V&S Absolut Spirits

IFS Applications has helped V&S Absolut Spirits increase productivity by 10%. The company also increased its overall equipment efficiency by more than 30% over four years and significantly streamlined its logistics and maintenance processes.

Needed to streamline core processes

Like other companies in the food and beverage industry, V&S Absolut Spirits is extremely material dependent. Small deviations in quality and supply can lead to major issues. In the 1990s, as the company expanded, V&S Absolut Spirits was looking to introduce an IT solution that would enable it to streamline key processes such as maintenance, inventory, purchasing, and logistics. The ability of the software to ensure high levels of quality, overall equipment efficiency (OEE) and just-in-time (JIT) processes was an important consideration for both.

Mature, flexible EAM solution

Both companies chose component-based IFS Applications; more specifically the enterprise asset management (EAM) solution offered by IFS. This includes components for maintenance, purchasing, time reporting, and inventory. In the late 1990s, after the companies had merged, their installations were merged into one system when they upgraded to the latest version of IFS Applications. A web solution with personal portals is also part of the installation. 

Greater staff involvement, more efficient processes

Thanks to IFS Applications, maintenance technicians have a better overview of the machinery and equipment at the plants, which has resulted in better maintenance flows. In the past, when a production line was stopped for service, its operators were either free or worked elsewhere. Now they take part in the maintenance process, using the Web portal in IFS Applications to report issues as they arise. 

The Web solution has made it much easier for operators to access the applications and report issues. This enables the maintenance technicians to focus their expertise on the most critical matters. With all issues being logged in IFS Applications, it is easier to gain a complete overview, detect any fault patterns that might exist, and plan preventive measures to eliminate them. As a result, overall equipment efficiency at V&S Absolut Spirits has increased by 15% in just 4 years. 

Per Oxelgren, technical director, comments, “Now that technicians and operators meet regularly, maintenance flows are much smoother. Everyone knows what has to be done, priorities can be made, and planning has become more efficient.” One result of this is fewer bottlenecks and less equipment downtime, which is a significant benefit for a company that produces 80,000,000 bottles of premium-brand vodka per annum.

Logistics and spare parts management have also improved. With 300 different items to track, including different tastes, labels, bottle sizes and pallet sizes, JIT production is a critical issue. Minor deviations can cause major problems. Using IFS Applications, the company trained its maintenance technicians to use the inventory component, which gave them greater insight into the way spare parts were stored and organised. An immediate result of this was that parts of the old stock could be removed, cutting down on the storage space required. Furthermore, maintenance staff can now access inventory even after warehouse staff have gone home for the day. Again, the result is faster, more efficient maintenance and fewer stoppages. IFS Applications also reports automatic replenishment of inventory, which makes the procurement process easier and more accurate.

Per Oxelgren concludes, “Apart from the maintenance and production benefits, IFS also helped us improve change processes in the company.

IFS is very focused on solutions, on helping us see possibilities rather than problems.”

Software

IFS EAM, including 
IFS/Preventive Maintenance
IFS/Equipment
IFS/Inventory
IFS/Work Order
IFS/Purchasing

Facts about V&S Absolut Spirits

V&S Absolut Spirits, a business area within V&S Group, is the brand owner and producer of Absolut, Danzka Vodka, Frïs Vodka, Level, and Plymouth Gin. Absolut is the third largest international spirit in the world and is available in 126 markets. Absolut is made at the distilleries near Åhus, Sweden. The head office is in Stockholm, Sweden.