Recently, Delphi in Bascharage hosted an eXchange²Innovate workshop on the execution of their “Real-World innovation approach”. 10 decision-makers from service, the industry and automotive as well as the consulting sector discussed the efforts and measurable results Delphi presented on their management of innovation processes.

The Customer and Technology Center Luxembourg (CTC-L) became a development center in 1985 and is now a key innovation center within the Delphi Group. The site also hosts the Thermal EMEA divisional headquarter since 1993. When moving the global Powertrain divisional headquarters from the US to Bascharage in 2006, the site also became the corporate EMEA regional headquarter for Delphi. Innovation is key of Delphi´s business and part of their daily thinking and acting – “innovation that makes our world safer, greener and more connected”. Therefore innovation is measured by its outcome – to drive business results and ensure the future by using today’s knowledge.

“I found the presentation of the innovation process and the openness of this company absolutely convincing,” said one of the participants and added: “If I follow the content of the workshop, I will be more likely to achieve my goals and I will be more effective in my company.”

Etienne Jacqué, Chief Engineer of PowerTrain Europe at Delphi explains: “Delphi used to be very protective about the way to handle innovation and make success happens – today we use all possible ways of open innovation to develop our products and to serve our clients worldwide”. He added that “there is no single and unique way to steer and drive innovation within Delphi – depending on our business unit we have different approaches that are managed by a unique Delphi process map.” The workshop also included a site tour and presentations as well as discussions with various leaders within the R&D departments of the different sectors.

“The success is partly embedded in the mindset that there are no problems but always opportunities” remarked one participant – the so called “smart failure acceptance culture” within Delphi. Another participant found the demonstration of a market driven innovation map convincing to keep track with the challenging obstacles in business development. “The fragmented business approach of this multinational organization showed me how to handle better innovation and reassured the focus on own strengths.” The outcome of this one-day best practice workshop was summarized by the remark of a R&D director stating “this shows us that we are on the right track and this exchange is adoptable to our business immediately”.

eXchange²Innovate is a networking platform for all the entrepreneurs of the Greater Region. We organize best practice workshops about innovation and best processes. Concrete facts are demonstrate and discussed during these workshops. Share to improve is our motto, quality is the way we do it:

• 92% of the participants recognize the high impacts of these workshops and highly recommend them!
• 82% of the participants applied/will apply the innovation & processes they learned during an eXchange²Innovate workshop!