Content area
Full Text
A subsidiary of Texas Instruments Inc., TI-DSEG designs and manufactures advanced defense systems and electronics technology for the Department of Defense (DoD). Formed during World War II, TI-DSEG has grown to become the nation's eighth largest defense electronics contractor. Employing about 15,000 people, the company operates 11 manufacturing, testing, research, and istribution facilities located in north and central Texas.
TI-DSEG has made total quality basic to its business. The Dallas-based maker of precision-guided weapons and other advanced defense technology believes that its fUll-scale TQM is making it a stronger competitor, one up to building market share in a downsizing defense industry.
Aiming to achieve six-sigma quality by 1995 and reduce product development time by 25 percent eacb year, TIDSEG is reaping the benefits of accelerating quality improvement efforts that began in the early 1980's. The reliability of its systems exceeds the specifications of its DoD customers, sometimes by a factor of four or five. Effective strategic planning, the use of concurrent engineering methods, and strong relationships with key suppliers have helped TI-DSEG penetrate new defense markets while increasing its share in five of the company's six existing markets.
TI-DSEG designs and manufactures precision-guided weapons, airborne radar systems, infrared vision equipment and other electro-optical systems, and electronic warfare systems. These accounted for 95 percent of 1991 revenues totaling nearly $2 billion. Recently, the company won contracts...