Abbott Nutrition Case

Customer challenge

Abbott Nutrition, a leading player in the global healthcare sector and part of Abbott, faced a clearly defined but technically complex challenge: reducing the overfill (overfill) on the powder filling line. This overfill not only led to a waste of raw materials, but also had a direct impact on cost control and efficiency within the production process. In addition, Abbott Nutrition wanted to replace the manual weighing process with certified, inline weighing equipment to standardize, optimize and better control the filling process. Not only did it have to be more efficient, but also meet high quality standards within the food industry. UC Group was asked to lead this Lean Six Sigma process, with the aim of making sustainable process improvements that would deliver measurable results.

Approach

In close collaboration with Abbott Nutrition management and staff, UC Group has set up multiple Lean Six Sigma projects focused on both technical and cultural improvements. Through the structured DMAIC process (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control), the filling line process was thoroughly reviewed and optimized.

The approach included:

• Facilitating Kaizen improvement events to quickly achieve result-oriented improvements in daily operations.
• OEE Tooling Implementation for better insight into production line performance.
• Green Belts coaching and support, which anchored knowledge and skills within the organization.
• Six Sigma project management to take a data-driven and structured approach to continuous improvement.

An important element in the approach was the rapid execution of measurements and the interpretation of the results. This made it possible to make substantial improvements with relatively small investments. The implementation of automatic inline weighing equipment replaced the manual process and was integrated into the line as a certified control measure.

This pragmatic and structured approach led to a significant reduction in overfill and a payback period of less than one year. In addition, the basis was laid for a broader cultural change towards continuous improvement.

Results

• Significant improvements in reducing the overfill of the powder filling line and a payback period of less than one year
• Clear objectives and a clear communication structure to monitor results on a daily, weekly and monthly basis
• Implementation of automatic inline weighing devices for control, as a replacement for the manual process
• Initiation and first steps of cultural change

Our solution

In strong cooperation with Abbott Nutrition's management and employees, several Lean Six Sigma projects have started. The measurements and interpretation of the results of these measurements quickly revealed where improvement was possible. With relatively small investments and initiatives, many improvements could be initiated quickly. A few examples:

• Facilitating Kaizen improvement events
• Implementation of OEE tooling
• Green Belts coaching and support
• Six Sigma project management

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