Wilo's smart factory sets standards in digitalization

“It is important that we continue on this path because there is always more to achieve,” said plant manager Branko Calusic when Wilo's Smart Factory in Dortmund won the award in the 'Digitalization' category in 2022. It was clear to Kearney that significant steps followed this resolution. Thus, through consistent site development focusing on key factors such as communication and transparency, holistic improvement, competence management, and leadership, the plant was able to achieve another milestone: the overall victory at the Factory of the Year 2024.

In addition to expanding the company's headquarters, Wilopark, significant progress has been made within the Smart Factory, not just in the area of digitalization. “As part of site development, we have launched clear offensives in the last two years to truly involve everyone on various topics - from executives to employees on the shop floor,” Calusic describes the essence of a transformation.

An example of such an offensive is the implementation of so-called sustainability ambassadors within individual departments. “Sustainability, like quality or digitalization, is not limited to one department but affects everyone,” explains Calusic. The role of a sustainability ambassador as a link between employees and departments is therefore to sharpen and broaden the understanding of sustainability.

Employees are at the center of the strategy

In the area of sustainability, the manufacturer of pumps and pump systems for building technology, water management, and industry also places its employees at the center of the strategy. Therefore, the overall winner invested in both the Health Cube, its own health center at Wilopark, and in accident prevention within the winning plant.

“In addition to the well-being of employees, occupational safety is also about reducing errors and downtime accordingly. That's why we created Safety+, a way to mark danger spots on the digital area boards by touch,” Calusic mentions as one of many shopfloor initiatives.

If a near-accident or similar is marked on the digitally depicted shopfloor, it is immediately forwarded to the appropriate occupational safety committee, which can then take appropriate measures. “Here too, the goal was to involve everyone, which is why we have received up to 400 tips through these boards in the last two years,” the plant manager is pleased with the user-friendly and effective way to increase safety in the plant.

Support through the use of artificial intelligence

“That we have also focused on the shop floor with our various initiatives was important and right to take everyone along the path to an even more digital, sustainable, and flexible future,” explains the plant manager. This is also supported by the use of artificial intelligence.

Calusic cites an example from electronics manufacturing, where AI was able to reduce the pseudo-error rate of an AOI system: “We optimized the system to the point where only about 0.5 percent are judged as pseudo-errors. About half of those are actually such.”

Wilo also relies on AI for checking sealing beads: sealing beads only adhere properly if the mixing ratio of the components is correct. To avoid corresponding failures, artificial intelligence checks the adhesion using thermal images. In addition to checking adhesion, the system is also able to make statements about the optimal mixing ratio so that the sealing bead adheres permanently.

From the beginning, it was important to the plant manager to involve the employees from the shop floor in all the initiatives. For example, with the gamification of digital worker guidance. “For this, a standard worker guidance was further developed into an adaptive system that adjusts the support to the level of the worker,” he explains.

Someone performing a task for the first time is shown significantly more content about the individual work steps than an experienced specialist. Basically, you can work your way up or down to a level if the activity hasn't been performed for a long time.

Fully exploiting existing potential

Such tools also serve Wilo to fully exploit the existing potential. This is exactly what needs to be worked on, because Calusic is convinced that recruiting should not be the only way to compensate for the shortage of skilled workers. “So, for example, in the last four years, we have trained almost 60 people in the area of Six Sigma. From White Belts to Master Black Belts, to really reach the masses.” To engage with the Scrum method, a Scrum Master with appropriate job rotation was brought into the company. The people who spend six months in this group and solve problems for logistics, sales, or purchasing in a team have a completely different perspective on the topics when they return to their daily business because they know the big picture.

The fact that the potential mentioned by Calusic can be significantly raised is shown by the fact that half of the 'returnees' devote themselves to new tasks because this experience opens up new opportunities for them. The other 50 percent return to their jobs as better employees. “This way, we have been able to build extremely high-performing teams in recent years that do not hide, repeatedly step out of their comfort zone, and are willing to go the extra mile for the company and their own development. Most are open to new things, understand the necessary changes of our time, and are proud to be part of Wilo. And I feel the same way personally,” announces Calusic.

Flexibility is one of the key factors for the future

Of course, the victory two years ago motivated the team and confirmed that all the changes brought success. "In the end, it's about not stopping too early, but also taking the final step," says Calusic.

And so, the overall victory in the Factory of the Year 2024 is not the end of the road for him, but a snapshot. "We still have a long way to go," says the plant manager regarding the complexity that lies in the interfaces. "Improvement processes are not limited to one department. You have to involve purchasing just as much as planning, logistics, production, and process engineering," says Calusic about the interdisciplinary exchange, for which a dedicated area was even created with Holistic Improvement.

"Creating this transparency for the orientation of the individual areas is extremely important because we will always be working on small puzzle pieces. And when people understand where their small picture fits into the big one, a completely different dynamic, motivation, and self-understanding for these topics arise," describes Calusic the impact on the overall package with which Wilo was able to clearly convince the jury this year.

Confirmed by the neutral judgment, Wilo will consistently continue on the chosen path and aims to become even more determined and flexible, as flexibility is one of the key factors for the future to adapt to the constantly changing situations.