WOCA achieves 20% production increase with Proficy Scheduler / ROB-EX, maintaining same manpower

WOCA Denmark produces environmentally friendly wood care products. The company produces wood care products that ensure longevity and maintaining of the natural beauty of wood and other types of surfaces. Their product portfolio consists of more than 160 products, including products for: pre-treatment, basic finishing, cleaning, care and maintenance. WOCA Denmark is domiciled in Lunderskov, Denmark. The company exports to more than 60 countries. All products have been developed in-house at the WOCA development lab – and all products are produced at the WOCA production facility in Lunderskov. The company now has more than 100 employees.

WOCA has increased production by 20% – same manpower
”Without Proficy Scheduler, WOCA Denmark would not have improved efficiency to the extent that we have – and certainly not as rapidly. WOCA has been able to shut down the nightshift, thanks to Proficy Scheduler – and we have increased day-time production by 20% – without additional manpower,” says Jesper Hornsleth Jacobsen, Head of Production at WOCA.

Proficy Scheduler optimises all processes in mixing – filling – packing production

With Proficy Scheduler, WOCA Denmark can view the entire process from the mixing of the product in vats and tanks to the filling of finished product into buckets, canisters and other types of containers for liquids. Scheduling and coordinating of production, quality control and the filling department are carried out in Proficy Scheduler.

”It is amazing!”, exclaims Jesper Hornsleth. ”Now that WOCA has implemented Proficy Scheduler, we are able to utilise our resources much more efficiently – both as regards machines and manpower. By pooling orders and leveling production over the whole workweek, WOCA utilises capacity optimally and the result is that we make optimal use of our time.”

A positive impact on everything from purchasing to production, stock control and sales
All production orders at WOCA Denmark are initiated by sales orders. Production is both MTO (make to order) and MTS (make to stock). Sales orders are imported into Proficy Scheduler from the ERP system, and the finished production plan is exported back into the ERP system. This makes it possible for both internal sales and stock personnel to see when products are ready for delivery. Proficy Scheduler has been instrumental in releasing liquidity as the amount of funds tied in stock has decreased, and the promised delivery times have become much more accurate and reliable – and customer communication has improved as well.
”WOCA has improved customer services, we have shortened delivery times and we are now able to handle inquiries that we used to have to reject off-hand. All of this is due to Proficy Scheduler providing us with a complete and continuously updated overview of production capacity,” says Jesper Hornsleth Jacobsen.

We are in complete control – reporting and feedback from production in real time
WOCA Denmark has implemented Proficy Scheduler Time Tracker and Shop Floor Operator on each machine separately, in the production and filling departments. Operators can see the production scheduled for execution for the next two weeks. The operators report production start and completion directly into the plan. This means that Jesper Hornsleth Jacobsen can follow production in real time and is kept updated on progression at all times.

”It means EVERYTHING! We have eyes on all aspects of production and can detect all deviations immediately,” Jesper Hornsleth Jacobsen explains.  ”If anything unforeseen happens, we are now able to notify customers immediately – communication with our customers is the most important thing for us.”

WOCA now approaches production proactively – no idle capacity
With Time Tacker, Jesper Hornsleth Jacobsen have a complete overview of actual production output compared to planned output, and they can act proactively when there is idle capacity somewhere in production.
”We know that the machines are able to meet the planned output, as we have set up standards for production time for each product,” Jesper Hornsleth Jacobsen continues, ”WOCA updates and adjusts standards for production time continuously. We generally operate with positive tolerances when we set up standard production times  – as both machines and operators operate more efficiently with optimal scheduling. We are continuously updated on progress – we no longer have idle production capacity, unless this is deliberately scheduled. When we do so, we are now able to schedule the allocation of the affected operators to other assignments in advance.”

Jesper Hornsleth now characterises production as boring – in the best possible way.

”We no longer experience chaos – and we no longer require operators to work overtime. Everyone is kept updated on assignments, and this means improved work satisfaction. Our Supply Chain staff have a calm and productive working day, where they experience a department in full control of things. If something goes wrong in the scheduling process, we now have an overview of precisely where we need to address the given problem, and we can simulate several different scenarios in Proficy Scheduler and choose the solution that has the least detrimental impact on our customers.”