In 2011, local Malaysian car manufacturer, Perodua took steps to embark on a structural transformation.
The whole idea was to take their product portfolio to a new level to cater to the Malaysian driving taste and needs.
To start this transformation, the Perodua ‘campus’ had to embark on steps to look at changes to styling and looks and features for local buyers needs. These changes had to be done here in Malaysia and so Perodua’s partners in Japan (Daihatsu Motors) agreed and allowed Perodua designers to work on the upper body design right here in Malaysia. As more models are produced, more localized look and feel will be employed.
A new production plant is in progress and the implementation of ‘DOJO’ principals in all areas of production, marketing is important. This is hands on training. At the plant, the implementation of DOJO is done for all employees’ right up to management staff.
Training for all factory line employees including new confirmed employees are done in a DOJO centre which has already had almost half their employees rated and completed to better understand what standards have to be met to ensure total customer satisfaction. The DOJO centre training takes a full day for supervisors and senior staff and for line staff it takes just half a day.
Perodua is also embarking on new customer satisfaction targets for all showrooms. Higher training and more incentives for showroom staff will be implemented to provide better service and higher standards of delivery of vehicles to new owners.
To date, Perodua is still moving in line with the governments call for an EEV which is what the last NAP was directed at. The all new EEV Perodua vehicle will be produced at the all new plant where the current plant has a capacity of 250,000 units and with the new plant the capacity will be increased to 350,000 with just 1 shift working. Total investment will be RM1.3 Billion. This includes a new test track and warehousing facilities.
Currently there are 6,400 employees and growing at Perodua headquarters in Rawang. Once the new factory is ready for production the employee count will rise by 1,200 persons to a total of 7,600 employees.
Further to this, Perodua is working to with MAI with an initial fund of RM260 million to develop their pool of vendors and putting experts from DMC (Daihatsu Motor) with the vendors to ensure better quality of parts for the next generation of cars. With more than 100 vendors, Perodua wants all of them to be of global quality to allow their next generation of cars to be of future global standards.
Perodua is also investing in new land acquisition of 118 acres next door in looking at the possible future expansion and export market expansion. The all new paint shop will be a water base paint shop known as a 3-base waterborne paint shop. This is environmentally friendly and produces a better finish on each and every car.
A test track with a 2.4-kilometer straight is in progress for the next generation of EEV cars. Perodua’s engineering partner, Daihatsu is a small car manufacturer with high value and so Perodua wants the same standards as in Japan and so Malaysia will be automatised from the current 30% of robots to almost 70% of robots. Daihatsu in Japan runs at 80% automization. Also, the all new Perodua plant will be jig-less making it the only plant in Malaysia that is jig-less. The first of the new EEV cars to be produced will be a compact spacious car that will run concurrently with the current line-up of Perodua vehicles. This new EEV car will start production soon and it will be launched this year, 2014. This all new EEV would be a current Daihatsu vehicle; however the look, design and features of the new EEV will be mostly Malaysian in design to cater to the local consumer taste.
Perodua’s first ever CI designed 14,460 square meters sales and service showroom will be ready at the end of 2014. Situated in Section 19 Petaling Jaya, this 5 storey building will have 2 floors for servicing. This will be the new standard for all new Perodua flagship centres (1 in each state).
For now it looks that Perodua is moving fast forward in 2014 in all areas including vehicle line-up and also assembly and production (includes export of vehicles).
