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Industry Served

Industrial Manufacturing

Process-oriented reorganization, complexity management, and Industry 4.0 strategy for manufacturing companies and specialty materials firms

RWTH

Engineering degree in Production Management

2

Books on manufacturing transformation

35%

Manufacturing adoption of fractional executives

Dr. Kurr's roots are in industrial manufacturing - his engineering degree from RWTH Aachen in Production Management and Manufacturing Technology, his management consulting career at Schuh & Co. GmbH specializing in manufacturing operations, and his work with companies like Schott (specialty glass and materials). His co-authored book 'Prozessorientierte Reorganisation' is literally the practitioner's playbook for manufacturing process reengineering, featuring case studies from industrial firms including Schiesser, Alu Menziken, and Lista.

Process-Oriented Reorganization

Dr. Kurr's book 'Prozessorientierte Reorganisation: Reengineering-Projekte professionell gestalten und umsetzen' (Carl Hanser Verlag, 2006) provides a comprehensive methodology for business process reengineering that balances radical change with the human factor. This is not theoretical - it was developed through direct consulting engagements with manufacturing companies at Schuh & Co. and validated through academic research at the University of St. Gallen. The methodology covers the full lifecycle: from process analysis and target state design through implementation and stabilization. For manufacturing companies undergoing digital transformation or operational restructuring, this provides a proven, structured approach.

Complexity Management

Manufacturing companies accumulate complexity over time - product variants, process variations, supplier networks, and organizational layers that add cost without adding value. Schuh & Co., where Dr. Kurr worked as a management consultant, is renowned for its complexity management methodology. Dr. Kurr applies this expertise to help manufacturing companies identify and reduce unnecessary complexity in their product portfolios, production processes, and organizational structures. The goal is not simplification for its own sake but finding the right level of complexity that serves customers while maintaining operational efficiency.

Industry 4.0 Strategy

The convergence of IoT, AI, robotics, and data analytics is creating massive demand for operating model redesign in manufacturing. But Industry 4.0 is not a technology project - it is an organizational transformation. Dr. Kurr helps manufacturing companies develop Industry 4.0 strategies that connect technology investments to business outcomes, using his three-pillar approach of People, Process, and Technology. His MIT Sloan Executive Certificate in Digital Business and his IMD digital transformation certifications provide the digital strategy foundation, while his manufacturing background ensures that strategies are grounded in operational reality.

Strategic Alliance & Joint Venture Advisory

Manufacturing companies increasingly rely on strategic alliances - R&D partnerships, manufacturing joint ventures, supplier cooperations, and technology licensing arrangements. Dr. Kurr's doctoral thesis focused specifically on cooperation management in the developing and manufacturing supplier industry, and his published research codifies the success factors for collaboration management in manufacturing companies. He helps industrial firms structure partnerships that create value, design governance mechanisms that prevent common failure modes, and manage alliance portfolios systematically rather than ad hoc.

How Dr. Kurr Helps in Industrial Manufacturing

  • Process-oriented reorganization (BPR)
  • Complexity management
  • Industry 4.0 strategy
  • Shared services and support function optimization
  • Strategic alliance and joint venture advisory
Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Dr. Kurr's book 'Prozessorientierte Reorganisation: Reengineering-Projekte professionell gestalten und umsetzen' (Carl Hanser Verlag, 2006) provides a comprehensive methodology for business process reengineering that balances radical change with the human factor. This is not theoretical - it was dev...

Manufacturing companies accumulate complexity over time - product variants, process variations, supplier networks, and organizational layers that add cost without adding value. Schuh & Co., where Dr. Kurr worked as a management consultant, is renowned for its complexity management methodology. Dr. K...

The convergence of IoT, AI, robotics, and data analytics is creating massive demand for operating model redesign in manufacturing. But Industry 4.0 is not a technology project - it is an organizational transformation. Dr. Kurr helps manufacturing companies develop Industry 4.0 strategies that connec...

Manufacturing companies increasingly rely on strategic alliances - R&D partnerships, manufacturing joint ventures, supplier cooperations, and technology licensing arrangements. Dr. Kurr's doctoral thesis focused specifically on cooperation management in the developing and manufacturing supplier indu...

Let’s Connect

Looking for advisory support in industrial manufacturing? Let’s discuss how Dr. Kurr can help your organization.