quality' time and time again.
As MBA students we believe that it is more than just a high quality product that sets us apart. Our relationships matter and Defond reinforced this message for us. In fact, this has been a clear take-away message of our China trip.
Over lunch Martha (Defond's Division Manager) told us the story of her long service at Defond and how she balances her current leadership role with being a busy mother and a post-graduate student.
Her philosophy is simple, powerful and inspiring. She strives to always 'do something meaningful'.
So, in a world of efficiency, Defond stands out through 'quality' as a valuable lesson that business is never just about production volumes or low defect rates -- it is about people.
Vital statistics:
- 2 factories; 9000 employees
- Founded in 1978 by two engineering brothers
- Switch manufacturing for home appliances to smart and industrial device switching
- Tier 1 automotive switching (Audi, Peugot)
- A Kaizen and LEAN manufacturing business