Lightlife and Epicor Informance Optimize Operational Performance

Lightlife Foods started in 1979 when Michael Cohen sensed an opportunity to introduce the Indonesian staple, tempeh, to the American dinner plate. In 1985, Lightlife launched Tofu Pups, a healthier, veggie alternative to the hot dog and the seeds of a veggie revolution were planted. Lightlife utilizes Epicor's Informance enterprise manufacturing intelligence (EMI) system in its Turners Falls, Massachusetts manufacturing facility for collecting real-time production data automatically from seven different operating lines and eliminating inaccurate and time-consuming manual data collection. Operators on the shop floor use touchscreen technology to gauge production performance, such as downtime, cycle time and product defect rates, allowing operators to respond immediately to problems or improve performance on the spot.

Because it is a food manufacturer, Lightlife is governed by strict FDA standards. Informance provides the manufacturing intelligence Lightlife needs to effectively control product quality and safety. Informance also records product defect rates to help Lightlife understand the rate at which defects occur and put a time stamp on the event to help investigate root cause analysis.

Within the first three years of using Informance, Lightlife grew its overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) for batch processes by 50% and improved overall plant efficiency 40% by using the tools and real-time plant analytics inside Informance. The company has been able realize continuous improvements in operational performance and product throughput through real-time product information.

To read more about the Lightlife Foods Informance implementation, visit the Epicor News blog.

The Brown Smith Wallace 2014-15 Distribution and Manufacturing Software Guides are currently available for download. Please contact snelson@bswllc.com for more information about these latest editions.

2014 Distribution Software Guide: 

http://track.websiteceo.com/r/160948/www.software4distributors.com/downloads/2014_Distribution_Software_Guide_From_Blog.pdf

 

2014 Manufacturing Software Guide: 

http://track.websiteceo.com/r/160948/www.software4distributors.com/downloads/2014_Manufacturing_Software_Guide_From_Blog.pdf

 

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