________________________________________________________________________ Driverge Vehicle Innovations
time-frame compared to how long that normally takes,” says Terry.“ We’ re always asking how we can design, develop, test, and get products to market faster than we ever have before.”
A key structural advantage behind that speed is Driverge’ s decision to keep design, engineering, and manufacturing tightly integrated rather than outsourced. Operating across ten sites in the US and Canada, the company is supported by a centralized engineering function, which Terry explains is highly advantageous for product creation.“ The engineering team understands the operations side of it firsthand,” he continues.“ They know what it takes to build a vehicle, not just design it. That synergy between design and operations is the biggest benefit, because when issues arise on the floor, our engineers can respond much faster than someone who doesn’ t know the operation.”
Mark relays that the strength of the team lies in its range of expertise, from PE-certified engineers and those educated to degreelevel, through to supporting engineers on the plant floor; a structure he believes sets Driverge apart from competitors. Standardization plays an equally important role in ensuring consistency across the company’ s footprint, comprising a dedicated quality team and continuous improvement group work across all sites to identify best practices and train every location to the same standard.“ We want to ensure that our customers see the same vehicle – no matter which location it comes from,” adds Terry. Ask either executive what they’ re proudest of at Driverge though, and the conversation turns quickly from vehicles to people. The company has been recognized as a Best Place to Work on multiple occasions – something both leaders attribute to a culture built around respect, safety, and appreciation; an ethos internally referred to
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