What They Do:

Since its formation in 2004, InBev has become the worlds largest brewer and is ranked number one in over 20 key international beer markets. Their three UK sites at Rpeston, Wales and Glasgow brew Stella Artois, Castlemaine XXXX, LeBatts and Tennants, among other well known brands, which they distribute throughout the UK.

The Brief:

To remain competitive, InBev UK needs to constantly monitor and improve the efficiency of its working practices. Ensuring peak production while keeping costs low is of utmost importance. To help streamline the brewking process, ACUTEC was asked to upgrade InBev’s two main IT packages that monitor efficiency and wastage in its breweries. These are:

1. The ‘Operational Reporting’ Package - This system monitors material wastage – from raw ingredients such as malt to the amount of bottle tops being used. By comparing the original recipe with quantities of ingredients actually used in the factory floor, InBev can identify levels of waste.
   
2. The ‘Gross Line Yield’ Package – This application allows InBev to monitor and improve the efficiency of their beer packaging lines. on these high speed, high volume lines, even a small percentage improvement can mean a substantial cost saving for InBev.

What We Did:

Both systems needed bringing up to date – to remain inline with new worldwide efficiency and waste performance measurements set by InBev.

We had to make sure the systems were compiling the correct data into reports – allowing for subtle differences between the breweries while ensuring the end results comply with globally agreed key performance measures.

InBev wanted to know more than what materials were being lost – they needed information on the specific quantities and at what stage of production the loss was happening. They also0 wanted to know where production time was being lost due to failures, bottlenecks, logistical errors etc, so these could be addressed and eliminated.

ACUTEC has enabled InBev to identify specific problem areas in both brewing and packing its beers. By doing so, InBev has been able to alter its procedures and meet their goals of reducing wastage and improving efficiency.

Time Taken:

From client brief to roll-out across InBev’s three UK sites, time taken was around three months.

Ongoing Support:

InBev rely on ACUTEC to support the applications and act as expert advisors on making further improvements. Systems are continually updated to stay in line with changing working practices.

Client Feedback:

“There are obviously costs to the company in wasted materials, from damaged bottles to raw ingredients such as malt.

“As well as paying effluent expenses for any beer that gets flushed away and replacing damaged bottles, there are environmental costs to consider.

“Through the reports ACUTEC’s software packages compile, we can identify ways to reduce waste – making us more economical and eco-friendly.

“Initiatives have been put in place on the factory floor, through using ACUTEC’s monitoring programmes, that have improved our overall waste management performance.

“We have seen significant improvements over the last twelve months that have helped us maintain our competitive edge and confirmed our status as a world class manufacturing site.”