Minimized risks for investors and insurance companies
The challenge
This objective of this project was to investigate the risks as well as the effectiveness of risk limitation mechanisms in the photovoltaic sector by analyzing insurance solutions and insurance loss events. Another challenge was to define remedial action for in many cases not very effective risk management.
Scope of services
- Analysis of range of insurance products for PV industry
- Analysis of effective insurance coverage and related risk minimization by insurance companies
- Analysis of >3,600 insurance loss events
- Development of conclusions and recommendations for the insurance industry
Monts project term
Results
Full report addressing three key topics:
- Insurance products currently available on the market, analysis of insurance loss events
- Development of conclusions
- Recommendations for the insurance industry on risk minimization and for specific insurance products
Consulting fields
Corporate strategy
Markets
Finance
Boosted sales for globally leading
solar module manufacturer
The challenge
The challenge of this project was to compensate for a massive slump in sales. The objectives were to reach the original financial targets and to lay the foundation for stable, long-term sales.
Scope of services
- Analysis of customer base
- Investigation of reasons for customer churn
- Customer segmentation
- Determination of sales potential for each segment
- Regional strategies
- Management assessment
- Organizational restructuring
- Executive search
- Improvement of internal processes
- Support for reacquisition of lost customers
Monts project term
Results
Recovery from internal semiannual forecast (-30% compared to targets) by achieving original sales targets
Consulting fields
Optimized customer service for globally leading solar module supplie
The challenge
The goal of the project was to optimize customer service in order to substantially increase customer satisfaction and thus customer loyalty.
Scope of services
- Analysis of internal service levels
- Benchmarking against industry standards and against standards of other established industries
- Development of comprehensive service concept with prioritization
Monts project term
Results
- Creation of a competitive ranking
- Design of >20 distinguishable service offerings and proposed priority of implementation
- Permanently positioned as a Tier-1 manufacturer
Consulting fields
Optimized production processes of Chinese solar module factory
The challenge
The challenge was to thoroughly analyze production processes against the background of cultural differences, with the goal of optimizing these processes in the long term and thereby enhancing employee skills, work methods, and motivation.
Scope of services
- Detailed analysis of current operating method
- Customized design of training program based on the juxtaposition model – commonly also known as the “double-balancing-act” model, taking into account various aspects for efficient production
- Implementation of training program for 60 participants in two concurrent, consecutive training series in the English and Chinese languages across the entire value chain, from plant management level to worker level
Monts project term
Results
Significant increase in earnings thanks to improvements in production processes as well as in order, safety, and cleanliness.
Consulting fields
Provided analysis and strategy recommendations to fully integrated solar module manufacturer
The challenge
The challenge was to analyze the business plan of a photovoltaic manufacturer in financial distress, to draw appropriate conclusions, to develop an alternative business plan for a successful turnaround, and to make applicable recommendations for the implementation of effective measures.
Scope of services
- Structured analysis of the current situation and the “turn-around plan” presented by the management.
- Detailed report identifying complex reasons for the crisis, analyzing available options, and recommending measures to support turnaround.
Monts project term
Results
Review of business plan at desktop level, development of worst-case as well as realistic EXXERGY scenarios, and recommendation of necessary financial restructuring measures and operational top-down measures to restore long-term viability of the business.
Consulting fields
Boosted production of glass factory
The challenge
The challenge was to design and optimize, as part of a general overhaul of a glass melting furnace, a new firing concept to boost production, reduce energy consumption, and increase the useful life of the glass melting furnace.
Scope of services
- Mass and energy balance calculation
- Development of basis for new, fundamentally modified furnace design
- Computer-aided process and fluid dynamics simulation (CFD)
- Glass chemistry changes
- Design of measurement and control logic
- Startup support
Monts project term
Results
Campaign exceeded expectations, extending useful life of equipment, boosting production by 30%, and reducing energy consumption by 20%. As a result, customer adopted the concept for future glass melting campaigns.
Consulting fields
Comprehensive project management for flat glass manufacturer
The challenge
The client lacked sufficient resources of its own to implement a major project to increase production capacity. The key tasks were to establish a professional project management and to implement the project on time and within budget despite difficult market conditions.
Scope of services
- Provision of expertise for process technology
- Basic engineering and process simulations
- Expert opinion on counterfactual scenario in accordance with Environmental Subsidy Guidelines
- Development of buyer’s performance specifications
- Supplier qualifications
- Supplier selection incl. qualitative and quantitative technical and commercial assessment of various supplier offers
- Preparation and negotiation of supplier contracts
- Supplier management
- Coordination with steering committee and owners
- Support for operational customer team
- Identification of staff shortages including recruitment support
Monts project term
Results
- Project completed within budget despite general trend of increasing prices through development of alternative technical solutions and expansion of supplier base
- Timely delivery based on our own forecasts
Consulting fields
Created financial and quality strategy for solar module manufacturer
The challenge
A leading module manufacturer needed to restore the bankability of its products. A project with a big impact.
Scope of services
- Plant audit
- Quality and performance assessment of selected PV power plants
- Evaluation of product quality
- Process and management assessment
- Financial assessment
Monts project term
Results
- The initial audit analyzed a number of weaknesses that were relatively easy to eliminate, so that a re-audit made sense.
- Major insurers listed the manufacturer as the first with a very good rating for performance guarantee insurance.
- The proposed improvements from the initial audit were professionally implemented by the customer, resulting in an approximate +3% yield increase between the initial audit and the re-audit
