To remain globally competitive, companies need to minimize their process costs. The Wacker Operating System (WOS) was launched in 2004 to boost WACKER’s productivity along the entire supply chain. Our goal is to continue to reduce specific operating costs every year. WOS results are regularly reported to the Executive Board.

The period under review saw the implementation of more than 1,000 projects at our operating divisions and corporate departments. Almost 350 of these related to cost savings in raw materials and energy.

Established by WACKER in 2009 to further cement WOS within the company, the WOS ACADEMY offers training in productivity topics. Participants are given hands-on training in specific projects at the various plants and are thus able to apply the methods immediately. The WOS ACADEMY instructors act as advisors during these projects. In 2011 and 2012, the WOS ACADEMY trained some 200 employees in the application of new productivity methods, such as Six Sigma.

The Wacker Asahikasei Silicone (AWS) site in Akeno, Japan, and WACKER POLYMERS’ site in Ulsan, South Korea, have introduced the TPM (Total Productivity Maintenance) program. Developed in Japan, TPM is a production management concept aimed at increasing the effectiveness of production facilities and thus enhancing productivity, quality, cost effectiveness and workplace safety. With the aid of TPM, we are systematically improving plant utilization at WACKER’s other sites, too.

In 2012, Siltronic set itself a new goal: to significantly lower the variable costs (e.g. for raw materials, energy, auxiliary materials and production staff) that arise in the production of 300 mm silicon wafers and crystal pulling in Germany. Unlike other cost-reduction campaigns, the Continuous Cost Reduction Program (CCRP) does not run for a limited term.