Peikko

Production data needed to support development

Over the years, Peikko’s activities have expanded, and the needs for further development have grown. According to Markku Koponen, who works as a sourcing director at Peikko Group, the goal is to be a pioneer in the industry.

– The construction sector is relatively conservative, and change is often slow. At Peikko, we want to be visionary trailblazers, because our innovative products really make building easier, faster and safer.

According to Toni Naukkarinen, CTO, the same aspiration is also evident at the operational level, where production is fine-tuned to meet customer expectations and needs. This work will be supported by Pinja’s Gema system.

– We constantly aim to get a better and more real-time picture of the entire production, globally. Digitalized production data is an excellent tool that will help us make better and more dependable decisions in the future, both in daily management and in making investments.

In 2021, Gema was put to the test at the factory where a part of Peikko’s key production lines is located. Testing in a real factory environment was a success, and convinced experts in Finland and at local level.

The system evaluations placed great emphasis on the usability of Gema. For example, monitoring the status of a machine or line and the ability to customize the reason codes for associated anomalies helps escalate usage to the operational level. According to Naukkarinen, usability is particularly important for people working in production. If the system is perceived as difficult or unclear, even the best system is not used, which leads to losing out on potential benefits.

– In our experience, Gema has produced reliable data that are available to all operational staff and their managers on a daily basis.

According to Naukkarinen, this gives operators clarity in their daily work and support to managers in their decision-making. The system’s reports make the data available in an understandable and visual format, reducing the uncertainty resulting from the interpretation of observations. At the same time, the number of incorrect conclusions is reduced and confidence in the usefulness of the system is increased.

An international environment adds spice to the activities

Following positive experiences, all Peikko factories using Machine Track have been upgraded to Gema. Additionally, during the year 2022, new factories were also integrated into the monitoring system.

– Consistency is important to us. We ourselves use the term One Peikko, which I think is a great reflection of our culture and means in practice that, regardless of the place or person, the same values are reflected throughout our business. We have harmonized our quality systems and the location and method of production. This helps us operate in an international environment and share best practices – Koponen concludes.

Sharing best practices is important, especially in a multi-plant environment. In practice, this means sharing experience and practices, and learning together. This is a challenging goal that requires effective cooperation between people. The task is facilitated by a low organizational structure and strong culture of collaboration. Communication between factories is generally fast and open.

– If differences are found in the indicators between factories, the reasons can be discussed together, as the monitoring will be consistent. The system provides reliable data on availability, production volumes, utilization rates and manufacturing speeds, among other things.

Increasing automation and better customer service are future priorities

Naukkarinen and Koponen both agree that the pursuit of production efficiency will become even more important in the future. Alongside the recruitment of competent and motivated staff, Peikko sees the increase in automation as an opportunity for the future.

The investments are large, and it is therefore important that they help achieve the production targets set and thus meet the expectations of Peikko’s customers. Gema plays an important role in verifying the success of investments.

In the future, the lead-time, i.e. the time it takes to manufacture a product and deliver it to customers, will also become even more important. According to Naukkarinen, it is already noticeable that a customer’s need can evolve quickly, and the factories must be able to meet that need. This places even higher expectations on production and its development.

Naukkarinen and Koponen thank Pinja for their professional support in development projects and good customer service spirit.

– It’s rewarding to work together when the other party understands the way we do things. This kind of a group structure has its own challenges and therefore, for example, the implementation of large acquisitions requires collaboration both internally and with a partner. Each case is different, and the opportunities and challenges are unique. We feel that we are listened to and that our needs are taken into account.

Pictures © Peikko Group.