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Manufacturing 4.0: The Impact of

INDUSTRY

Manufacturing

  
OUR ROLE

Operations

  
CLIENT

Able Sales

  

ABLE SALES

Able Sales Inc. is a leading supplier and distributor of ingredients in Puerto Rico, with over 45 years of experience in the market. Renowned for its commitment to quality and innovation, the company has excelled in manufacturing and distributing sweeteners, starches, salts, flours, and other ingredients for the food, beverage, and pharmaceutical industries. Its "Dulce Caña" brand of sweeteners is a market leader in Puerto Rico and has a strong presence in the United States and the Caribbean.

Despite its strong track record, Able Sales faced significant challenges managing operational efficiency due to a lack of digital tools and standardized processes. To address these challenges and strengthen its competitiveness, the company partnered with London Consulting Group to implement a comprehensive process optimization and digital transformation project.

2
CHALLENGE

FACING OPERATIONAL AND INFORMATION CONSTRAINTS

Before the start of the project, Able Sales Inc. was using manual records and lacked adequate digital tools, which limited the visibility and accuracy of its operational efficiency indicators. Not having a system that could evaluate the operation’s OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) indicator and the lack of clear standards prevented Able Sales from effectively managing the equipment’s performance, resulting in significant losses and difficulties in identifying and solving operational problems.

OBJETIVE

APPLYING DIGITIZATION AND REENGINEERING TO ENHANCE OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE

The main objective of the project carried out with London Consulting Group was to obtain a return on investment for Able Sales Inc. by reducing waste and staffing costs. To achieve this, both teams set out to:

  1. Implement an MES system with ZEO IoT devices for real-time data collection on packaging equipment.
  2. Develop a performance management model based on accurate data and continuous improvement tools to enhance operational efficiency.
  3. Optimize production planning and scheduling to reduce equipment cleanings, product changeovers, and rework.
  4. Encourage the adoption of digital tools by implementing a change management program and training the organization’s leaders and operators.
IMPLEMENTATION

ADOPTING INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY

IMPLEMENTING AN MES SYSTEM WITH IOT DEVICES FROM ZEO

After installing the devices in sixteen sweetener production machines, the new system enabled real-time equipment monitoring and facilitated the identification of the stoppages’ root causes.

DEVELOPING DASHBOARDS AND INDICATOR MODELS IN POWER BI

This allowed the personnel to analyze the OEE in detail as well as visualize and manage efficiency across all stages of production.



CREATING A PRODUCTION PLANNING AND SCHEDULING MODEL

This model optimized shifts, lines, operators, and resource utilization, significantly improving compliance with the production schedule.


PERFORMANCE GOVERNANCE MODEL


A structured governance model was established at all hierarchical levels to ensure effective communication and informed decision-making.


ADKAR METHODOLOGY TRAINING


Workshops and training sessions ensured that all levels of the organization adopted the new tools and practices.



QUALITY CONTROL AND INVENTORY MANAGEMENT OPTIMIZATION

Apps and dashboards were developed to control raw materials and reduce waste.





5
RESULTS

ACHIEVING AN IMPROVED RETURN ON INVESTMENT

Due to the collaborative approach between Able Sales Inc. and London Consulting Group, the organization was able to achieve notable improvements:

  • 14% increase in compliance with the production schedule.
  • 20% increase in monthly case production.
  • 34% increase in the personnel’s hourly productivity.
  • 8 pp improvement in OEE.
  • 69% reduction in waste.
  • 33% reduction in operative personnel.
  • 125% improvement in the finished goods inventory levels.

These improvements not only boosted Able Sales Inc.'s operational efficiency but also established a solid foundation for standardizing and replicating these practices across other production lines.

4
TESTIMONIALS

THE CLIENT’S VOICE

"The Cre-C project has been a collaboration between the Able Sales Inc. team and London Consulting Group. Together, we’ve established a more robust structure in sweetener management, successfully driving the various project initiatives and exceeding the expected ROI. Each of these initiatives complements each other organically, and the implementation of automated tools such as ZEO, Power Apps, and Power BI ensures their continuity and efficiency."

-Luis Silva
President, Able Sales Inc.

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