Food industry
The food industry consists of companies that process raw materials, such as agricultural products, into food on an industrial scale. The food industry is considered to be the largest industry in the Netherlands.
Consumers are increasingly only prepared to pay an additional price for products with a clear added value (premium products with a unique experience or taste). The middle segment, and especially B brands, is struggling. There is a shift towards products with more added value, such as healthier products, more convenience (take-a-way), more sustainable products or products with a high perception factor (specific A brands). The combination of rising raw materials and changing consumer needs leads to a challenging business model that requires a lot of flexibility and innovative power.
The challenge is to transform such a large sector and invested capital into flexible and innovative supply chain. Failure costs for premium products are high and the food market share is hard fought.
Critical process control
From the receiving of the raw materials to the final packaging, the process must run optimally. The (flexibly deployable) operators must know how to detect deviations at an early stage and then react quickly and correctly. The technical service and technology departments need specialist knowledge to be able to make a quick diagnosis. The project team that was on standby yesterday, for example, has already started work on a new project today. And that technologist who worked with the commissioning and startup: how long will he work on the site?
Extract knowledge from heads
For the roles of operators, technologists and technical service, it is thus crucial to firstly understand the production systems and secondly make the right decisions. To achieve that goal, it is advisable for everyone to start with the essentials. Which settings have a dominant influence to control product quality? For example, how far can I adjust a temperature before I have to start a diagnosis? And if an underpressure does not remain stable: which trend lines can I use to make a good diagnosis before I switch on technology? After all, I am a proud operator who wants to come up with solutions, not just problems.
In order to enable those involved to act at an expert level, in addition to the essentials, the instructions are also required for the most common situations. With ELICIT Online, the instructions are available within 2 clicks and 10 seconds. The system is complex enough already, with ELICIT Online, give them the information and knowledge they need to be able to produce optimally independently and quickly.
