GeesinkNorba's Results
About GeesinkNorba
GeesinkNorba has been one of the leading manufacturers of high-quality waste management solutions in the world for 150 years. They design, supply, and maintain waste collection vehicles, with a focus on continuous improvement of both their products and their operations. The three brands under the GeesinkNorba Group (Geesink, Norba, and Kiggen) offer their customers a unique combination of effectiveness, efficiency, and user-friendliness. With over 97 service points, 32 warehouses, and 600 employees in 39 different countries, GeesinkNorba is a leading entity within the waste industry. To reinforce their position as market leader, GeesinkNorba aims to be progressive in both the development of new technologies and the optimization of internal organization, where sustainability is a driving force.
Challenge
A large portion of GeesinkNorba's products is customized. The diverse customer requirements significantly increase the complexity of the manufacturing process. In the old situation, different customer preferences in the production process were handled using paper work drawings and instructions. This led to an annual paper consumption of about 600,000 A4 sheets (approximately ten trees). Moreover, processing these papers took up three indirect full-time employees (FTEs), amounting to 120 hours per week. Because the work drawings were on paper, it was extremely difficult to implement last-minute changes in orders. This way of working caused the process architecture at GeesinkNorba to function suboptimally and prevented the automation of end-to-end processes. This was inconsistent with the organization's core values in terms of sustainability and continuous improvement.
Solution
Together with the team from GeesinkNorba, we mapped out all current processes. This process analysis formed the basis for the optimization and digitalization process. These processes were then optimized and automated in SmartLayer. As a result, the production systems and the SAP ERP system were connected via a central platform. For this purpose, we developed a user-friendly and clear dashboard where all relevant information can be found. Each unit or workplace was equipped with its own smart unit, allowing direct access to the new system throughout the organization at any time. This platform was developed in an agile manner, making it efficient and easily adaptable to changing internal and external needs.
In addition to process automation, we implemented real-time root cause analysis. This provides GeesinkNorba with continuous and relevant metadata, enabling them to quickly identify new opportunities and maintain constant quality control.
Result
Thanks to the process-based approach, GeesinkNorba now has end-to-end control over their production process. The switch from paper to digital has yielded many organizational benefits for the company in a very short time. The lead time has been significantly reduced, increasing the output of their production process by 40%. Digitalization has also increased work efficiency by 45%. In addition to the added value on the shop floor, GeesinkNorba now saves 600,000 sheets of A4 paper each year. And because all that paperwork no longer needs to be processed, they also save three indirect FTEs. All in all, the implementation of the smart unit concept took only about two months, which makes the gains even more impressive.
