Micron — Xi’an

In China, standing still is not an option in the tech sector.

For more than 15 years Micron’s Xi’an Assembly and Test (MXA) site has been at the heart of China’s booming tech industry, delivering memory and storage products to global markets.

But in order to stay ahead for the next 15 years and beyond, MXA recognised a need for more than just operational excellence.

Guided by the company’s global vision they embraced The EFQM Model as a long-term framework that can embrace constant change.

MXA has been successful for many years. The PDCA (plan–do–check–act) cycle was already effective at supporting operational excellence through lean manufacturing and cycles of innovation.

But the team wanted to do more. They wanted to adapt and respond more quickly to the rapidly changing external environment. They wanted to bring in best practices from other Micron sites and beyond, and to share their own lessons with others.

Management decided to take a bold step: create the China Governance Council (CGC), a platform for integrating strategy, risk management and operational excellence.

The China Governance Council gave MXA something it hadn’t had before: a forum where leaders from different functions could come together to look ahead, weigh risks and make smarter decisions.

With The EFQM Model as its guide, the team carried out a structured analysis to clarify where they stood.

The process encouraged self-reflection — confirming strengths in compliance and governance, while also highlighting the need for new processes to work across disciplines and better anticipate risks.

The new framework created confidence that MXA was putting in place a clear, structured path for continuous improvement and resilience.

“Our story illustrates our transformation by leveraging automation, sustainability and innovation. We will take opportunities to leverage The EFQM Model to help us to stay ahead of the curve, reinforce excellence and stay at the forefront of our industry.”

Betty Wu, Corporate Vice President, AT DRAM Operation and China

Since 2024, The EFQM Model has become a catalyst for positive change.

• It has helped MXA move beyond compliance-driven habits to a more proactive pursuit of resilience and excellence.

• It has encouraged the team to ask and answer fundamental questions: how to connect global corporate purpose with local operations and how to make governance meaningful and productive. It has improved operational efficiency beyond our already high levels and it has prompted recognition from media and government.

• The EFQM Model has given MXA a structured foundation for continuous improvement in one of Micron’s most complex markets.

For MXA, the journey with EFQM continues:

– Enhance continuous improvement and stakeholder confidence

– Focus on training and development

– Integrate AI into core processes

– Build on the transformation culture

– Support talent development

The EFQM Model will be the framework that keeps MXA aligned with best practices across Micron.