Clients & Case Studies

IT Road mapping Helps Dura Remain at the Forefront of Auto Manufacturing

With a 100+ year legacy of inspired automotive invention, Dura tapped PIP’s technology transformation strategy team to design an IT roadmap to underpin future growth with the support of Middle Ground Capital.

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MiddleGround Capital Leverages IT Roadmap To Inform Value Creation Strategy

Using digital transformation as a vehicle for maximizing outcomes, MiddleGround Capital partnered with Performance Improvement Partners to map out the best path toward value creation — all to leverage Dura’s innovative automotive manufacturing capabilities.

With an IT roadmap developed with a pragmatic technology partner, MiddleGound and Dura implemented a strategic plan to help future-proof the world’s leading automotive manufacturer.

IT Roadmap
Industry: Manufacturing
Service: Technology Transformation Strategy

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The Challenge

Post-acquisition, MiddleGround was ready to make Dura the future of the automotive industry, building on the company’s 100+ years of success. However, previously limited investments in technology meant substantial updates were required for Dura to maximize efficiencies and embrace digital opportunities.

The Solution

MiddleGround and Dura partnered with PIP to examine the technology risks, costs, and opportunities, then create a pragmatic IT roadmap with solutions that aligned to MiddleGround’s value creation timeline. By identifying the top 15 most critical IT projects, the companies had a realistic technology roadmap to bring Dura to the forefront of manufacturing.

The Results

With due-diligence reports and a formal IT roadmap in hand, MiddleGround and Dura now have a clear line of sight on how to maximize value creation. Knowing the critical focus areas — including analytics, applications, infrastructure, and the IT organization — Dura is successfully evolving its practice and reinventing the future of automotive manufacturing.
chris-schulze

“When we saw the IT roadmap, we knew PIP had done their homework. The data was accurate and objective — there were no educated guesses. The roadmap had all of the elements we needed, including a clear indication of required spend, anticipated ROI, and the ability to focus on the technology projects that aligned with our aggressive 18-month value creation plan.”

Greg Haddix

Vice President, Operations | MiddleGround Capital

Year History of Auto Innovation

Manufacturing Plants Across the Globe

Month Value Creation Plan

Projects Prioritized as Critical to Maximize Value Creation

Digital Transformation Is Key To Dura’s Continued Innovative Practice

Dura’s legacy of incredible quality and innovative work demanded standardized infrastructure and enhanced efficiencies.

After over a hundred years leading automotive manufacturing, a thorough assessment and pragmatic IT roadmap provided the foundation for fast-paced decision-making — all to ensure Dura’s ability to transform the future of the industry.

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“When urgency is important, an IT roadmap is required to move at speed. To digitally transform a business — and meet the waves of the future — you need a strategic technology plan to get from point A to point B. That requires the diligence to understand what’s working, ensure the right systems will be put in place, and balance the value creation equation.”

Greg Haddix

Vice President, Operations | MiddleGround Capital

Technology Roadmap Integral To Dura and Middleground’s Value Creation Strategy

Pragmatic IT roadmapping in collaboration with PIP helped Middleground and Dura identify the key projects and next steps necessary to modernize Dura’s tech stack and support the company’s continued innovative practice.

Key Stakeholder Interviews

The PIP team identified workflows, potential inefficiencies, and operational needs by working to understand key stakeholder perspectives.

Current State Analysis

Dura and PIP collaborated intensively to assess Dura’s infrastructure, security, applications, and analytics capabilities.

Group-Based Collaboration

PIP facilitated collaborative conversations with key internal groups along with the core steering committee — mapping projects back to the value creation roadmap.

Business Goal Mapping

The teams consolidated the data collected to design a pragmatic value creation and technology roadmap, mapping out 15 critical projects to complete in the next 2 years.

“We trust PIP will uncover what’s needed and provide strategic technology recommendations to ensure the business maximizes operational efficiencies, generating peak performance levels.”

Greg Haddix

Vice President, Operations | MiddleGround Capital

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Minimizing Risk, Maximizing Value, and Enhancing Dura’s Capabilities

Future-Proofing The World’s Leading Automotive Manufacturer

Dura’s technology roadmap was the result of a collaborative process, with PIP acting as an objective facilitator. In continuing to develop innovative solutions for the automotive industry, Dura needed the ability to leverage new technologies — including the Internet of Things (IoT), automation, and connected vehicles.

To better leverage these technologies, Dura and PIP worked together to create a pragmatic IT roadmap to ensure the technology supported innovation along with value creation initiatives. PIP helped assess Dura’s current roadmap, infrastructure, applications, governance, analytics, and cybersecurity to devise a comprehensive plan.

Maximizing Resource Capacity and Prioritizing Technology Projects

PIP identified 50+ potential projects and helped Dura and MiddleGround prioritize and roadmap those initiatives in line with the value creation strategy.

With a goal to become the future of the automotive industry, Dura gained an IT roadmap that enabled them to be deliberate while maintaining the flexibility to maximize operational efficiencies.

I want an IT roadmap

Enhanced Efficiencies

PIP and Dura mapped workflows and processes to identify opportunities for enhanced operational efficiency.

Modernized Applications

The teams assessed Dura’s enterprise applications and mapped out application enhancements to benefit both employees and customers.

Regimented Back-end Systems

By roadmapping backend systems, Dura is set to modernize infrastructure and enhance client delivery capabilities — giving customers even better experiences.

Augmented Forecasting

By leveraging PIP’s technology roadmap, Dura can consolidate and augment financial data management, business intelligence and manufacturing analytics.
John-Bisack

“Collaboration is a key component in creating a successful IT roadmap. Our goal is to do more than technology consulting, we want to build stakeholder relationships and become true members of the team.”

John H. Bisack

President, Managing Director & Founder | Performance Improvement Partners

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