How Digitising Frontline Reduced Waste and Saved 2 Hours/Shift

In this article, we explore how a leading speciality chemicals manufacturer partnered with Cyzag to digitise its shop floor operations, resulting in:

• 2 hours saved per shift by streamlining workflows
• 2 digital tools eliminated, therefore a reduction in costs
• 18 manual data flows eliminated
• 3 new automated data flows
• Enhanced alignment of shop floor activities through the use of an Operations Map

This case study demonstrates how focusing on frontline engagement and process alignment can lead to significant efficiency gains in the chemical manufacturing industry.

The Challenge: Overcoming Barriers to Sustainable Continuous Improvement 

Operators on the shop floor are all too familiar with new Continuous Improvement (CI) initiatives. There are usually new processes, tools and expectations placed upon the operators. 

Significant effort goes into designing new tools and processes: Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, manufacturing execution systems (MES) and paper have been the go-to tools for quick implementation and deployment of new improvement initiatives. 

However, with each new initiative, tools and processes are repeatedly layered, most often leaving operators overburdened with cumbersome, difficult, and often conflicting mechanisms. 

Digitising Sustainable Continuous Improvement (SCI) on the shop floor aims to align the shop floor and form the foundation for ongoing and persistent process optimisation. 

According to a global Harvard Business Review Analytic Services survey, new digital tools will lead the way in frontline enablement. As many as 87% of the 464 business executives responding say their organisation will be more successful when frontline workers are empowered to make crucial decisions in the moment.  

The Solution: Streamline To Save Time 

A leading specialty chemicals company invited Cyzag to implement its platform. This case study demonstrates how our platform aligned shop floor activities, streamlined work processes, and consolidated multiple tools into one, reducing operators’ burdens and complications.

Sustainable Continuous Improvement (SCI) is built on three key elements: Align, Optimise, and Scale (illustrated in the image below). This case study explores a pilot project designed to address the first element: Align

One of the largest barriers to SCI is the misalignment of work processes, tools and multiple versions of the same data points. Alignment of everyone on the shop floor and getting them working in the same direction is the first step towards making CI sustainable. 

The primary goal of the “Align” element in our approach is to create a single source of truth supported by robust working processes. If done correctly, it provides a basis from which process optimisation and scaling CI can succeed. 

The scope of the project’s first phase was to consolidate and align shop floor activities and work processes. 

The image below describes the data flows and activities on the shop floor. The blue dotted lines show all the manual data processing, while the red lines show the automated data flows. 

As is evident, there is limited automation of data flows, discorded activity management and a burdensome reliance on manual processing. By any measure, efficiencies were highly limited in this scenario. 

User-Friendliness Is Key

While Cyzag was the ideal solution, the challenge was securing operator buy-in and replacing existing tools without disrupting daily operations.

The team began by interviewing all stakeholders on-site, including shift crews, site management, CI managers, and global OPEX and IT teams. Within three weeks, the first version of the Cyzag platform reached the shop floor.

This first delivery phase included multiple use cases, including a logbook, disturbance entry, recurring task management, and visual boards (HSE and KPI tracking of connected live data). 

Following the initial delivery, incremental updates were made based on operator feedback. In addition to direct operator feedback, the platform included an idea log where operators could submit improvement suggestions. This enabled continuous input from the team, ensuring suggestions were considered and implemented to enhance operations.

The image below shows how Cyzag incorporated several use cases and aligned shop floor activities and processes. 

Time savings were estimated based on the initial assessment done during the interview stage. This was compared to the analysis done after the solution was delivered. 

The Results

As a result of introducing the Cyzag platform into the control room, the following benefits have been realised: 

• 2 hours saved per shift (30 minutes per operator). 
• Streamlined and improved work process compliance. 
• Increased engagement from multiple user groups. 
• Improved data quality and subsequent analysis.

The Impact

After a three-month pilot project, delivery, and evaluation, the team declared the pilot successful. While all goals were met, strong support from the project, site, and global leadership played a crucial role in achieving success.

Control room operators also responded positively. Their involvement from the beginning and the integration of their feedback into the solution significantly boosted engagement and fostered a sense of ownership.

In particular, the suggestion board within the Cyzag platform was a fundamental channel for communicating ideas and requirements to the off-site delivery team. 

Hands-on training and defining the frontline manager as a facilitator to provide support was vital to keeping the energy and empowering frontline employees. 

The extensive chemical industry domain experience of the delivery team also had a substantial influence on a successful outcome. Understanding the specific vocabulary and having experience in similar environments contributed to a clear transfer of understanding of the requirements. 

With the base implementation complete, new use cases can be rolled out using the same tool. This will significantly reduce the change management effort and increase the likelihood of the success of new initiatives. 

Want results like this? Book a Cyzag demo today.