Danone Numico Clarity European rollout:

sharing best practices leads to fast-track productivity boost

After the successful start of the Clarity project at its Cuijk (NL) plant, Danone Numico Europe felt that ARV Group could contribute importantly to its European-wide Clarity improvement program, intended to result among other things in structural savings of millions of euros annually at its main infant nutrition sites in four countries.

Based on the step-change improvements already underway at Cuijk, the executive management of Danone Numico’s infant nutrition division asked ARV Group to help roll out a program which would not only help boost operating efficiency at the European supply points, but also serve to change the organization’s mindset and behavior as a foundation for continuous improvement.

Major cost drivers

Following management approval of the value-based proposal and a series of thorough scans and assessments at the relevant sites, ARV Group recommended the implementation of performance management systems, followed by an efficiency improvement campaign based on “lean” operations and world class manufacturing practices. The campaign was aimed at major cost drivers such as OEE, waste, maintenance and purchasing. This Clarity program, it was agreed, would be implemented in “waves” over a two-year period, thereby providing the benefit of sharing best practices between Danone Numico’s European supply points.

This Clarity program was finalized on time with structural/sustained annual savings of € 6 million, exceeding original expectations by 30%. As the backbone for uniform continuous improvement processes at these supply points, a standardized performance management system has now been structurally embedded, enabling multi-million euro productivity improvements during the plan period.

Mariano Garcia, Vice-President Operations, Danone Numico Baby Food Europe: "With its work on the Clarity program at our Cuijk SP, ARV Group showed us that it had the capability to help empower our people during the international Clarity roll out. Within two years we have seen concrete and sustainable improvements in both productivity and mindset throughout the organization, and have been able to meet and even surpass our original targets."