QR_ for automotive

Engineering resource is scarce. How much time do yours spend on value-add tasks?

Expensive talent spending 30% of time locating and administering data is inefficient and demotivating. QR_ data pros empower engineering teams to add value where it counts.

The cost of bad data

21%

of engineering time is lost to product data management inefficiency.

Not a technology problem. A process and people one. And the one QR_ exists to solve.

What that 21% looks like recovered

AutomotiveUnblock engineering releases to prevent 2-3 months further slippage for an already late program, avoiding associated cost, revenue and reputational implications.“It's great to see this information so clearly, so we can build with next steps!”Advanced Manufacturing Director, sports and supercar OEM
AutomotiveImproving part availability on MRD for a 480-vehicle prototype fleet to avoid costly testing, tooling, supply chain, and manufacturing delays.“This whole build event wouldn't be possible without QR_!”Program Manager, large OEM
AutomotiveMaintain BoM completeness and accuracy between design release and initial build to avoid £40m per day cost of unplanned launch delays.“An unplanned launch delay costs £40 million per day.”Senior program stakeholder, large OEM
Start-ups · AutomotiveSupport an EV start-up define and develop a detailed business process roadmap and associated PDM approach to bring a brand-new truck into series production in under two years.“Whoever did this is amazing. This is really impressive!”Head of PDM, electric truck start-up
AutomotiveCentralize planning, input, quality assurance and release of product data to facilitate a global OEM's engineers spend more than the existing 40 percent of their time engineering.“The QR team has been absolutely pivotal in making this happen.”Body Interior program lead, global OEM
AutomotiveRectify multi-entity ERP implementation grossly exceeding original budget and timeline with no value-add outputs by re-scoping, selecting and implementing more suitable ERP.“We've gone twice as fast for less than half the projected cost... and now have a functioning ERP! Impressive work for a team of four.”Key stakeholder, electrified HGV start-up
AutomotiveRestore and maintain confidence in EBoM and MboM accuracy in the face of rapidly changing processes, ensuring part maturity visible, parts releasable, and vehicle configuration correct.“We now have visibility of the vehicle-level DVP&R, we can trust the data, and view it all in the way we need to.”Chief Engineer, EV scale-up
AutomotiveReporting dashboard for live uptime centre.“You have really helped us get clarity around our complex requirements and helped us put a framework in place.”Uptime Centre Manager, global OEM
Start-ups · AutomotiveEnhance the granularity and usability of dashboards used by an EV start-up to report out vehicle requirements.“You have really helped us get clarity around our complex requirements so everyone knows exactly what we're talking about and how that fits into the big picture.”Key stakeholder, EV start-up

PDM: Product Data Management

Data is one of the most strategic assets any organisation has: the lifeblood of the business. Design-led companies hire great engineers and designers; they rarely hire for PDM. The result is a 'data quality tax' that sees more than 80% of complex product programmes run late or over budget. PDM is the discipline that makes the tax avoidable.

Processes

BOM validation and verification
Change, release and configuration management
Master data strategy and governance
Always-on quality checks at point of change

Roles and skills

Dedicated PDM practitioners, not a sub-function of engineering
Clear data stewardship and accountability
PDM Academy training and professional qualification
Hands-on NPD and PLM practitioners across sectors

Enabling tools

Software-agnostic integrations across PLM, ERP and MES
AI-augmented BOM checks and validation
Automation at point of change authorship

Spotlight #2

The hidden factory, in two parts.

Engineering teams lose up to 30% of their hours to non-productive data work: searching, validating, recreating information that should already be trusted. That's the hidden factory: a silent drain on margin, launch confidence, and innovation capacity. Done right, data quality becomes a financial lever rather than an overhead. Here's the case, and the playbook.

Part 1 →Part 2 →

Automotive practice leadership

Meet the team

Chris Butlin

Director, UK Automotive Practice

LinkedIn ↗

Chris joined QR_ after graduating in Aerospace Engineering from University of Bath in 2013, and has since progressed in the 'classic QR_ way' through various analyst, management and leadership roles.

Since the UK Business restructured in 2022, Chris has been looking after the people, projects and accounts across the UK Automotive OEMs and Tier 1 supplier base.

His favourite part of his job is working alongside the people in QR_, and he loves visiting the different client sites and QR offices, where you'll find him pushing his favourite QR_ value of being 'Quite Refreshing', bemoaning his hair loss, or telling stories of his misspent cricketing youth.

Romit Samani

Business Leader, UK Automotive Practice

LinkedIn ↗

Romit began his journey at Quick Release_ working on a supercar manufacturer's EBOM validation project. Since then, he has worked with several major automotive companies, including JLR, Ford and the Penlon Ventilator Challenge consortium during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Calla Cretney

Business Leader, Michigan

LinkedIn ↗

As a Senior Project Manager at Quick Release_, Calla currently manages a large project focused on reducing the time and cost to build prototype vehicles for a Big Three automaker.

Internally, she supports the development of QR_ Project Management global best practices and leads the adoption and implementation of those best practices for the Michigan business unit.

Outside of work, Calla loves reading, learning the first minute or so of songs on the piano before giving up, and spending time outdoors with her dog.

Rachael Sweetingham

Senior Career Manager, Head of the Centre of Competence

LinkedIn ↗

After studying Psychology at the University of Southampton, Rachael worked as a project analyst for a market research software company. Rachael joined QR_ in 2018 after looking for a new challenge and a company offering career development.

She joined as an analyst within the Automotive practice and is now responsible for heading up the Centre of Competence function within the PDM Business Unit, focusing on how we support and develop our people. In her free time (which is sparse since having a toddler!) Rachael enjoys baking and going to the cinema.

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