1) Client situation (anonymised):
A multi-site European industrial group, privately owned and recognized for its quality and innovation, operates several manufacturing facilities across Europe and in the Saudi Arabia. The Polish plant, a key node in the group’s supply chain, faced an urgent leadership gap following the departure of its previous plant manager. With headquarters in Western Europe and a diverse international footprint, the business required immediate continuity to prevent operational drift and maintain stakeholder confidence.
2) The challenge:
- Sudden vacancy in plant leadership, creating a risk of stalled decision-making
- Operational performance at risk due to lack of hands-on oversight
- Weak alignment between headquarters expectations and local plant execution
- Inconsistent reporting cadence and loss of management rhythm
- Team uncertainty and reduced confidence in daily operations
- Critical improvement projects losing momentum
- Board and owner pressure to secure continuity and prevent disruption
3) Interim role delivered (speed and fit):
CE Interim rapidly deployed an Interim Plant Manager (48 hours) with proven experience in manufacturing operations and cross-border leadership. The assignment was structured as a 6 month mandate, ensuring both immediate stabilization and medium-term continuity. The interim leader was selected for their hands-on approach, fluency in local and group languages, and deep understanding of lean manufacturing. This ensured credibility with both shop floor teams and headquarters, and enabled fast onboarding into a complex, multi-stakeholder environment.
4) What happened during the mandate:
First 30 days
- Assumed full operational control and re-established daily leadership presence on site
- Restored decision cadence and clarified reporting lines to headquarters
- Conducted rapid assessment of plant performance, team structure, and ongoing projects
- Engaged directly with shop floor teams to rebuild confidence and address immediate concerns
- Initiated weekly management meetings to restore rhythm and transparency
First 6 months
- Implemented key performance indicators (KPIs) to monitor productivity, quality, and efficiency
- Drove lean manufacturing initiatives to reduce waste and improve process reliability
- Strengthened collaboration between local management and group functions
- Mentored and developed plant staff, promoting a culture of accountability and continuous improvement
- Stabilized delivery performance and reduced operational escalations
6+ months
- Consolidated gains in operational discipline and reporting cadence
- Supported the recruitment and onboarding process for permanent plant leadership
- Ensured critical projects remained on track and aligned with group objectives
- Facilitated knowledge transfer and succession planning within the management team
Handover and exit
- Structured handover to the incoming permanent plant manager, ensuring no loss of momentum
- Delivered comprehensive documentation of processes, KPIs, and ongoing initiatives
- Maintained stakeholder communication to ensure a seamless leadership transition
- Exited with operational stability and governance fully restored
5) Actions taken (execution focus):
- Assumed immediate leadership to prevent operational drift
- Restored daily and weekly reporting cadence to headquarters
- Introduced clear KPIs for productivity, quality, and efficiency
- Spent significant time on the shop floor to engage teams and address issues directly
- Applied lean and Six Sigma methodologies to streamline processes
- Aligned local plant objectives with group strategy and expectations
- Built trust with both local staff and group management through transparent communication
- Mentored and developed team leaders to strengthen succession pipeline
- Ensured continuity of critical improvement projects during the leadership gap
- Coordinated structured handover to permanent leadership
6) Outcomes achieved (measurable proof):
- Operational continuity maintained with no disruption during the vacancy gap
- Decision-making rhythm and reporting discipline restored within 30 days
- Team confidence and stakeholder trust stabilized early in the mandate
- Delivery performance and plant output sustained at or above pre-gap levels
- KPIs for productivity and quality established and tracked consistently
- Lean initiatives reduced waste and improved process reliability
- Critical projects remained on schedule throughout the transition
- Permanent plant manager onboarded smoothly with full knowledge transfer
- Governance and operational cadence fully re-established by mandate end
7) Why CE Interim:
CE Interim delivered rapid, precise deployment of an interim plant manager with the right operational and cultural fit for a complex, cross-border environment. The interim leader quickly restored leadership cadence, aligned local and headquarters expectations, and maintained execution momentum throughout the vacancy. CE Interim’s disciplined approach to stakeholder management and governance ensured a safe, controlled transition with no operational surprises.
8) Call to action:
If you need an interim plant manager to secure operational continuity and leadership cadence during a critical vacancy gap, CE Interim can deliver the right leader quickly and safely.
CE Interim delivers proven executive interim leaders within 72 hours across borders, cultures, and industries. We specialize in high-impact interim management for private equity firms, family offices, and global corporations facing moments of transition: digital transformation, market entry, operational turnaround, post-merger integration, or crisis.
What sets us apart is not just the speed or depth of our network, it’s how we lead. Every engagement is personally guided by a CE Interim managing partner: former CEOs, CFOs, or COOs who’ve been on your side of the table, steering organizations through high-stakes decisions.
With a global talent pool and operational reach spanning Europe, the USA, and the Middle East, we don’t fill roles, we build trust, lead transitions, and deliver outcomes.
As part of the Valtus Alliance, the world’s largest alliance of Executive Interim Management companies, we ensure seamless international execution through 25+ offices and 80+ senior partners in over 50 countries.
