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Lean ChampionsLEAN CHAMPIONSCOMMUNITY
Results and Development

A ranking that shows
progress.

Lean Champions does not measure which company is the “best factory”. The ranking shows how well each participant is able to achieve its own goals, develop its projects and build on its results throughout the year. Below, you can follow the quarterly and annual results, as well as the way the evaluation is calculated.

01 Transparent criteria Each participant knows in advance how the result is calculated.
02 Competing with yourself The goal is progress compared with your own starting point.
03 Development throughout the year Each quarter is the next step, not a separate result.
Evaluation System

How is the result
calculated?

Participants do not compete against each other, but against their own goals and previous results. At the end of each quarter, the evaluation is based on three criteria.

01

5S

The participant selects an area that is audited at the beginning and at the end of the quarter.

When the predefined target is achieved, the participant receives 100%.
02

Kaizen Project

Each participant carries out an improvement project with a specific, measurable target – quality, productivity, SMED or another business indicator.

When the defined target is achieved, the result is 100%.
03

Participant Ranking

At the quarterly meeting, each team presents its project. The other participants rank it from 1st to 13th place, without being allowed to rank themselves.

1st place receives 12 points, 2nd place – 11 points, continuing down to 1 point.

The maximum result is 288 points, which is converted into a percentage.
Quarterly Score Arithmetic average of the three criteria: 5S + Kaizen + participant ranking.
Annual Score Arithmetic average of the results from Q1, Q2, Q3 and Q4.
Selection of the Lean Champion
85% Annual score from the four quarters
15% Evaluation by the international jury
Differences in the 2025 Evaluation System

Voting among participants:
In 2025, participants gave scores from 1 to 6, without being allowed to vote for themselves. The resulting score was converted into a percentage and included in the final quarterly evaluation.

Final annual evaluation:
50% annual score + 50% evaluation from the annual ceremony, calculated as the average of the participant voting and the international jury evaluation.

Annual Ranking — 2026

PlaceCompanyQ1Q2Q3Q4Quarterly average
#1Ottobock Manufacturing Bulgaria Ltd.88.89%95.14%88.77%—90.93%
#2LEM Bulgaria Ltd.83.80%90.28%92.59%—88.89%
#3Mebel Stil Ltd. — Plant 188.77%89.00%88.31%—88.69%
#4TVH Bulgaria Ltd.86.69%90.74%83.22%—86.88%
#5Südwolle Group Italy — Bulsafil85.88%82.99%83.68%—84.18%
#6APS Trading Ltd.82.75%84.72%83.33%—83.60%
#7Kostal Bulgaria Automotive Ltd.83.33%83.33%83.68%—83.45%
#8Wegmann Automotive Bulgaria Ltd.81.37%79.86%85.30%—82.18%
#9Linamar Light Metals Ruse Ltd.81.21%84.26%80.88%—82.12%
#10AQ Plastronic AD82.52%82.75%80.79%—82.02%
#11Alcomet AD81.60%81.94%78.73%—80.76%
#12Jacobs Douwe Egberts BG Ltd.83.24%77.31%79.86%—80.14%
#13NIKI Ltd.81.38%76.87%81.83%—80.03%

Annual Ranking — 2025

CompanyQ1Q2Q3Q4Average (%)
Kostal Bulgaria Automotive Ltd. 🥇94.9%91.0%90.4%89.7%91.5%
NIKI Ltd. 🥈93.3%87.0%88.1%86.6%88.8%
APS Trading Ltd. 🥉93.3%87.0%90.4%83.8%88.6%
TVH Bulgaria Ltd.90.3%87.0%91.2%84.9%88.3%
Linamar Light Metals Ruse Ltd.85.6%91.0%93.1%82.1%87.9%
Alcomet AD — Automotive Team83.9%89.0%89.7%87.4%87.5%
Alcomet AD — Presses Team85.7%86.0%85.7%85.3%85.7%
LEM Bulgaria Ltd.91.1%67.0%90.4%85.7%83.6%
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Final annual result — 2025

Lean ChampionsAverage Q1–Q4 2025 result (50%)Jury assessment (25%)Participant vote (25%)Final result 2025
NIKI Ltd. 🥇44.38%23.33%16.07%83.78%
Alcomet AD — Automotive Team 🥈43.75%22.50%15.48%81.72%
Kostal Bulgaria Automotive Ltd. 🥉45.75%20.42%14.29%80.45%
TVH Bulgaria Ltd.44.17%20.42%14.29%78.87%
Alcomet AD — Presses Team42.83%20.83%15.00%78.67%
LEM Bulgaria Ltd.41.78%25.00%11.31%78.09%
Linamar Light Metals Ruse Ltd.43.97%22.08%11.90%77.96%
APS Trading Ltd.44.32%20.42%11.31%76.04%
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Participants’ Award — 2025

No.Lean ChampionsRating 1Rating 2Rating 3Rating 4Rating 5Rating 6Rating 7Rating 8Average rating
1Kostal Bulgaria Automotive Ltd. 🥇333333322.88
2NIKI Ltd. 🥈333323322.75
3Linamar Light Metals Ruse Ltd. 🥉323223232.50
4Alcomet AD — Automotive Team223222232.25
5APS Trading Ltd.222222222.00
6LEM Bulgaria Ltd.222122221.88
7TVH Bulgaria Ltd.211322221.88
8Alcomet AD — Presses Team111112131.38
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Lean Champions — Rankings — Q1 2025

No.Lean Champions5SKaizenParticipant RankingFinal Result
Q1 2025
Audit 1Audit 2TargetResult (%)KPIBefore Q1After Q1TargetResult (%)Ranking PointsResult as % of max. points
1Kostal Bulgaria Automotive Ltd.94%96%96%100%Efficiency89.7%99.8%99.8%100%5.284.6%94.9% 🥇
2APS Trading Ltd.25%81%45%100%Labour hours per unit0.570.350.51100%5.080.0%93.3% 🥈
3NIKI Ltd.23%68%60%100%AM plan completion0.0%37.0%37.0%100%5.080.0%93.3% 🥈
4LEM Bulgaria Ltd.88%92%92%100%AM plan completion0.0%20.0%20.0%100%4.773.3%91.1% 🥉
5TVH Bulgaria Ltd.9%61%45%100%Average monthly output872999979200100%4.570.8%90.3%
6Alcomet AD — Presses Team22%43%45%96%Yield58%65%65%100%4.161.4%85.7%
7Linamar Light Metals Ruse Ltd.68%86%80%100%FA 7 efficiency40.0%53.0%52.0%100%3.856.7%85.6%
8Alcomet AD — Automotive Team9%38%45%84%Occupied pallets182969898%4.569.2%83.9%
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Lean Champions — Rankings — Q2 2025

No.Lean Champions5SKaizenParticipant RankingFinal Result
Q2 2025
Audit 1Audit 2TargetResult (%)KPIBefore Q2After Q2TargetResult (%)Ranking PointsResult as % of max. points
1Kostal Bulgaria Automotive Ltd.98%98%98%100%Scrap rate3.0%0.5%0.5%100%2.1873%91% 🥇
2Linamar Light Metals Ruse Ltd.70%85%80%100%Core-making department efficiency47.0%50.0%48.0%100%2.1873%91% 🥇
3Alcomet AD — Automotive Team25%90%75%100%AM plan completion (%)08%8%100%2.067%89% 🥈
4TVH Bulgaria Ltd.27%97%60%100%Production lead-time reduction (days)292424100%1.8261%87% 🥉
5NIKI Ltd.57%94%97%97%AM plan completion37.0%57.0%57.0%100%1.9164%87% 🥉
6APS Trading Ltd.31%89%70%100%Material-preparation time reduction (min.)2467420%100%1.8261%87% 🥉
7Alcomet AD — Presses Team43%88%90%98%AM implementation in 3 areas (%)033100%1.8361%86%
8LEM Bulgaria Ltd.30%73%70%100%AM plan completion20.0%40.0%40.0%100%0.00%67%
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Lean Champions — Rankings — Q3 2025

No.Lean Champions5SKaizenParticipant RankingFinal Result
Q3 2025
Audit 1Audit 2TargetResult (%)KPIBefore Q3After Q3TargetResult (%)Ranking PointsResult as % of max. points
1Linamar Light Metals Ruse Ltd.72%82%80%100%Core-making department efficiency50.0%49.0%51.0%96%2.5083%93.1% 🥇
2TVH Bulgaria Ltd.50%97%80%100%Productivity — average cylinders per month455350100%2.2174%91.2% 🥈
3Kostal Bulgaria Automotive Ltd.98%98%98%100%Monthly storage-cost reduction by 15%€ 270,000€ 229,500€ 229,500100%2.1471%90.4% 🥉
3APS Trading Ltd.44%93%75%100%TPH line efficiency improvement37.50%26.70%30%100%2.1471%90.4% 🥉
3LEM Bulgaria Ltd.95%95%95%100%AM plan completion17.0%37.0%37.0%100%2.1471%90.4% 🥉
4Alcomet AD — Automotive Team25%90%75%100%AM plan completion (%)824%24%100%2.0769%89.7%
5NIKI Ltd.53%85%80%100%AM plan completion57.0%69.0%69.0%100%1.9364%88.1%
6Alcomet AD — Presses Team43%88%80%100%AM implementation in 5 areas (%)385100%1.7157%85.7%
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Lean Champions — Rankings — Q4 2025

No.Lean Champions5SKaizenParticipant RankingFinal Result
Q4 2025
Audit 1Audit 2TargetResult (%)KPIBefore Q4After Q4TargetResult (%)Ranking PointsResult as % of max. points
1Kostal Bulgaria Automotive Ltd.98%98%98%100%FTE optimisation in raw-material delivery300100%2.0769%89.7% 🥇
2Alcomet AD — Automotive Team25%87%85%100%AM plan completion (%)2464%64%100%1.8762%87.4% 🥈
3NIKI Ltd.53%90%80%100%AM plan completion69.0%100.0%100.0%100%1.7960%86.6% 🥉
4LEM Bulgaria Ltd.42%87%85%100%Production-floor space saved (m²)210 m²194 m²194 m²100%1.7157%85.7%
5Alcomet AD — Presses Team43%79%80%99%AM implementation in 5 areas (%)81111100%1.7157%85.3%
6TVH Bulgaria Ltd.32%95%80%100%Future cost avoidance€ 50,000€ 62,000€ 50,000100%1.6455%84.9%
7APS Trading Ltd.67%92%88%100%Shift-productivity increase625724724100%1.5451%83.8%
8Linamar Light Metals Ruse Ltd.60%79%80%99%Core-making department efficiency49.0%55.0%55.0%100%1.4348%82.1%
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Lean Champions — Rankings — Q1 2026

No.Lean Champions5SKaizenParticipant RankingFinal Result
Q1 2026
Audit 1Audit 2TargetResult (%)KPIBefore Q1After Q1TargetResult (%)Ranking PointsResult as % of max. points
1Ottobock Manufacturing Bulgaria Ltd.57%78%70%100%Weekly productivity (units per person)10.512.511.5100%192.0066.67%88.89% 🥇
2Mebel Stil Ltd.38%78%70%100%Productivity — time per set (sec.)1148990100%191.0066.32%88.77% 🥈
3TVH Bulgaria Ltd.72%93%85%100%AC motor cost optimisation (%)47.0%19.1%25.0%100%173.0060.07%86.69% 🥉
4Südwolle Group Italy — Bulsafil52%80%75%100%Changeover-time reduction (min.)602330100%166.0057.64%85.88%
5LEM Bulgaria Ltd.87%96%90%100%Finished-goods warehouse efficiency (average seconds per export-list row)330300300100%148.0051.39%83.80%
6Kostal Bulgaria Automotive Ltd.27%88%60%100%Autonomous-maintenance plan completion (%)0%5%5%100%144.0050.00%83.33%
7Jacobs Douwe Egberts BG Ltd.51%80%85%94.12%Overall efficiency % (roastery)66.0%67.8%68.0%99.7%161.0055.90%83.24%
8APS Trading Ltd.96%---95%100%Supplier lead-time optimisation (days)651420100%139.0048.26%82.75%
9AQ Plastronic AD53%92%80%100%Productivity increase (products per operator)120150138 (15%)100%137.0047.57%82.52%
10Alcomet AD19%52%50%100%Changeover-time reduction (hours)06:1502:1503:00100%129.0044.79%81.60%
11NIKI Ltd.0%38%40%93.75%Annual improvement-plan completion0.0%40.7%41.7%97.60%152.0052.78%81.38%
12Wegmann Automotive Bulgaria Ltd.34%60%55%100%Lead-casting capacity increase (castings)595274387400100%127.0044.10%81.37%
13Linamar Light Metals Ruse Ltd.82%---80%100%Quality improvement (%)27.0%25.9%22.0%84.94%169.0058.68%81.21%
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Lean Champions · Published

Q2 Lean champion 2026

Lean Champions

Official results

26 / 26Confirmed ballots

Full ranking

13 companies
No.Lean Champions5SKaizenParticipant RankingFinal Result
Q2 2026
Audit 1Audit 2TargetResult (%)KPIBefore Q2After Q2TargetResult (%)Ranking PointsResult as % of max. points
1Ottobock Manufacturing Bulgaria Ltd.39%73%65%100.00%Weekly productivity (units)35.080.070.0100.00%24685.42%95.14%
2TVH Bulgaria Ltd.91%92.5%92.5%100.00%DC motor quality improvement %60.0%24.2%25.0%100.00%20872.22%90.74%
3LEM Bulgaria Ltd.93%---90%100.00%DMS management-cost optimisation0800800100.00%20470.83%90.28%
4Mebel Stil Ltd. — Plant 118%87%55%100.00%Foam-volume optimisation1643 m³1360 m³1360 m³100.00%19367.01%89.00%
5APS Trading Ltd.18%83%75%100.00%Order-picking time optimisation — Bravo store (min.)07:2404:5005:00100.00%15654.17%84.72%
6Linamar Light Metals Ruse Ltd.53%82%80%100.00%Quality improvement (%)24.7%20.0%20.0%100.00%15252.78%84.26%
7Kostal Bulgaria Automotive Ltd.25%60%50%100.00%Autonomous-maintenance plan completion (%)5%20%20%100.00%14450.00%83.33%
8Südwolle Group Italy — Bulsafil52%75%75%100.00%Changeover-time reduction (min.)422330100.00%14148.96%82.99%
9AQ Plastronic AD64%80%75%100.00%Productivity increase %36%87%60%100.00%13948.26%82.75%
10Alcomet AD52%65%60%100.00%Changeover-time reduction (hours)06:3902:2703:30100.00%13245.83%81.94%
11Wegmann Automotive Bulgaria Ltd.77%86%80%100.00%Autonomous-maintenance plan completion (%)0%18.2%11%100.00%11439.58%79.86%
12Jacobs Douwe Egberts BG Ltd.77%91%85%100.00%Overall efficiency % (roastery)68.0%70.1%70.0%100.00%9231.94%77.31%
13NIKI Ltd.38%40%40%100.00%Annual improvement-plan completion40.7%87.0%93.1%93.45%10737.15%76.87%
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Lean Champions · Published

Q3 Lean champion 2026

Lean Champions

Official results

26 / 26Confirmed ballots

Full ranking

13 companies
No.Lean Champions5SKaizenParticipant RankingFinal Result
Q3 2026
Audit 1Audit 2TargetResult (%)KPIBefore Q3After Q3TargetResult (%)Ranking PointsResult as % of max. points
1LEM Bulgaria Ltd.---83.0%80%100.00%Productivity (units)79012451000100.00%22477.78%92.59%
2Ottobock Manufacturing Bulgaria Ltd.23%78%65%100.00%Daily productivity (units per person)100136120100.00%19166.32%88.77%
3Mebel Stil Ltd. — Plant 144%91%80%100.00%Productivity increase (%)809390100.00%18764.93%88.31%
4Wegmann Automotive Bulgaria Ltd.55%90%80%100.00%On-time delivery (OTD, %)97%98.0%98%100.00%16155.90%85.30%
5Südwolle Group Italy — Bulsafil52%75%75%100.00%Setup time reduction (min.)261720100.00%14751.04%83.68%
5Kostal Bulgaria Automotive Ltd.39%83%50%100.00%Autonomous Maintenance plan completion (%)20%75%75%100.00%14751.04%83.68%
6APS Trading Ltd.89%95%92%100.00%Weighing scale taring time (sec.)2333100.00%14450.00%83.33%
7TVH Bulgaria Ltd.91%92.0%90.0%100.00%Number of machines in stock80>124104100.00%14349.65%83.22%
8NIKI Ltd.87.5%92.5%90%100.00%Annual improvement plan completion68.5%79.0%79.0%100.00%13145.49%81.83%
9Linamar Light Metals Ruse Ltd.50%73%80%91.25%Quality improvement (%)20%18%18%100.00%14851.39%80.88%
10AQ Plastronic AD66%92%90%100.00%Quality improvement (%)20%5%5%100.00%12242.36%80.79%
11Jacobs Douwe Egberts BG Ltd.85%88%85%100.00%Coffee roasting losses (%)11.14%10.97%11.0%100.00%11439.58%79.86%
12Alcomet AD13%31%40%77.50%Reduction in repacking incidents7577100.00%16958.68%78.73%

Lean Champions

Guest voting

2Confirmed ballots

Guest voting — full ranking

13 companies
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Q4 2026

This ranking has not been published yet.

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Annual ranking 2027

This ranking has not been published yet.

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