It all started at one of BASF's chemical production plants in Catalonia. The previous manual system, which depended on physical boards and printed materials to manage workflows, was the primary obstacle preventing the teams from advancing and reaching their full potential.
This project, which focused on digitalizing and optimizing the planning and logistics systems, was a step forward for the company in enhancing productivity, increasing visibility, and much more.
The Turning Point: Primary Challenges
Before this plant-changing initiative began, BASF faced several operational hurdles stemming from outdated, manual processes that hindered efficiency and visibility across production activities. To name the most critical ones:
Inefficiencies caused by manual processes, including excessive paperwork.
Difficulty in tracking tasks and delays across multiple production and bottling lines.
Lack of real-time visibility and data for decision-making.
The Finish Line: Dream Goals
Shortly after the weak points were identified, it was decided that a change was urgently needed in light of digital transformation. To address these issues, the project aimed to modernize operations by embracing digital tools that would streamline workflows and support data-driven decision-making.
As a result, a few key goals were outlined:
Eliminate paper-based processes.
Digitize planning and logistics systems.
Enhance operational visibility and decision-making capabilities.
Integrating Businessmap into BASF's Transformation Journey
BASF uses Businessmap (formerly Kanbanize) to digitize and optimize its planning and logistics processes in chemical production plants. The implementation began with their facility producing agrochemical products and was later expanded to another BASF site.
The First Users of Businessmap
Two teams undertook the pilot project: the production and logistics teams.
Production Team’s Main Responsibilities:
Manages tasks related to the manufacturing and bottling of chemical products.
Focuses on reducing delays and streamlining production line activities.
Logistics Team’s Main Responsibilities:
Handles storage, provisioning raw products for the production line, and loading finished goods onto trucks.
Ensures seamless task transitions from production to distribution.
The Processes BASF Manages with Businessmap
Production Line Operations:
Digitization of manual processes previously managed through physical boards (Heijunka boards) and paper.
Integration with SAP to import production schedules and transform them into visual tasks (cards) in Businessmap.
Automated task creation using templates for recurring production activities, such as heating, mixing, bottling, and cleaning.
Real-Time Task Management:
Operators visualize tasks through digital boards, execute them, and mark progress in real time.
Push system to fill digital boards with the orders needed to be produced during the shift through the Businessmap API.
Custom workflows for managing bottling processes and storing finished products.
Automated inventory reservation and task assignments for loading trucks.
Performance Tracking:
Development of KPIs to monitor production delays and efficiency.
Visualization of metrics and bottlenecks using tailored dashboards integrated with Businessmap.
Driving Impact: Key Outcomes Achieved
Beyond improving operations at BASF’s chemical plant, the partnership with Businessmap has also brought key results to other areas of the business.
Employee Empowerment
Operators transitioned seamlessly to digital tools after gaining familiarity with manual lean systems.
Improved collaboration between teams through transparent workflows and data access.
Scalability
The solution supports over 1,000+ tasks daily, scaling seamlessly to meet the plant's production needs.
Initial success led to deployments in other BASF plants, adapting the system for diverse operational contexts.
Delivering Value: The Benefits
Digitalizing all workflows in less than 6 months.
Paper and many manual and bureaucratic tasks have been eliminated, significantly reducing the associated indirect costs.
Solving incidents and anomalies a lot faster than before, real-time management.
Adaptability to change and an increase in production efficiency.
Change management and process improvement.
Delay indicators of production come at once at every shift change.
Improved communication between departments.
Visualization of real-time data in the control room and on the shop floor.
Lessons Learned and Next Steps
The project revealed several key insights that contributed to its success and will inform future initiatives, ranging from strategic approaches to digitization to technical integration and sustainability practices.
1. Phased transition to digitization
Introducing manual lean systems before digitization allowed employees to internalize key principles, ensuring smoother adoption of digital tools.
2. Sustainability
Eliminating paper usage aligns with BASF's commitment to sustainability and operational excellence.
3. SAP integration challenges
Establishing a robust interface for seamless data flow between SAP and Businessmap required careful planning and iterative improvements.
4. Future focus
Continuous improvement of digital tools and workflows, leveraging the enhanced API capabilities of Businessmap to further optimize operations.
Conslusion
The digitization project at BASF exemplifies the transformative potential of combining lean principles with cutting-edge digital tools like Businessmap. It demonstrates how tailored solutions can enhance productivity, reduce waste, and empower employees, setting a benchmark for the chemical manufacturing industry.
