How DeLuxe got 98% of its deliveries on time in only 18 months

How DeLuxe got 98% of its deliveries on time in only 18 months

The DeLuxe Packaging division of Novolex has set new records for efficiency and customer satisfaction by adopting the Syncrun planning and scheduling package. A look back at the genesis of success.

A growing need

Everything began when the company’s ERP planning module could no longer keep up with strong business growth. “We had more and more different items and customers, but our existing systems weren’t all that flexible. So we wanted to make the planners’ job easier,” remembers Marc-André Régimbald, the head of the supply chain department.

Marc-André began looking for an operations sequencing and optimization tool that could fit in with the existing ERP. His criteria? “A visual, easy to use tool that could be used to make production plan scenarios. Syncrun offered all of that,” he explained. After a successful test with the demo version, Novolex installed the software package in all of its DeLuxe plants.

Syncrun’s specificity

Marc-André Régimbald is especially appreciative because Syncrun’s algorithm can be adapted to the company’s special characteristics. At each stage of software installation, Arima’s developers were able to integrate new functions to meet the specific needs noted by DeLuxe: “It was really custom service and a beautiful joint effort. Even today the department head points out that “we still have a ‘tech’ available to answer our questions.” He also emphasizes the “high level of trust” that has developed with the service provider and “the importance of encouraging a local product […] through a customized approach.”

Concrete results

Syncrun has been synonymous with a myriad of benefits for DeLuxe plants. Marc-André Régimbald has noticed them in several areas:  
  • Optimized operations planning: “The visual features enable the planners to assess the scenarios quickly and measure the impacts of each decision.”
  • Increased production capacity: “The system automatically combines those orders that go well together in terms of operational constraints. That means less setup time, less scrap, and so on.”
  • Better customer service: “Syncrun has contributed a lot to increasing our on-time delivery rate from 87% to 98% and more, in only 18 months.”

Logo-Novolex-Gris

“The visual features enable the planners to assess the scenarios quickly and measure the impacts of each decision.”

Marc-André Régimbald

Head of the supply chain department, Novolex

The head of the installation project soon observed a return on investment. He has nothing but praise for Syncrun, which he honestly recommends to other planners and plant managers. So are you convinced?
Discover the potential gains Syncrun can generate for your business
Arima has been accompanying businesses to optimize their productivity for over 25 years. Contact one of our experts in production scheduling and optimization to discuss your needs and learn more about Syncrun!
Genetics: showing the way to faster, better production

Genetics: showing the way to faster, better production

Does Darwin’s theory of evolution mean anything to you? Arima has drawn inspiration from it to design and develop a new way to optimize production scheduling … by simulating the process of natural selection.

 

From biology to artificial intelligence

A population of individuals will evolve from one generation to the next. When two individuals breed, their genes are intermixed and repackaged into new chromosomes, with some genes changing through mutation. If the offspring survive and reproduce, this will be because their genetic characteristics make them well adapted to their environment. The cycle is repeated, and their surviving offspring will be even better adapted.

So in biology a genetic algorithm is an iterative process that improves the quality of an initial range of solutions through recombination, mutation, and selection to form, with each new generation, a better range of solutions.

Syncrun applies this principle to its model of the production process. The “population” is all of the possible solutions for production optimization. The “gene” is the way a resource is assigned to an operation according to a specific production schedule.

This evolutionary artificial intelligence technique has an advantage over conventional optimization approaches: the solution comes with a comprehensive view of the relevant costs.

 

Components of the genetic model

An initial population of chromosomes/solutions is generated in line with basic scheduling rules. It then goes through a double process of selection: selection for reproduction and selection for survival—in other words, a chromosome/solution is selected if it survives into the next generation.

The algorithm breaks up the chromosomes and creates new ones by recombining the fragments. There are also mutations where two groups of genes swap their positions on the same chromosome. May the best team win!

 

Concrete applications

In practice, Syncrun’s genetic algorithm will aim for a production goal (produce on time, and at the lowest cost) by simulating hundreds of thousands of possible ways to reach that goal. Finally, it comes up with the most efficient solution.

With this pathbreaking approach, we can optimize a manufacturer’s complete planning horizon and cut all of the production costs for inventory maintenance, for setup time, for production time, and for use of available resources.

Contact us to learn more about Syncrun’s genetic algorithm and about the tangible benefits it will very quickly generate!

Arima at the forefront of Industry 4.0

Arima at the forefront of Industry 4.0

Advanced scheduling and planning systems have been central to the “Fourth Industrial Revolution” of the last few decades. Arima’s Syncrun solution has been a major ally for any company that wishes to join this revolution and boost its productivity.

A short history of Industry 4.0

For the Business Development Bank of Canada, Industry 4.0 is characterized by the growing use of digital technologies in businesses. It is the latest evolution of manufacturing, after mechanization (c. 1780), electrification (c. 1870), automation, and globalization (c. 1970-1980).

The goal is to create “smart” factories that will be “capable of greater adaptability […] and a more efficient allocation of resources, to respond more quickly to the market in a more customized way and at lower cost,” according to Quebec’s Minister of the Economy and Innovation (MEI).

Syncrun gets into the act

As a North American leader in advanced planning and scheduling (APS) for 25 years, Arima has closely followed this evolution of manufacturing. Syncrun’s smart algorithm meets several major needs of the digital revolution:

  • advanced analysis of production scenarios;
  • planning and optimization of processes in real time;
  • resources allocation and optimization with the use of artificial intelligence;
  • instant adjustment of the plan to conditions on the shop floor and unforeseen events.

Recent techological advances have led to a new licensing and delivery model called SaaS (Software as a Service), which makes it easier for businesses to access software products on demand. The Syncrun system is completely cloud-based. It’s managed by Arima to provide a simplified customer experience and greater value.

Investing in the future

The MEI recognizes that “moving to Industry 4.0 means getting the infrastructure and the means to innovate, to be competitive, to seize business opportunities, and to prosper.” It thus encourages Quebec manufacturers to “[make] the leap to the factory of the future, in order to catch up and to gain new markets.”

Arima is a key local player in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, thanks to its user-friendly, value-adding solution.

Contact-us now and see what Syncrun can bring you!
Artificial intelligence: Syncrun passes Groupe OSI’s test

Artificial intelligence: Syncrun passes Groupe OSI’s test

How does a company choose and then implement Syncrun’s scheduling software? Groupe OSI shares its experience.

Comparative analysis of competing software solutions

Before choosing the right software to plan and schedule its production, Groupe OSI got to work reviewing its options on the market. “We conducted research at trade shows and on the Internet, paying special attention to what was available locally,” explained industrial engineer Hubert Breton.

The company discovered that Syncrun met “almost all of the criteria” and could be adapted to make up for the rest. “Its flexibility is a strong point in relation to suppliers, where it’s take it or leave it,” emphasized the general manager, Hugues Beaudry.

Beaudry pointed to the advantage of future possibilities for optimization: “This solution shows real intelligence that the others couldn’t show us.”

Proof of concept and a customer’s testimonial

Hubert Breton made a point of testing the software product before going further: “We exported a snapshot of our data to try out its features and initiate the gateway with our platform. That gave us confidence, in addition to speeding up the definitive implementation.”

After the proof of concept, the potential customer had an opportunity to discuss with a longstanding user and confirm the software supplier’s competence and maturity. “That reassured us to see his roadmap and how well the system works,” he added.

The last few steps

Now that this company from the Beauce region has made its decision official, it has only to complete the data transfer, train its staff, and validate the results of trying out and breaking in the new system. Everything will be ready to go in about three months.

Convinced he made the right choice, Hugues Beaudry has only one regret: that Syncrun isn’t better known! “It’s a superb solution, and people shouldn’t miss out. The staff are solid, agile, and sensitive to your needs. It’s win-win all the way.”

So what are you waiting for? Discover the gains you can achieve!!
Syncrun: an informed choice for DOCOM Technologies

Syncrun: an informed choice for DOCOM Technologies

Affordable and user-friendly: those qualities convinced DOCOM Technologies to support the rapid growth of its production by making Syncrun its operations scheduling system.

Optimizing at a competitive price

DOCOM Technologies has tripled its production in recent years, says Director of Operations Faouzi Talbi. New needs have appeared, and it must adapt to its market and modernize. This small factory in Boucherville was looking for a way to optimize resources and increase sales through better sequencing of production orders on the shop floor. “Without a tool to help us process more orders we run the risk of stagnation. We found Syncrun, which was very affordable,” remembers Faouzi. He looked at the cost of getting the same scheduling features with software modules available at ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning). His verdict? Syncrun was more cost-effective, its price being adjusted to the size and complexity of the customer’s company.

Close, timely, convenient

He also looked at several scheduling software solutions from other countries. Besides their high prices and lack of after-sales support, language was a serious barrier. This is why he likes working with the team at Arima, the developer of Syncrun: “Access to their technical support is direct and fast!” DOCOM Technologies regularly uses Arima’s support service to ensure installation is as efficient as possible. “The staff at Arima are very helpful and attentive to our requests,” stressed Faouzi.

A chance to reorganize

His own staff tried out Syncrun for free to see how it could be adapted to their way of operating—and vice versa. “That showed us what it could bring us and how we should get organized for the most benefit,” he said. He estimates they’ll be done implementing the scheduling software around six months after the process begins: “It’s not complicated to set up, but we’re starting from scratch. … We’re taking our time to do things right.”

A winning formula

Although DOCOM Technologies is just starting out with Syncrun, Faouzi Talbi is already happy with his decision: “Arima is a supplier that’s easy to reach, and Syncrun is easy to use. On top of that, we’re helping out local people. … It’s win-win.”
DOCOM Technologies produces custom cable assemblies and electrical wiring harnesses.

Contact us, and all the benefits will be yours too!