Westaflex is a large global HVAC (Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning) brand owned by Westaflex Holding and based in Gütersloh, Germany. Founded in in 1933 by Lorenz and Ferdinand Westerbarkey, who developed a coil-based tube forming machine, the first stable and any-shape tube of its kind. Westaflex products are used in a variety of applications including automotive production, train technology (ICE ventilation), for the air supply and ventilation of living spaces, exhaust technology and water treatment. Westaflex places a great deal of emphasis on the quality of its products and the role of employee participation, engagement and communication in achieving this quality. Westaflex's corporate motto is "connections which pay"; something which applies not only to their products but also to the value they place on the connections they have with their customers and with each other. This change in culture is a gradual process rather than a one-off initiative. It takes a lot of time and will probably never be finished. We believe that everyone needs to have a sense for the work of the company as a whole. For example, the people working the machines in the factory need this to understand what the ramifications of a mistake in the production process are. We wanted to make sure, in line with our open culture, that this was not a management project imposed from above and that everyone was engaged in making it better.