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Case Study at Strauss Cafe

Testimonials

"Asprova has become the main tool for production and logistics management through which key information is collected and shared. The production plan is updates several times each day to ensure precise control over delivery times and resource constraints." 

 

"We've reached close to 100 % delivery reliability with Asprova. We are able to react instantly in the case of disturbances." 

 

Stefan Czub, Plant Manager Strauss Cafe Poland

Company Profile

Strauss Cafe Poland Ltd. was founded in 1993 and is located near Poznan. It is a member of the International Strauss Group, employing 440 people for the production of roast and ground coffee.

Products

Roast and ground coffee in variable packaging sizes and designs for the in-house brand MK CAFÉ and for various private labels.

Processes

The process chain includes determination of mixture proportions, roasting, grinding, degassing, and packaging of the finished product. About thirty machines (furnaces, mills, feeders, filling machines) and more than 100 tanks are used. Logistics processes include purchasing green coffee from overseas, purchasing raw materials and packaging materials, and taking part in the supply chain of strategic customers. 

Production processes requires close cooperation between departments of receiving and validating customer orders, logistics, maintenance services and production management. 

Balancing the production lines is of utmost importance, because the roast coffee cannot leave the closed technological lines and needs to be packaged within a certain amount of time. Additionally, minimum/maximum time constraints need to be considered between various processes. In short, roasting and degassing of coffee in tanks needs to be supply seven packaging machines from three production lines.

Initial Situation

  • The production planning method is inefficient, broad, and not unified.
  • Orders are constantly delayed, even though keeping them on-time is of vital importance!
  • The great number of orders makes it impossible to synchronize processes.
  • Deadline confirmations are based on rough estimations of future resource load and raw material availability.
  • When orders accumulate, resources start operating at maximum capacity. This results in increased machine failure.
  • Because of a lacking overview of material availability, introducting changes to the schedule is risky.

Solution with Asprova

  • All manufacturing orders and sales orders are planned in Asprova.
  • Delivery dates and manufacturing order sequences are calculated, and not based on extimates.
  • Limited resource capacities are taken into account. (finite-capacity scheduling)
  • BOMs and routings, previously managed on paper and with Excel, are now handled optimally in Asprova.
  • Process restrictions and planning restrictions are parameterized in Asprova for consistent planning.
  • Asprova is linked to the ERP system (SAP), where orders and inventories are maintained.
  • Asprova is linked to the MES.
  • Production feedback from the MES (SCADA) is exported to Asprova.
  • Asprova's dynamic scheduling algorithms allow for regular updating, so that delays from disturbances can be controlled effectively.
  • It also enables detailed sequencing of all resources.
  • Asprova automatically calculates KPIs.
  • Machine maintenance periods are accounted for and scheduled by Asprova - according to set parameters.

Results

  • Reliable delivery dates and close to 100 % on-time deliveries
  • Ability to instantly react to plan deviations through the ability to reschedule.
  • Increased awareness and simplified decision making process that is based on simulating various scheduling scenarios.
  • Process standardization
  • Improved information exchange and flow
  • Total integration of logistics and sales departments into the planning process.
  • A unified information source for the entire company.
  • An employee-independent, standardized planning method.
  • Increased resource efficiency of up to 50 % for mills and 30 % for the entire process chain
  • Decresed production and maintenance costs
  • One-tact production cycle and reduced technical resource consumption of up to 40 %
  • Improved roasting process through improved and mor accurate planning with a wider scheduling horizon
  • The possiblity to simulate all existing and scheduled orders
  • Precise raw material management that includes ongoing checking of raw material availability, as well as precise information on requirements, which is necessary to keep delivery dates
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