In today’s fast-paced and increasingly environmentally conscious world, businesses in the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industry are under pressure to not only meet consumer demands but also to do so in an environmentally friendly manner. Planners and financial directors face the challenging task of making key decisions that affect both the company’s profitability and its environmental impact.
We’re going to delve deeper into the benefits of investing in Opcenter APS (Advanced Planning and Scheduling) and demonstrate how this cutting-edge solution can support planners in making environmentally responsible and cost-effective choices.
Enhanced transportation and road mile efficiency
A major environmental concern for businesses is the contribution of transportation emissions to air pollution and climate change. The FMCG sector, in particular, depends heavily on transportation to move products through the supply chain and ultimately to consumers. By adopting Opcenter APS, planners can substantially improve the efficiency of their supply chain operations, thereby reducing transportation and road miles.
Opcenter APS provides planners with advanced algorithms and data analytics and is designed to be easily integrated with other business systems. Opcenter APS is an “out of the box” solution that uses order-based scheduling to which the user can apply a ranking or weighting in order to prioritise the orders and delivery. It schedules based on the availability of resources, additional constraints and the materials required for the order.
During the scheduling process Opcenter Scheduling Standard can consider different operation run speeds on different resources, use sequence-dependent changeover times based on operation attributes and allow overlaps and slack times between operations. Efficient scheduling and planning means less journeys producing less air pollution and reducing the company’s carbon footprint.
Comprehensive waste reduction strategies
Effective waste management is a critical component of environmental sustainability in the FMCG industry. Waste can occur at any point in the supply chain, from raw material procurement to final product distribution. Opcenter APS empowers planners to minimise waste by streamlining production processes and providing real-time insights into potential waste sources.
By adopting Opcenter APS, planners can implement Just-In-Time (JIT) inventory management techniques that help maintain inventory levels, reducing the likelihood of spoilage and obsolescence. As well as this, Opcenter APS facilitates the monitoring and adjustment of production schedules, ensuring that resources are deployed in a manner that maximises efficiency and minimises waste. The result is a reduced environmental impact, resource conservation, and lower waste disposal costs.
Mitigating the environmental consequences of emergency shipments and last-minute deliveries
Timing is crucial in the FMCG industry, and unforeseen delays or missed deadlines can have severe financial and environmental repercussions. Opcenter APS aids planners in effectively scheduling production and distribution activities, ensuring timely product delivery to distribution points and consumers. With the help of predictive analytics, Opcenter APS identifies potential disruptions in the supply chain, allowing planners to take proactive measures to mitigate their effects.
By enhancing scheduling efficiency, Opcenter APS minimises the need for emergency shipments and last-minute deliveries, which are notorious for their high environmental costs due to the use of expedited transport methods. Consequently, companies can substantially reduce their transportation emissions while simultaneously saving on emergency transportation expenses.
Stricter quality control measures for reduced waste
In the FMCG sector, maintaining high-quality standards is essential to ensure consumer satisfaction and minimise waste. Faulty packaging or products that fail quality control checks lead to wasted resources, as they must be discarded. Opcenter APS equips planners with the necessary tools to closely monitor quality standards throughout the production process.
The software’s real-time monitoring capabilities enable planners to promptly identify and address quality issues, thereby minimising the waste generated from substandard products and packaging. This waste reduction not only lowers the company’s environmental impact but also results in cost savings due to decreased waste disposal requirements.
Improved resource management and energy efficiency
In addition to the benefits outlined above, Opcenter APS also contributes to better resource management and energy efficiency within FMCG companies. By improving production schedules, Opcenter APS allows planners to reduce their stress levels, and use equipment, labour, and other resources more efficiently, reducing idle time and energy consumption.
Opcenter APS also enables planners to implement energy-saving measures such as load levelling, which involves distributing energy-intensive tasks evenly over time to reduce peak energy demand. By employing such techniques, companies can lower their energy consumption, contributing to a decrease in their carbon footprint and associated costs.
Integrating Opcenter APS into your FMCG company’s operations presents numerous environmental and financial advantages for planners and financial directors. By facilitating the reduction of transportation emissions, comprehensive waste management, minimisation of emergency shipments, and stringent quality control, Opcenter APS allows companies to make environmentally conscious decisions that have a positive impact on both the planet and the company’s profitability.
It’s important to emphasise that Opcenter APS is not intended to replace planners but rather to serve as a powerful, complementary tool designed to simplify their tasks and enhance their decision-making capabilities. And who wouldn’t want a helpful tool to make your life slightly easier?!
If you’d like to find out how we can support your planning and scheduling, feel free to get in touch and have a chat about your requirements and demonstration of the software’s capabilities.
