Production & Process management

Improved end-to-end planning for better results in Bosun Beet Company

Cosun Beet Company (formerly known as Suiker Unie), is one of the most efficient sugar beet processing companies in Europe. They develop, produce and sell sugar and sugar specialities for the bulk industry and Consumer Products industry. All components of the sugar beet are used, nothing is wasted.

One of their factories, a sugar specialty production site, asked Involvation to redefine their Supply Chain decision-making processes. They experienced large fluctuations throughout their Supply chain, from purchasing raw materials and packaging, to production, to logistics and transportation to the final customers around Europe. Planning this process was facing many challenges by dynamic markets, suppliers and an unreliable production planning process.

During this project, we focused initially on the short-term decisions with respect to their production plans for the next 6 weeks. This is the link between the Master Product Schedule (MPS) on the midterm and detailed scheduling on the very short term.

Best in Class Supply Chain Management

Bolton Adhesives delivers the gluing, bonding, and sealing products for any application and has the power brands UHU, Bison, Griffon and Bostik. Bolton is headquartered in Rotterdam with main Production plants in Germany and The Netherlands. The company employs more than 700 people and has wide ranges of products (5000+ SKUs).

Bolton Adhesives has asked Involvation to do a quick scan on the footprint and supply chain planning processes with an outside-in view to identify the possible improvement areas. From the philosophy to make good things even better, the key assignment is to list key themes and deliver concepts that will improve the overall supply chain in alignment with the business strategy.

Improve performance by optimized short term planning

Sonneveld develops, produces and supplies innovative bakery ingredients for artisanal and industrial bakeries worldwide with the ambition to reduce the complexities for all bakers. It’s a dutch company and is part of Orkla group.

In order to improve the service levels, reduce waste and stabilize production schedules Sonneveld asked Involvation to assist in the integration of MRP planning based on forecast and optimize short term supply chain scheduling. Involvation provided assistance in the realisation of the S&OP process and made contributions to the S&OE process with additional planning tools.

Optimization of planning processes at Legro

Legro is a family business specialized in substrates and casing soil. In fact, over the past four generations, it has evolved into one of the largest producers of substrates in Europe. Legro supplies to professional growers of soft fruits, mushrooms, plant raisers and retailers. In addition to its headquarters based in Helmond, the Netherlands, it has sales offices in Europe, the United States, Mexico and Australia as well as nine production locations worldwide.

Legro is continuously working on improving its products and services. To facilitate the expected company growth in the years ahead, Legro has asked Involvation to assist in further shaping and optimizing its supply chain planning organization and processes.

Optimizing the short-term planning at Bunge Loders Croklaan

Bunge Loders Croklaan (BLC) is a global producer and supplier of sustainable premium quality vegetable oils and fats for the food manufacturing industry. Their products are used in a wide range of applications, from bakery and confectionery to culinary and infant nutrition.

For their sites in Europe, Bunge Loders Croklaan has asked Involvation to support them in improving their production scheduling process. The sites serve many customers and scheduling can become quite complex; the local characteristics of the plant also play a role in this complexity.

In the coming months, Involvation consultants will cooperate closely with the project team of BLC.

Trading company Limako ready for growth

Limako Suiker BV is an international trading company that exports and imports high-quality sugar. Limako offers a tailor-made solution for every customer, which requires an efficient and high-service operation. For that reason, Limako Suiker decided 2 years ago to implement a new ERP software system.

In view of the abolition of the export quota system for sugar in the EU in 2017, Limako wants to prepare for growth and further optimise its business processes. Over the past months, Involvation has worked closely together with the Limako team to define the priorities and create a roadmap.The implementation of this roadmap will lead to a more real-time view on trading positions and a reduction of the workload in logistics.

Professional supply chain management at Enexis

Through a network of cables and pipelines, Enexis provides 2,7 million households in the north, east and south of the Netherlands with electricity and natural gas. This enables them to live and work comfortably. To enable this, Enexis maintains her existing network, builds new parts and develops sustainable and future proof solutions. Service and reliability are key.

To obtain high service and reliability levels, Enexis is introducing more professional supply chain management. To serve her customers better, Enexis strives for short lead times whilst maintaining high efficiciency. This can be achieved by ensuring both materials and employees to be available at the right time at the right place. To be pro-active, with the help of Involvation Enexis is introducing Enexis-wide tactical planning with a horizon of minimally 18 months. Efficiency will be improved by strengthening and developing operational planning within Enexis’ 10 sites throughout the country. In this way, Enexis is reliable for both business partners and our customers.

Lead time reliability improvement with De RuwBouw Groep

With her brands Calduran Kalkzandsteen, Heembeton and Dycore Vloeren, De RuwBouw Groep (formerly CRH Structural) offers all ingredients for integral concrete construction solutions. As supplier in the construction industry it is essential to be able to deliver according to customer specification exactly at the moment required. In the construction industry however, both specification and requested date are often unknown in the earlier stages of a project. Flexibility is therefore a prerequisite. This flexibility should of course not be achieved at the expense of efficiency.

De RuwBouw Groep continuously works on improving her supply chain. To facilitate even better services to her customers, De RuwBouw Groep has asked Involvation to assist in improving and shaping its supply chain set up and control.

Sekisui Alveo improves service level

Sekisui Alveo develops, produces and sells high quality polyolefin foams, primarily in Europe and South America. Sekisui Alveo AG is based in Switzerland and the company has production sites in Roermond, Bad Sobernheim (Germany) and Merthyr Tydfil (Wales).

Sekisui Alveo pursues a successful strategy in which the customer comes first. A large part of the products is customer specific and more than 50% encompasses “value added services”. As a result of this higher product complexity and increased volumes, service reliability (particularly lead times) had come under pressure.

Reliability is important for Sekisui’s customers and its own growth ambitions. The company therefore asked Involvation to analyse and optimise the integral planning process, in order to enable the company to bring and keep service reliability at a high and sustainable level. The initiative includes subprojects in S&OP, demand planning, service strategy and production planning.

Flowserve improves control over projects

Flowserve designs, builds and assembles complex industrial installations. Control over progress of projects is essential for several reasons.  Flowserve has asked Involvation to support them to further professionalize their project management.

Manufacturing and transport planning software for CNC

CNC is one of Europe’s leading suppliers of compost and substrates for mushroom growing. The Dutch facilities of CNC are located in Milsbeek, Moerdijk and Ammerzoden.

CNC is replacing its current enterprise software. Due to the complexity of the manufacturing and transportation planning, a specialized software solution is required. CNC has asked Involvation to assist in the selection process.

Bakker Logistics optimizes transportation planning

Bakker Logistics is a leading logistics services provider in the Benelux and is specialized in the transport and warehousing of food and related products. With more than 450 vehicles, Bakker distributes freight over a comprehensive distribution network in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany on a daily basis. Furthermore, additional services such as repacking, in addition to stock intake, storage and release are offered.

The transportation planning can be optimized by central planning supported with the right planning software. Bakker Logistics asked Involvation to deliver an implementation manager to implement the APS tool and to streamline the transportation processes & organization.

Low & Bonar professionalizes production planning

Bonar, part of Low and Bonar, is a leading manufacturer and supplier of quality non-woven fabrics, woven, knitted fabrics, three-dimensional polymeric mats, construction and fiber composites that are used in civil engineering, home furnishings, transportation, construction, agriculture and industry. Bonar has production facilities in eight countries and employs over 12,000 people.

Bonar has asked Involvation to support one of the plants for woven fabrics in professionalizing the production planning. In this factory synthetic polymer is extruded into films that are split into tapes. These are then woven into a fabric which is used as a ground cover in a variety of agricultural applications or as a geo-textile fabric for civil engineering purposes.

Due to several developments it has become necessary to improve delivery reliability and to strengthen control of the finished product stock to reduce the risk of obsolescence. Involvation helps to find the right method for planning the production and, together with Bonar, takes care of implementation.

Gazelle validates production concept

Leading bicycle producer Gazelle has developed a production concept to drastically reduce lead times. Gazelle has asked Involvation to validate the new production concept. Through simulation of the manufacturing processes and its planning and control, Involvation provided insight in the required storage capacity. Furthermore, Involvation showed which capacities are required to gain maximum efficiency in the new concept.

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Houweling Filling Industries prepares for future

The core activity of HFI is the production of edible oil and specialized blends for the food industry. After a significant growth both in capacity and volume HFI prepares herself for the future.

HFI asked Involvation to support with the redesign and implementation of a new production control model.

Vitablend Supply Chain professionalization

Vitablend develops, manufactures and sells nutritional premixes and antioxidant blends. Founded in 2001 by 6 entrepreneurs, Vitablend nowadays is a young and ambitious organization with more than 50 experts, supplying products to worldwide customers in the food industry, infant nutrition, clinical nutrition, sport drinks and nutritional drinks. Since 2008 Vitablend is part of the Barentz Group, a European distributor of ingredients and raw materials. This broadened their entrance to worldwide suppliers of food ingredients. Vitablend has two state-of-the-art production facilities, one in Wolvega (NL) and one in Singapore. Lean has been adopted as philosophy to guide them towards their Vision.

End of 2013 management has determined that the next step in professionalization of supply chain management is required. After an initial quickscan of the current supply chain concept Involvation supported Vitablend by providing insight on how to shape this further professionalization. An Involvation interim manager is currently supporting Vitablend in the realization of the improvement.

Flamco improves Supply Chain

The Flamco Group is concerned with the development, production and sale of high-quality components for use in HVAC systems. In more than 70 countries, Flamco offers successful, innovative solutions for problems including residential and commercial building and sustainable energy.

Flamco wants to improve their Supply Chain and has asked Involvation to help them make the next steps in supply chain management.

Avebe reconsiders production management model

AVEBE U.A. is a globally operating co-operative producing solutions based on potato starch for food, paper, building, textiles, adhesives and feed industries.

Avebe continuously addresses the improvement of her customer service. Enhancing the production management is key for reaching this goal. Avebe has asked Involvation for support with the revision of her current production management model.

Trouw Nutrition reconsiders production management model

Trouw Nutrition International (part of Nutreco) develops and produces premixes for the feeding industry.

Trouw Nutrition continuously addresses the improvement of her customer service. Enhancing the production management is key for reaching this goal. Trouw Nutrition has asked Involvation for support with the revision of her current production management model.

Rockwool reconsiders production

ROCKWOOL B.V. produces isolation materials made from stone wool for thermic and acoustic isolation.

Rockwool continuously addresses the improvement of her customer service. Enhancing the production management is key for reaching this goal. Rockwool has asked Involvation for support with the revision of her current production management model by means of an inspiration session.

IHC Metalix revises logistical control model

IHC Metalix, part of IHC Merwede, is one of the largest suppliers of work preparation and cutout parts for shipyards. Strong growth is anticipated in the near future. In order to be prepared for this growth, IHC Metalix will have to increase its production capacity. An important part of this increase will be realized by finer control over the primary process. IHC Metalix has asked Involvation for support in the revision of its logistical control model.

Project management: scheduling process standardization

MSD strives to make the world a healthier place. With innovative medicines, vaccines, biological therapies and services for doctors and patients, MSD offers treatments for better human and animal health in over 140 countries. MSD in Oss has asked Involvation to manage the project of work process standardization for the schedulers in its factories.

Production management concept

FUJIFILM Manufacturing Europe B.V. is the largest production facility of FUJIFILM outside of Japan. The company produces photographic paper and offset plates. Besides that, they constantly work on improvement of existing products and development of entirely new products in the Tilburg Research Laboratory.

By doing a logistical scan, Involvation and Fujifilm Manufacturing Europe look for ways to improve their control over production. Some tuning is done to ensure that Fujifilm is ready for upcoming developments.

Ditra Scitra designs production concept of the future

Ditra Scitra is a producer of Personal and Homecare products. Ditra Scitra produces its own brands, and also fulfills demand from strong international markets. Located in the United Arab Emirates, Ditra Scitra is well positioned to deliver to the GCC markets, as well as parts of Asia, Africa and Southern Europe.

Ditra Scitra has ambitious growth plans. The management is aware that a professional primary process is required in order to realize this. To find a clear path to a professional primary process, Ditra Scitra has asked Involvation to create a template of their future production concept.

Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex. It takes a touch of genius - and a lot of courage - to move in the opposite direction
Albert Einstein