A CPA Quality Services' Smart Factory at Mercedes-Benz Vitoria

Based in Vitoria, CPA Quality Services has been offering comprehensive quality services, pre-assemblies, vehicle audits, diagnosis/validation and engineering for more than 15 years, especially for the entire value chain of the automotive sector. The versatility of its offerings translates into a unique position in the market. CPA has its own CORE methodology included in all of its services. "At CPA we have always been committed to the training of our staff and we have been prepared for the changes and needs of the sector", says Javier Burgos, managing director. Article in 2.356 issue AutoRevista.

Regarding recent activity with one of its main customers, Mercedes Benz Vitoria, Javier Burgos comments that “our contribution to the Alava plant for the EQV and transporter Ecell saloon vehicles, as well as for other models, has been to create a team that is specialised in electric propulsion and trained to carry out any work on electric vehicles and high voltage components”.

Under the name of CPA-HV3, CPA's high-voltage structure is broken down into VEFK, EFK, HV3 and HV2. “All members of the team are trained to connect, disconnect and release high voltage on the vehicle. We are currently the only service company in Spain validated by Mercedes-Benz Vitoria/Daimler AG for conducting HV3 and HV2 refresher courses. The rest of our staff is trained in basic HV2 training. Additionally, we ensure the quality of the most important parts of the vehicle such as electric batteries and electric motors and we provide engineering and quality services for our customers KEM-Mannheim and CATL for Daimler. Of course, this specialised training and these teams are profitable for other customers who demand it, mainly OEM's and Tier 1”, explains the managing director of CPA Quality Services.

Burgos also comments that “we have implemented a Smart Factory 4.0 at the Mercedes Benz Vitoria facilities. CPA Quality Services is immersed in digital transformation. We work with our own ERP in which we record all the relevant information of each of the services provided. For each job, the cost matrices, authorisations, criteria changes, costs and all the traceability of the parts that have reached CPA are recorded. This tool allows us to consult services from the past, as well as to retrieve information for repetitive claims (learning from history)”.

"We are currently the only service company in Spain validated by Mercedes-Benz Vitoria/Daimler AG for conducting HV3 and HV2 refresher courses” (Javier Burgos, CPA Quality Services)

To feed this system, CPA operators enter the information through Tablets-PC's-Mobiles, reducing typing errors and information management times and, at the same time, increasing the efficiency and profitability of each service. “We have Intranet web access for customers, with them being able to access the information of the services carried out for them at any time, both for those that are in progress and those that are completed. In this way, it improves communication with the customer, which allows the information to be available at any time and in any place. For all this, it is not necessary to wait for an email to have the information updated, with the immediacy and availability of the information being the main advantage. Information in real time. We are currently working on two projects; voice control and registration especially for vehicle audits and control and registration of packages/containers through the reading of codes generated by our customers. Thanks to this we are prepared to make faster decisions and thus share in real time the information of all the services to be aligned with our customers”.

In addition to the Vitoria factory, CPA Quality Services is working “on several projects. The most relevant currently are repair methods for dealers worldwide (warranty times, methods, ergonomics, special tools, and electronic diagnosis-validation and quality assurance for transporters and vans. In both projects we work with production and prototype vehicles, ensuring the quality of the product in the market and what will come in the future. We also attend to and support possible claims from dealers and possible service campaigns such as flashing (software update) of any vehicle control unit affected by corrective actions. Another project to highlight is the recovery and production of spare parts independent of the bodywork at the customer's plant. The degree of satisfaction achieved this year was 9.66 and it is worth noting the rating from Daimler AG which, once again, has given us a 10”.

With 15 years completed, CPA Quality Services adapts to the requirements and demands of the customer according to needs. “The year 2020 has been very hard for the entire automotive sector and 2021 will still be a difficult year due to the current Covid-19 pandemic. Together with the staff, we have been facilitating remote working and family conciliation and sharing these moments that have not been easy. We have to foster creativity and innovation and take advantage of the opportunities offered by the market”, Javier Burgos comments. In this regard, to achieve competitive advantages from opportunities, CPA Quality Services has extended its services to OEMs such as Volkswagen Navarra and SEAT in Martorell. “Already in 2021, we have opened our own facilities in Valladolid to serve Castille and Leon and Madrid.  Therefore, we will have an important presence in the Basque Country and Navarra, Catalonia, Castille and Leon, and Madrid”, explains the managing director.

CPA Quality Services has extended its services to OEMs such as Volkswagen Navarra and SEAT in Martorell

In the chapter on sustainability, the company from Vitoria bases its actions on three main pillars: environmental protection, economic growth that generates equitable wealth, and social development. “What our customers have also highlighted to a greater extent about our work in 2020 has been availability, experience, confidentiality, professionalism, personal manner and service provided".

Looking to the future, Javier Burgos states that “we are aware that the sector always undergoes changes. Before, mechanics were required and now only electromechanical ones are valid and in the future, perhaps only 100% electrical because there will be no vehicle maintenance. Every year, CPA invests in the continuous training of our employees. We investigate the market, detect needs, seek training related to it and/or do it with our own specialised personnel in the area. Our company covers a wide spectrum of profiles to flexibly meet the demand of our customers”.