"The results speak for themselves – a 15% net output increase while lowering CO2 use by 28% is fantastic. 2023 was a record-breaking year for us within the Barilla group, proving that remarkable improvements are achievable with the right focus and innovation."
Niklas Nyysti, Production Manager at Barilla Filipstad
Wasa Crispbread was founded in 1919 and has been part of Barilla since 1999. Since the beginning, sustainability work has been critical to the factory.
The first step was total compensation for CO2 emissions.
"Before our transformation, we grappled with inefficiencies, especially during the summer when staff turnover peaked. We needed a change to improve our competitive edge and meet our sustainability and profitability goals"
Niklas Nyysti, Production Manager at Barilla Filipstad Plant
Wasa works with everything from raw materials to manufacturing to lower its environmental footprint
Wasa’s new production management team focused on stabilising production efficiency, lowering downtime, and reducing waste. For example, the summer months were challenging, with more temporary workers resulting in inconsistent capacity levels.
Additionally, production waste was an issue, with inefficiencies in raw material utilisation and unnecessary stops contributing to production losses, costs and CO2 consumption.
Working with manual processes and outdated improvement methods capped their competitive edge and sustainability targets.
"We adopted a new working method, focusing on data-driven decision support and systematic improvements. Implementing RS Production and using production data as factual bases for decision-making on all levels propelled our shift towards more sustainable and profitable production."
Billy Dahlgren, Packaging Manager at Barilla Filipstad
Embracing data-driven decision-making cuts waste and resource use
Barilla Wasa embarked on a transformative journey, adopting a new, systematic working method focused on data-driven decision-making for working with continuous improvements (PDCA) to reduce process waste.
Shifting from a reactive to a proactive mindset. Introducing production data on all levels of decision-making, from machine operators to maintenance and factory management.
One key component for the team was using RS Productions’ Screens capability, which clearly shows relevant, real-time production data throughout the production line. This approach promotes transparency and fosters a culture of continuous improvement. It also encourages healthy team competition and ensures everyone is aligned with the targets.
Moreover, using data and visual reports from RS Production OEE to make decisions in everything from improvement work to daily shift handovers to production meetings has enabled Wasa to empower operators to make more decisions based on clear guidelines, leading to higher engagement and removing unnecessary micromanagement.
"Introducing digital screens above our packaging machines, showing our most relevant data, was a game-changer after we updated the content with what was most relevant to us. It fostered a healthy competitive spirit among our teams and aligned everyone with our efficiency and sustainability objectives. This transparency and real-time data sharing transformed how we operate and work together."
Billy Dahlgren, Packaging Manager at Barilla Filipstad
Boosting output by 15% and slashing CO2 by 28%
Barilla Wasa’s strategic changes have yielded impressive results: net output increased by 15%, and CO2 was lowered by 28%.
Since starting to work data-driven using RS Production to understand production stops in detail and minimise them, the team has cut downtime by 22%, increased the utilisation rate from 75% to 94%, and reduced product waste by 15%.
The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the new working method. A more profitable and sustainable factory using fewer resources, such as ingredients and energy, to produce the same amount of crispbread.
The success story of Barilla Wasa is a testament to the power of embracing change, adopting innovative solutions, and fostering a culture of excellence and sustainability.