Blending and Packaging Challenges

Unilever (Wish-bone and Lawry's)

Over the course of a long partnership with Unilever's in-house industrial engineers, NovaSim has developed multiple discrete event simulation models to help optimize production performance. 

Project Objectives

• Determine whether the ingredient preparation system could keep up with increased production, while considering the handling of Kosher ingredients
• Create efficient production schedules to meet demand while minimizing losses due to changeovers and equipment availability contraints
• Manage dedicated equipment while simultaneously meeting all product demands
• Coordinate the batch production and the complex system of ingredient scales with fork lift delivery, pumps, mixers, and packaging lines

Model Elements

• Daily production shedules
• Base formulas with multiple packaging operations for a wide number of products
• Complex changeover requirements
• Traveling labor requirments
• Kanban based production system
• Mixing of both dry and wet ingredients
• Complex process times for each product and each process step including materials handling, equipment, and labor
• Careful management of Kosher product constraints
• 6 different production technolgies ranging from dry blend only to colloid mills