CSB ERP solution provides cost savings and informed business decisions Coherent data capture throughout the production process and detailed analyses, using an ERP solution devised by leading specialist CSB-System, has enabled US meat producer Courage Production to maximise yields and efficiencies throughout its operation, enhance data collection and planning processes, and deliver valuable cost savings. Courage, based in California, specialises in hot dogs, beef jerky, poultry and delicatessen products. To better support government regulations and the increasing documentation requirements
flexibility to respond quickly to short-
for its business, the company introduced
notice orders.
ERP software from CSB, which greatly simplified the processes.
As part of this, the CSB Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) module
“In the past, everything was rather
takes the five most important factors
complicated with some 50 pages of
into account for planning - product
paper being passed onto production,
group, label, wrapping films, allergens
such as bills of material, recipes and
and set-up changes. This provides an
work instructions,” explained Courage Production’s president, Rob Engelhart. “We have now digitised and streamlined this to a great extent. At the same time, we have really intensified our data capturing.” One particular example of this is the efficiency gains that have been achieved in the company’s four smoke houses. Around 350 different items go through the smoke houses, where they each lose part of their weight. By weighing every smoking cart before and after smoking, using PC racks specifically set
The availability of such information has allowed optimal planning and distribution of the raw materials to the
optimised planning proposal, which can be adapted dynamically and in detail by managers.
different positions in the chambers.
Several additional optimisation
The numerous minor improvements
measures have further increased
achieved, such as a two per cent
transparency. Overall, the ERP system
increase in hot dog yields and one
and its data on purchase orders, order
per cent less water for beef jerky, has
entries, invoices, calculations, production
translated into a major cost saving.
orders and inventory movements will
“This allows us to optimise the yields
become the ‘workhouse’ and growth
of every item in every smoke house,
driver for all Courage Production’s
and to reduce our losses to an absolute minimum,” said Engelhart.
business decisions. “We want to double our production and
up for this purpose, the ERP system was
As well as high levels of efficiency,
able to aggregate the data to provide a
digital optimisation has also enhanced
precise overview. This enabled Courage
planning and control, with predictive
managers to identify in which smoke
machine planning helping to ensure
house specific products had the lowest
the best possible utilisation of the
www.csb.com/en/the-erp-from-the-
loss.
production lines, while providing the
industry-specialist
38 FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk
expand our products throughout the United States over the next five years,” said Rob Engelhart.
