Reporter Tomáš Jasný after several months visited again the Production Director. He used this opportunity and asked Bc. Ježek a number of inquisitive questions.
Sir, when I spoke to you at the end of the last year’s November you mentioned the need to meet the challenges set out by clearly defined tasks in the field of firearms manufacture and pertaining costs. How it turned out?
You do have a good memory, at that time we still did not have a definitive data and a lot of impacts could confound our plans. But nothing of that sort happened and production indicators were met.
The result was the fulfillment of sales plan, achieving a specified value in the manufacturing segment productivity and thus exceeding planned level of economic outturn. Our long-term and purposeful work brought results that we fully deserved.
Last time you talked about an important contract for the Army of the Czech Republic. Is there something new?
Yes, it is. After successful completion of tests associated with individual types of weapons the serial production already started in July, coincidentally on my birthday, and we have delivered the first lot of 505 pieces of assault rifles with accessories. Acceptance procedure with participation of Army inspectors went without any faults. I could not wish to myself a better gift! At the autumn we can expect another shipment of weapons. I believe that mutual satisfaction will be again repeated. Everything is subordinated to this goal.
In connection with the Army of the Czech Republic you have stated that this is a very important reference that could significantly affect armament of other types of armed forces. Was this reasoning confirmed?
Even now I can say that this assumption is fulfilled completely. It is not just an impression or an estimate. This interest can be proved by the specific orders of our customers, which currently ask for such large volumes that we are not able to meet their requirements. Within production capacities we strive for maximum coverage of confirmed contracts, but some bottlenecks make it impossible to satisfy all of them. For the following years we have prepared a plan of investments whose implementation will significantly increase our capacities. Any unsatisfied need of our customers is a luxury we cannot afford.
In Autumn you have repeatedly emphasized that all efforts are not directed only to meet targets set for 2010, but equally important is creating favourable conditions for a successful start of this year. So how are you currently doing?
Today we have behind us the whole first half of the year, the results of which can be classified as a recent history record. A record values are reached not only in number of weapons being produced but also in sales and economical outturn achieved. At the same time it is necessary to mention that we are efficient in reducing production cost and that against the fact that our planned indicators are badly affected by unfavourable Euro to Dollar exchange rates.
Is there something besides those successes you would like to show off?
Firstly, I would like to point out that our company this year celebrates 75th anniversary of its establishment. We had a venerable history, to which I am personally proud of and I also perceive it as a very obliging. In June the company held a celebration and at the same time the film Lidice had its premiere, the creation of which was substantially funded by CZUB. In celebration of this anniversary there was also “Open Door Day” held on 22nd October.
For another great success I consider launching of unprecedented productive technologies thanks to which we have the capacity to meet stringent requirements for repeated precision of production while significantly reducing labour constant. This namely relates to CNC machines Heller and Traub.
Following to adopted long-term technological concept we will also in the future go in the direction of new technologies acquisition. Only that way we can keep pace with our competitors.
Any compromise leading to increased labour constant or more costly production is the road to hell.
You have already spoken about the first half of this year. Can you say what still lies ahead for you till the end of 2011?
Surely you mean this noise and busy construction activities all around. This relates to two major events. First, there is a total reconstruction of spaces in adjacent building, where colleagues from the Technical Dept. will move. And secondly there is an intensive work on some industrial buildings insulation including change in the heat transfer medium – from steam heating we are going to hot water heating. All this work is performed while the full capability of all manufacturing operations is fully maintained, so you can imagine what demands we face in finding a balance between manufacturing operations interests and construction companies requirements. The next and nearest event will be replacement of entire roof lights!!!
In addition to these supplies for the Army of the Czech Republic there is still ahead of us the fulfilment of several tenders associated with important orders and to complete collection of unique versions of anniversary handguns.
Ever present pressure of planned work caused considerable delays in the production of the required number of firearms. By the end of this year we want to put this indicator to the level corresponding to December 2010. Complying with this objective would require concerted efforts of many cooperating departments without whose help and assistance the Production Dept. had no chance to make it.
Current development of production and sales of firearms is a good precondition for achieving a record result also for the whole of 2011. This is connected with one of our most ambitious goal. Information related to the fulfilment of this goal I will disclose to you not sooner than at the beginning of the next year. I will not tell you now any specific value – wait and see!
Sir, you have recently exceeded 1, 000 days as the Production Director of Česká zbrojovka. Do you have any plans for the next 1, 000 days?
It is hard to believe how fast it runs, but it is true. But there are so many important events and major changes over the past 3 years …
Recently, we have together with shareholders representatives finalized the development strategy of our company for the period up to 2015. I would like to participate personally in the evaluation of its fulfilment in the spring of 2016. But this is still far ahead. Until then, I want to actively participate in resolving the following issues. I consider it a priority to have a substantial improvement in activities planning, which concerns not only the production itself, but also the purchase of materials and subcontracts, including effective management of cooperations and stocks. Although we have several powerful information systems their interdependence and cooperation is still a big weakness. In the coming months a preparatory works for the DNC net will begin. It is a proven tool, without which in today’s times the management of productivity on such a quantity of CNC machine, as we have in CZUB is almost unimaginable. The realization of this project will certainly involve a lot of organizational changes and technical measures.
I look very much forward to the time when in the new premises a completely new plating and coating facilities are put into operation. As an important milestone I also perceive the achievement of status that will allow us to have a sufficient reserve so as to be flexible to respond to the enhanced requirements of the Sales Dept. There is an objective for adjustment of annual production capacity to 200 thousand firearms.
And at the very end of this interview I would like to present to you one of mine great visions. I believe that in the coming years we will gradually succeed in combining all main processes of development, design, production engineering, purchase and manufacture and control, so that subsequently achieved synergy effect continuously strengthens our competitiveness and be of guarantee of our company long-term success. I am already looking forward to highly motivational effect of that mutually beneficial cooperation and respect and commitment. We have unique products that rightly deserve a unique solution. So why the experts from other companies could not come to us and learn how we have developed, implemented and how we operate our own system of work? Why should this system could not be named, for instance „Brod WAY“? Given the long tradition those 1, 000 days may seem like a short time, but why just such a period should not be the most important ? It is a choice of our own way and the result is solely up to us.
