Case study
DSM
Global nutritional products manufacturer replaces aging barcode solution to improve speed and traceability for SAP.
Results
- Streamlined production processes and cycle counting
- Speed and productivity improved by 20%
- Significantly increased accuracy
- Enhanced traceability of food and nutritional products
- Dramatically shortened training time for new workers
Challenge
Chi-Ming Yip is the Regional Operations Manager for DSM who oversees highly automated manufacturing facilities in the Asia Pacific region. Yip needed to replace an aging barcode scanning solution that was no longer supported, and find a mobile data collection system for SAP to use in the production process. This new mobile technology would have to satisfy the company’s stringent security requirements while remaining adaptable to complex workflows and supporting lot-level traceability. The new solution would also have to provide greater productivity with fast barcode scanning while running the latest enterprise hardware devices.
Results
- Streamlined production processes and cycle counting
- Speed and productivity improved by 20%
- Significantly increased accuracy
- Enhanced traceability of food and nutritional products
- Dramatically shortened training time for new workers
Solution
DSM selected RFgen, an SAP-certified mobile barcoding solution that provides real-time connectivity with SAP and the industry’s most flexible, secure data collection.
RFgen can be quickly tailored to fit unique workflows while remaining scalable. End users can interact with intuitive, easy-to-learn mobile apps to scan barcodes and transact inventory using barcode scanners, tablets, and other mobile devices.
In addition, DSM also decided to use RFgen to manage and control production processes, a crucial optimization for order fulfillment and storing finished goods in the warehouse.
Results
After implementing RFgen in Singapore, Malaysia, New Zealand, and India for movement process flow and weighing control, DSM experienced significant improvements at every level of operations.
Benefits include:
- Streamlined production processes and cycle counting
- Speed and productivity improved by 20%
- Significantly increased accuracy
- Enhanced traceability of food and nutritional products
- Dramatically shortened training time for new workers
Achieving True Traceability
As any food or nutritional product manufacturer knows, traceability of both ingredients and finished goods is of the utmost importance to consumer safety. RFgen lot number tracking helped DSM improve overall traceability.
Traceability is the number one concern in an accredited Food Safety System manufacturing plant,” said Yip. “With RFgen, I have observed several benefits, including better traceability and productivity.”
Overall, we have observed a 20% improvement in speed and productivity with RFgen. Accuracy is much improved because the control flow is solid.
Chi-Ming Yip
Regional Operations Manager
DSM is a leading global manufacturer of nutritional products focused on alleviating hunger and the effects of malnutrition. More than two billion people worldwide suffer from malnutrition, and it causes nearly half of the global deaths of children under five years old each year. According to the company’s website, “DSM develops innovative solutions to fight hidden hunger, defined as the micronutrient (vitamin and mineral) deficiency in a person’s diet.” With operations on six continents, “DSM strives to make nutrition aspirational, affordable, and available by working in partnership with cross-sector partners including the UN World Food Programme, UNICEF and World Vision International.”
