Recruiting and On-Premise Solutions Help Automotive Manufacturer Avoid Production Delays

Client Profile

Our client is one of the largest manufacturers of automotive parts in North America with over 200 decentralized locations. They produce modules, seating components and automotive systems for nearly every major automaker. As a renowned manufacturer, they are known for their innovation in the areas of driver assistance and sustainability. 

In 2010, the client selected Aerotek to help decommission one of their three manufacturing plants in the Midwest. While in the process of helping the manufacturer source and hire contractors to support this project, our client won new business. Suddenly, they needed to increase their workforce quickly to ensure they could meet their production goals. 

Aerotek was able to meet with our client and tour their facilities to better understand the scope of work, the challenges associated with their location and the type of workers they needed. This hands-on approach separated us from the competition and Aerotek was again selected by our client to locate and onboard quality workers. This was the beginning of a relationship that spans over 13 years and continues to this day.

The Challenge

In 2021, Aerotek was providing a core group of approximately 10 contractors to support the client’s ongoing business, when our client was selected to produce the battery components for a new line of electric sports utility vehicles. This new business required them to increase their headcount to roughly 50 contractors. 

Our client’s new business produced several staffing challenges and the unpredictable nature of the automotive industry made finding solutions more difficult. Communication, supply-chain and product issues created an environment where our client had difficulty projecting how many workers they would need. Their worksites are in sparsely populated rural locations and along with quantity, our client prioritized worker quality. An already limited talent pool was reduced further by widespread labor disruptions in the automotive industry. Furthermore, the client was hesitant to increase their contractor headcount as they wanted to achieve a balance between their team of full-time workers and new contractors. 

Aerotek's Solution

With limited access to the local workforce and ongoing product delays, our client was at risk of losing the new business they had just acquired. Aerotek consulted with the client, educated them on the current market conditions and helped them adjust their hiring strategy to onboard the required number of workers. 

By providing critical market information, specialized recruiters and an on-premise manager, Aerotek helped the client address their staffing challenges while increasing worker retention.

Local Labor Analysis

Aerotek’s deep experience in the automotive industry allowed us to be both a staffing partner and consultant to our client. Aerotek produced local market reports so the manufacturer could better understand the types of workers available and why they were losing candidates to their competitors. These reports focused on 10-15 local companies that were hiring similar workers. Through this analysis, we highlighted how necessary it was for the client to increase worker pay to remain competitive in their regions.

Strategic Recruiting Centers

Due to complications in the supply chain, our client was struggling to meet their desired production goals. They often needed to bring on new workers at a moment’s notice once they acquired the parts they needed to continue production. Also, their rural locations made it difficult to quickly onboard new workers.

Backed by North America’s largest force of recruiters, Aerotek used their Strategic Recruiting Centers within Iowa to quickly find and vet quality workers. These centers increase candidate traffic to support our local offices when a client needs to ramp up their workforce or find workers with niche skills. We applied practices learned from decades of supporting construction and aviation projects in rural areas to create a larger talent pool for our manufacturing client. We were also able to efficiently onboard candidates remotely to reduce time-to-fill and get our contractors on the job as quickly as possible. 

Vendor On-Premise

To help the client feel more comfortable with expanding their contract workforce, Aerotek implemented a Vendor On-Premise program. By having an Aerotek representative at the jobsite to manage workers, address concerns and deliver performance reviews, our client was able to offload these duties and focus on achieving larger business goals. 

Results

By conducting local market analysis and scaling up our on-premise team, Aerotek onboarded over 71 new hires. Additionally, by providing high quality talent, we achieved a retention rate of 83% or higher throughout the project. By retaining contractors, our client was better able to adjust to delays in production and sudden increases in demand. 

Despite the volatile nature of the automotive industry, Aerotek continues to help this manufacturer stabilize their workforce by providing continued consultation and staffing solutions. Since 2021, Aerotek provided 475 workers to three of our client’s manufacturing plants.