Owens Illinois: A Successful Integration of Multiple Cultures

Background
The world’s leading glass bottle manufacturing company acquired a large European company with locations in every country. A new European headquarters was set up in Switzerland. The Global Technical Director was charged with establishing a central operations team and leading a successful integration of teams from multiple cultures.

Team members from the newly acquired company came from a wide variety of countries (including Polish, Dutch, Italian, French, British, Spanish and American), various disciplines, and cultural norms.

Solution 
A strategic roll-out of the Verus Global Pathways to Leadership® Process with the goal of successfully integrating new team members into the central operations team.

Results

• The integration of a multi-cultural team and global operations was a success
• The leadership team exceeded their synergy targets ahead of schedule
• Team members gained credibility in the eyes of the corporate world
• The CEO modeled other regions after Europe including roll-out of Pathways to Leadership
• The company exceeded budgets and goals, set records and developed leaders for the
  future of the region as well as the corporation