TRW Inc. Expands Solar Array Production Site, Honeywell Reorganizes European Operations for Single Currency Advantage

TRW Inc., a leading provider of space systems, has opened a state-of-the-art solar array production site to meet the growing demand for its products. The 100,000-square-foot facility features custom-designed automated equipment for interconnecting, testing, and inspecting solar cells, as well as spacious areas for assembling solar panels, electrical cables, harnesses, and batteries. This new site allows TRW to accommodate solar cells of any size without changing equipment or tooling, cutting labor costs, reducing solar cell attrition rates, and increasing annual capacity by a factor of three. In addition, TRW plans to introduce another production line for processing amorphous silicon chips in the coming months.

Meanwhile, Honeywell Inc. is reorganizing its European operations to take advantage of the competitive advantages offered by the European Unification and the introduction of a single currency. The company will phase out management by geographical areas and move away from a matrix organization, creating three Regional Strategic Business Units (SBUs). This change is part of Honeywell's strategy to maximize speed and responsiveness to customers through the implementation of new business models and to move to a strong vertical worldwide organization.

Key Takeaways:

TRW Inc. has opened a 100,000-square-foot solar array production site at its Space Park campus, featuring state-of-the-art automated equipment and spacious areas for assembling solar panels and other components.
The new site allows TRW to accommodate solar cells of any size without changing equipment or tooling, cutting labor costs, reducing solar cell attrition rates, and increasing annual capacity by a factor of three.
TRW plans to introduce another production line for processing amorphous silicon chips in the coming months.
Honeywell Inc. is reorganizing its European operations to take advantage of the competitive advantages offered by the European Unification and the introduction of a single currency.
The company will phase out management by geographical areas and move away from a matrix organization, creating three Regional SBUs.
The reorganization is part of Honeywell's strategy to maximize speed and responsiveness to customers through the implementation of new business models and to move to a strong vertical worldwide organization.
The move does not mean immediate job losses.

Statistics:

TRW's new solar array production site is 100,000 square feet in size.
TRW's annual capacity has increased by a factor of three.
TRW reduces solar cell attrition rates.
TRW's product change over time has reduced from seven days to half-a-day.
Honeywell Inc. has three Regional SBUs: Industrial Control, Home & Building Control Solutions & Services, and Home & Building Control Products.

Sources:

"TRW Inc. Expands Solar Array Production Site" (No publication date specified)
"Honeywell Positions Itself For The European Single Currency" (No publication date specified)