PLZ Aeroscience Improves Production Control, Increases Sales

Technology Category

Analytics & Modeling - Real Time Analytics
Functional Applications - Enterprise Resource Planning Systems (ERP)
Functional Applications - Remote Monitoring & Control Systems

Applicable Industries

Chemicals
Consumer Goods

Applicable Functions

Business Operation
Quality Assurance

Use Cases

Machine Condition Monitoring
Predictive Maintenance
Process Control & Optimization
Real-Time Location System (RTLS)

Services

Software Design & Engineering Services
System Integration

The Challenge

PLZ Aeroscience faced significant challenges due to their legacy paper-based data management systems. As the company grew through acquisitions and expansion, they needed to consolidate these legacy systems to improve operating efficiencies. The existing quality systems were inefficient, with inspectors manually recording data on paper, leading to difficulties in understanding product performance and comparing different machines or tooling. The information was often stuck on the factory floor, hidden from view, and the quality team spent considerable time managing rework when processes ranged out of specification. Rising staffing costs, customer complaints, poor efficiencies, and high inventory carrying costs further impacted profitability. The company was caught between high corporate expectations and the current reality of operating performance, necessitating a change.

About The Customer

PLZ Aeroscience is North America’s largest custom aerosol manufacturer and packager, producing private brand products, custom formulations, and providing contract filling for other customers. With over 100 years in business, PLZ has experienced significant growth in the last six years, driven by acquisitions and expansion of privately owned brands. The company operates multiple plants, each with its own legacy processes and systems, necessitating a consolidation of information systems to manage growth effectively. PLZ's reputation for quality is paramount, and they have focused on improving their quality data systems to maintain and enhance this reputation.

The Solution

PLZ decided to replace their manual, paper-based quality tracking processes with a state-of-the-art computerized system. They selected Hertzler Systems’s GainSeeker Suite after a thorough competitive search, confident in its flexibility to handle the volume and diversity of products. The implementation began on two lines at their Pacific and St. Clair, Missouri facilities, with immediate payback. Hertzler worked with PLZ to custom-configure the GainSeeker Suite to match specific processes, setting up a system to collect data on production lines and in the quality lab. Measurements were automatically collected from digital gaging equipment or manually posted using a computer keyboard. Data is now logged automatically into a single database, visible in real-time, allowing operators to see their data plotted on charts and react to trends before they become problems.

Operational Impact

With real-time data available, PLZ has driven significant improvements in company performance, including reduced material costs, reduced head count, fewer product holds, higher production numbers, and reduced inventory and raw material costs.
The company has achieved higher product consistency and reduced customer complaints, leading to increased revenue.
Timely and accurate data has allowed PLZ to reduce variation in key fill weights, resulting in more consistent products and faster order fulfillment, improving cash flow.

Quantitative Benefit

Line speeds increased by up to 20% over the last three years.
Quality department head count reduced by half.
Managing 100,000 data points a month from 11 production lines at two Missouri plants.