Millions in savings, increased efficiency and transparency: C&D Foods digitalize with AROLINK®

Need/challenge

C&D Foods is a leading manufacturer of high-quality pet food. They faced challenges with traceability, data collection and quality assurance in their production processes. They wanted to improve efficiency, reduce errors and maintain high standards of quality and safety in accordance with international standards such as IFS and BRC. There was also a need to involve employees more in quality control and increase their engagement in the production process.

Solution

AROLINK® is customized to C&D Foods’ specific needs to achieve full integration with the Movex ERP system and with all processes on the factory floor. This step has been taken to meet C&D Foods’ desire to ensure their customers full traceability, transparency and high quality in all stages of production.

At C&D Foods, the flow of goods starts with the receipt of all raw materials needed for production, such as meat, flour, water, spices and packaging material, and ends when the finished private label product, such as an aluminum tray of dog food, is filled and ready for the next steps, such as preparation, labeling and palletizing. This means that the AROLINK® solution involves:

• Electronic receipt of delivery notes from suppliers
• Receiving raw materials, ingredients and packaging
• Recording data from scales and PDA scanners
• Recording data from quality control upon receipt
• Exporting data from receiving to the ERP system
• Printing labels with barcodes for device identification
• Inventory management of incoming raw materials and all intermediate stocks
• CIM and monitoring of all production lines where AROLINK® is implemented
• Master data for suppliers, raw materials, recipes and process parameters
• Production planning and sequential planning
• Waste registration and source of waste
• Control samples on delivery and during production
• Inventory management with PDA handheld scanners
• Reporting of material consumption in production.

Results:

The implementation has not only resulted in improved efficiency and fewer errors, but has also had a direct impact on the company’s bottom line.

By achieving traceability, constant data collection and quality assurance at all stages of production, C&D Foods has been able to manage their operations more accurately and meet both their own and their customers’ demands for quality and efficiency. Since implementation, C&D Foods has seen a significant improvement in their production processes and quality management.

With AROLINK® they have been able to achieve full traceability throughout the production chain in minutes, which used to take up to 4 hours. This has increased trust with both customers and suppliers and enabled us to meet international food safety standards.

In addition, AROLINK® has led to more consistent finished products, less waste, fewer production errors and better supply security. The intuitive user interface has enabled all employees, even those on the floor, to learn the system quickly, increasing employee satisfaction and engagement.

Furthermore, AROLINK® has contributed to a more data-driven decision-making process, which has significantly improved production planning and efficiency.

C&D Foods in Esbjerg is a good example of how digitalization can support business goals and challenges. The case highlights the importance of a well-considered digital strategy that can deliver tangible business results and strengthen the company’s long-term competitiveness.

“We save millions on increased efficiency and fewer errors! Having worked in the food industry for many years, I have never before experienced such a powerful tool as AROLINK® to deliver up-to-date key figures.

The AROLINK solution we have implemented gives us full traceability, constant data collection and quality assurance in all stages of production. Now we can continuously ensure that we meet the quality and efficiency requirements of ourselves and our customers, and we detect and react immediately if there are any deviations from the planned figures. Our KPI numbers improved significantly already during the implementation of AROLINK®.

The data that AROLINK® extracts from the IT systems is also used for long-term production planning. Based on data such as inventory, stock shrinkage, utilization rates and yield figures, we regularly review production to see if it’s possible to make it even better. Before, our decisions were based on what we believed. Now decisions are based on concrete knowledge.”