Product Recall Process at eMobility Provider 🌐 KBC
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Manufacturing | Industry & Mechanical Engineering

Product Recall Process Managed – An eMobility Solutions Provider Handles a Global Battery Recall

When a leaky membrane in a supplier’s batteries triggered a global recall, a provider of e-mobility solutions faced a complex challenge: Approximately 65,000 affected batteries in 42 countries had to be identified, inspected, and replaced as needed—all while the battery manufacturer in question was simultaneously grappling with significant delivery backlogs and a concurrent ERP system migration. KBC took charge of setting up the product recall process and supported the client until operations returned to a stable routine.

Product Recall Process by the Numbers

Reducing the backlog of deliveries in four weeks
Affected batteries 
Countries 

The Customer

An international provider of e-mobility solutions

The customer is an international provider of e-mobility solutions that, due to its high quality standards for its own products, decided to carry out a voluntary, global recall of its lithium-ion batteries. A manufacturing process flaw at one of the supplier’s facilities had resulted in a membrane not being properly applied to the battery—this caused a leak through which water could penetrate, posing a significant risk to product safety. Particular challenges arose from the very short preparation time available as well as the capacity of the affected batteries: Lithium-ion batteries with a capacity exceeding 100 watt-hours are subject to strict legal requirements regarding storage and transport, which further complicated the recall process and necessitated careful planning of all process steps.  

The Project

Establishing and Managing the Product Recall Process

KBC broke down the initialization of the product recall process into several work packages: data analysis to identify the affected part numbers and the potential recall volume; supplier management to ensure delivery capability; a technical concept for the testing and repair process, including service documentation; the definition and implementation of new service processes and structures; and a logistics concept involving the piloting of new logistics partners. This was supplemented by global communication with regulatory authorities, retail partners, service partners, and customers via various channels—always in compliance with the product safety requirements of the respective countries. The battery manufacturer itself posed a particular challenge: Since products that could not be repaired had to be replaced with replacement batteries, this created a significant additional demand for delivery on top of the regular order volume—a demand the manufacturer was barely able to meet on short notice. To make matters more difficult, the manufacturer was simultaneously migrating its ERP system, which meant it could not always reliably determine whether and where the required products were in stock. KBC therefore provided additional on-site support to the customer at the main supplier’s facility, set up close delivery tracking, and established transparent coordination between production, warehousing, and recall processing. At the same time, a well-thought-out procedure for testing the functionality and safety of the batteries was developed in collaboration with the customer’s development, quality, and service teams. A custom-developed heat map also made it possible to distribute the necessary testing equipment early on to the service partners with the highest customer density, thereby significantly reducing the training burden for service partners.

Portrait photo of Philipp Berger, Lead Software Engineer at Kemény Boehme Consultants (KBC). A man with very short dark brown hair, smiling broadly and looking directly at the camera. He is wearing a dark navy blue suit over a white shirt without a tie, a brown leather belt, and has both hands relaxed in his pants pockets.
Portrait photo of Philipp Berger, Lead Software Engineer at Kemény Boehme Consultants (KBC). A man with very short dark brown hair, smiling broadly and looking directly at the camera. He is wearing a dark navy blue suit over a white shirt without a tie, a brown leather belt, and has both hands relaxed in his pants pockets.

This Is How We View the Product Recall Process

In a product recall, every day counts. It’s not enough to simply define processes clearly on paper; you also have to coordinate efforts across multiple fronts simultaneously: suppliers, logistics, regulatory agencies, and customers. It is precisely this ability to maintain a clear overview under time pressure and implement pragmatic solutions that sets us apart.

Philipp Berger, Lead Software Engineer at KBC

The result

Significantly reduced strain on the supply chain and stable, routine operations 

Thanks to close delivery tracking and direct support from the main supplier, the backlog of deliveries from the battery manufacturer responsible for the recall was reduced by 75% within about four weeks. The combined management of data analysis, supplier management, and logistics enabled service partners to be supplied with the necessary replacement parts much more quickly, despite the additional strain caused by the manufacturer’s concurrent ERP migration. As a result, the global recall campaign was coordinated and implemented without major delays for the affected customers, despite significant time constraints. 

In addition to providing immediate relief for the supply chain, the project established a regular reporting system that served as the basis for progress reports to the relevant authorities. Following the initial setup and start-up support, management of the recall was gradually handed over to the client’s internal staff. Finally, KBC worked with the client to define preventive measures to avoid future recalls—such as automating the evaluation of end-of-line inspections at the supplier’s facility to identify potential defects early on and prevent major recalls in the future. 

Other Projects That Make a Difference

Portrait photo of Philipp Berger, Lead Software Engineer at Kemény Boehme Consultants (KBC). A man with short, dark brown hair is smiling broadly at the camera. He is wearing a dark blue suit with a matching jacket and pants over a white shirt (no tie), as well as a cognac-colored leather belt; both hands are in his pockets, and he has a relaxed and open posture.
Portrait photo of Philipp Berger, Lead Software Engineer at Kemény Boehme Consultants (KBC). A man with short, dark brown hair is smiling broadly at the camera. He is wearing a dark blue suit with a matching jacket and pants over a white shirt (no tie), as well as a cognac-colored leather belt; both hands are in his pockets, and he has a relaxed and open posture.
Philipp Berger
Lead Software Engineer

Facing a similar challenge? Talk to us

Whether it’s a product recall process, recall management, or establishing robust service processes under tight deadlines: In a brief discussion, we’ll determine which steps make sense and how KBC— an international boutique consulting firm based in Munich —can help you move forward. 

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