SIG Combibloc develops service to boost sustainability

SIG Combibloc has launched a 3-step service aimed at improving the sustainable practices of food manufacturers.

The Operational Excellence Consulting (OEC) programme aims to create tailor-made solutions that optimize individual filling lines or entire production plants.

SIG Combibloc says that keeping production processes “efficient and competitive is a key factor in corporate success”, including the continuous and high-output performance of equipment.

The guide is based on a 3-stage programme consisting of analysis, conception and implementation to optimize overall equipment effectiveness and to reduce operating costs.

11% equipment effectiveness

SIG Combibloc claims their programme has helped the Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group, one of China’s leading dairy enterprises, achieve an 11% increase in overall equipment effectiveness at two factories in Hohhot and talks are ongoing at Unilever and FrieslandCampina.

Tobias Hammeke, head of global service sales and consulting at SIG Combibloc, said: “The operational excellence consulting programme focuses squarely on improving operational performance and lowering production costs.”

One step of the programme includes the analysis stage, involving data collection and evaluation, to provide an overview of company-specific processes and to enable businesses to manage these processes efficiently.

This is aided by on-the-spot analysis and interviews on current line efficiency, production times and possible achievement potentials, added SIG.

In the implementation phase, the success of the programme stages is reviewed on an ongoing basis.

To increase equipment effectiveness planned machine downtimes for cleaning can be standardised and the reasons for unplanned downtimes are also analysed.

Material use and processes

Other parts of the project include handling and consumption of selected materials used in the production process, which are determined and compared against examples of best practice.

SIG Combibloc looks at whether the individual components in the line fit together to ensure the best possible and most efficient production.

Franz-Josef Mines, head of global service at SIG Combibloc, said: “The strategy of our technical service is to support our customers in ensuring that the filling machines from SIG Combibloc and the people who work with them every day benefit from the best possible preparation and development so they can deliver an excellent performance.

“The programme helps companies achieve the highest level of transparency, and as a result enables them to formulate clearer strategies for solutions to improve production and organisational processes, increase overall equipment effectiveness and lower operating costs”.

Source: SIG Combibloc