Halton

Challenge: The old control system fails to meet the complex requirements of production

The family business is well acquainted with the challenges that accompany an extensive product range: Many components can be varied application-specifically and a large share of the products have to be tailored to the customer’s needs. The old control system was no longer able to meet the requirements.

Solution: Pinja’s PES system helped with production development and optimization

The co-operation between Halton and Pinja began about a decade ago, in the field of production simulation. The latest project launched in 2017 aims to streamline order processing and optimize production control.

– When the project started, our control system at the time was nearing the end of its road. We compared new supplier candidates; with Pinja, we reached the same wavelength right away. They proposed a two-stage transition; in the first stage, we replaced the outdated sales order processing system with a new one. Now, in the second stage, we are straightening some curves in the production department, says Sami Ahola, Development Manager at Halton

The wide range of products and typically project-like customer deliveries challenge the implementation of Halton’s production. For the company, it is important to see how well the estimated product lead times correspond to reality, and to be capable of responding to any deviations quickly.

– Of course, our customer deliveries must be on schedule, but we would also like to avoid idle times in production. For this anticipation and scheduling, we acquired PES, Ahola explains.

Visuality brings clarity and ease of control

The first development stage facilitated the daily life of Halton’s management and production coordinators, among others. They can conveniently pick up orders belonging under their area of responsibility from the massive data volume, and comments on malfunctions, for example, are conveniently visible to all who need them. Logistics can also receive more information through the system.

In the second stage currently in progress, the benefits will be extended further, to facilitate the daily lives of production managers as well.

– For us, it is important that production managers can proactively monitor the load in real time and that they can use the data to arrange production as required. PES’s visuality is beneficial in this respect – we can see the load status at a quick glance and can respond to it promptly, if necessary, Ahola says.

In addition to the functional product, Halton has appreciated the active approach and expertise of the supplier.

– We have a good team on both sides, and we’ve been truly satisfied with the co-operation with Pinja. Naturally, the commissioning and integration with our SAP enterprise resource planning system took some effort, but the outcome has really lived up to the promises on making our daily lives easier. Our production control has become clearer and it will be easier for us to manage the production as a whole in the future.

A step towards production digitalization

The transition to digital environments and tools is also strongly evident in Halton. The company’s potential for streamlining production is multiplied by the fact that Halton has production facilities in many different countries. Halton is a family business founded in Kausala, Kymenlaakso, in 1969; over the years, its operations have expanded to almost 35 countries.

The Halton Group currently employs more than 1,550 people and has production facilities in nine countries. The products delivered for high-profile applications are not only top-quality, but also manufactured in a streamlined manner.

– Now that we have taken a great step towards the digitalization and optimization of our production here in Finland, we certainly want to utilize this opportunity in our foreign facilities as well. Gradual introduction of PES at our factory in France is among our short-term objectives, Ahola mentions.

Another megatrend that has reached Halton is the network-like operation model. In Halton’s solution range, the novel concept is represented by Inoroom™, for example – an integrated operating theater solution jointly developed by three partners. In addition to being smart and hygienic, this operating theater designed for the demanding application is also easy to use.

– Through combination of our specialist expertise, we have developed a solution that truly serves the customer in the best possible way and that can be ordered from us based on the turnkey principle. Products change and evolve over time, but the very core of our company has remained the same throughout our fifty years of operation: the key phrase is customer-oriented approach.