The world of fast-moving consumer goods is competitive, so staying ahead requires more than just perfect recipes – you also need to manage operations efficiently and be able to make decisions quickly.
Chocolates Valor, a renowned chocolate producer with a century-long legacy, recognised this need for innovation to maintain its edge in the market. In this blog post, we’ll be taking a closer look into how Chocolates Valor were able to transform their manufacturing operations thanks to Preactor APS (now part of Opcenter). It was able to help them to address key challenges and, in the process, unlocked some very sweet results – pun intended!
What challenges were Chocolates Valor facing within their business?
Prior to adopting Preactor APS software, Chocolates Valor relied on old fashioned Microsoft Excel spreadsheets that were backed by data extracted from its SAP® enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution.
However, this method proved to be not only be labour-intensive, but also time-consuming, and resource-draining. Despite the sheer amount of effort invested, the information gathered lacked accuracy and failed to actually help with agile decision-making processes. Plus, the system provided limited insight into the interconnections among production processes, resulting in a lack of transparency across the entire supply chain.
With this in mind, the key challenges to address were:
Real-time data capture: With the complexity of chocolate production and all of the different stages that go into it, capturing shop floor data in real-time was essential for informed decision-making.
Interdepartmental communication: Siloed information and communication gaps between departments were hindering transparency and collaboration, therefore impacting the business in numerous ways.
Flexible decision-making: They wanted more flexibility, accuracy, and efficiency in decision-making to adapt to changing market and seasonal demands.
Supply chain visibility: Limited visibility across the supply chain made it difficult to streamline manufacturing processes and anticipate and prepare for potential disruptions.
How were these challenges overcome?
To address these challenges, Chocolates Valor, implement digital advanced planning and scheduling solutions that focused on their specific challenges. These solutions included:
Preactor APS implementation: Chocolates Valor implemented Preactor APS (now part of Opcenter), which provided them with accurate data they were able to use to improve their operations and synchronisation.
Integration with ERP systems: The quick integration of Preactor APS with existing ERP systems and automation infrastructure, allowed for a more cohesive and efficient workflow whilst minimising any disruption.
Expert support: With the support of Siemens partner Blue Smart, Chocolates Valor received expert guidance throughout the implementation process, ensuring the integration went smoothly and that they understood how to use it to address their business challenges.
What were the results of these solutions?
The implementation of Preactor APS didn’t just upgrade Chocolates Valor’s operations; it transformed their daily grind into something much more manageable.
With this new tool at their disposal, they found themselves able to process production orders faster, allowing for more accurate planning. The software also made it easier to keep their production master plans up to date and encouraged better communication between departments. In fact, their planners found themselves with an extra 16 hours each week to focus on fine-tuning production sequences, thanks to Preactor APS!
Inspired by Chocolates Valor and ready to upgrade your own manufacturing processes? Talk to us today.
