Toyota veteran Friesen to head Terex lean system
24 January 2011Terex Crane Demag vice president and managing director Doug Friesen will move into the role of senior vice president for Terex Business System over the next few months.
Friesen will be responsible for implementing the Terex Business System, Terex's lean manufacturing inspired production system. His aim will be to harmonise practices across the Terex Corporation’s brands, and will report directly to Terex chairman and CEO Ron DeFeo.
Prior to joining Terex in 2005 as its general manager and vice president, North America, he held senior positions at automotive manufacturers Toyota and General Motors. Toyota pioneered many of the lean manufacturing ideas now being adopted at Terex and rivals Manitowoc, and both crane builders employ managers who developed their skills at the Japanese firm.
Friesen also brings experience of implementing lean business processes from his previous roles within Terex.
Terex chairman and CEO, Ron DeFeo, said: “Working in partnership with our businesses and support functions globally, Doug will ensure that all of our business activities are governed by clear and time-tested TBS principles and processes, all of which are designed to ensure workplace safety, eliminate waste and encourage a problem-solving and learning culture.
“Supported by TBS, Terex will be a process-driven, metrics-based organisation that delivers exceptional results to all of our stakeholders,” DeFeo added.
Having led the team at the Terex Cranes facility in Waverley, Iowa, which won the Chairman’s Excellence Award for outstanding financial performance, and running operations at the Terex Cranes Zweibrucken plant, Friesen is well placed to handle the implementation of TBS.
As yet no replacement has been named to take on Friesen’s current role.
