Global shift operation control

When it comes to digitalizing the value chain, speed is of the essence – for example when it comes to the global rollout of digital shift books. Our best-practice example of a successful and rapid rollout strategy shows how standardization can reduce costs, make data transparent and processes better and more secure.

Production sites are individual in terms of processes, work specifications, shift systems, etc. In order to map their peculiarities as far as possible, many companies roll out their digital shift books plant by plant – and in such a way that the shift book is tailored precisely to the needs of the location. Although this ensures a high level of acceptance among the workforce, it costs a huge amount of time and money in terms of IT strategy and makes rollouts slow and sometimes impossible, especially for larger companies. What’s more, the shift books are heterogeneous and have different versions.

Success through speed

Best practice examples show that a switch to a standardization strategy with globally uniform, digital shift books is particularly recommended for globally active groups with more than ten production sites. This not only reduces rollout costs, but also allows you to achieve your strategic goals earlier: internal communication is improved and the same applies to global processes. Information on shift events is available centrally and can be viewed by all authorized persons worldwide. The effort involved in searching for information is reduced, shift handovers are faster, safer and, if necessary, contactless. You and your employees are able to make better and, above all, faster decisions.

Global shift operation control and documentation

A high degree of standardization enables uniform implementation as well as a cost-effective and fast rollout. Not only will new sites be connected, but sites with older versions will also be brought into line with the current Group standard. As soon as all sites are using the standardized digital shift books, global shift operation control and worldwide documentation of shift events, including corresponding reports, will be possible.

What you should take your time for: the standardization phase

The first step is to define a group-wide standard that all companies can agree on. Experience has shown that this phase takes the longest, but it is the basis for later rapid success – end-to-end digitalization of the entire value chain. The standard relates to functionality and integration into processes and with other systems. For example, shift events can be enriched with real-time operating data and maintenance messages can be exchanged with SAP PM.

Configuration, roll-out and go-live

In further project phases, the roll-out per location is carried out up to the go-live. The first step is to set up the standardized digital shift books for each production site as a test environment – this usually only takes a few hours per site. This step is important so that the sites can quickly check whether the test system meets their expectations. If not, corrections are integrated into the standard. Before the sites go live, employees are trained on the new system using a training platform.

Your added value

Offene Systemstandards: Technologisch für die Anforderungen der Zukunft gewappnet.
Hohe Usability: Mitarbeiter haben auch beim Einsatz an wechselnden Standorten stets dasselbe System.
Schneller und kostengünstiger Roll-out: Zeit- und Kostenersparnis
Zentrales Projektteam: Ansprechpartner für alle Standorte
Selbstermächtigung: Self-Service-Funktionalitäten integrieren, damit Betriebe auch selbst Anpassungen vornehmen können, ohne jedes Mal ein Ticket zu öffnen.
Mehrsprachigkeit. Gesamtes System im Standard in mehreren Sprachen verfügbar.

Would you like to know more about our solutions? Then please write me using the contact form. I will get back to you as soon as possible.

Christoph Schiffer
Sales Team Germanedge

More transparency, efficiency and compliance!

Mehr zur Schichtplan-Software

Total Energies Raffinerie Mitteldeutschland relies on Germanedge

Or how over 700 people, 2 million events and 12,000 tasks come together in a shift management tool

Total Energies Raffinerie Mitteldeutschland has been using the Finito shift management solution from Germanedge since 2013. The software is used at the site in a total of five operations – including three production plants, an off-site tank farm and in the loading area. This means that the tool is not only used in various operational areas of the refinery, but also acts as an interface to quality, environmental protection and occupational/plant safety.

With a throughput of 12 million tons, the Central German refinery is Total Energies’ largest refinery site in Germany. This makes Leuna the third largest refinery in the country.

Total Energies is a globally active, broad-based energy company in the fields of oil, gas, electricity, hydrogen, biomass, wind and solar energy. In terms of size: Annual turnover amounted to more than USD 281 billion in 2022. More than 105,000 employees worked for the Group worldwide in 2020.

The launch challenge

When the existing software based on Lotus Notes was discontinued in 2011, it was necessary to quickly implement an adequate successor solution. Due to the complex processes in refinery operations and the continuous development of the old solution over the years, the demands placed on a new system were correspondingly high. Furthermore, additional topics were to be integrated in addition to the shift report as part of the new implementation.

Requirements for the new software

Best possible mapping of the processes of the legacy system
Process optimization as part of the new rollout
Extended rollout to the areas of safety, technology, maintenance, production and economy & sustainability
Clear and customizable dashboards: “Everything at a glance and a click”
Expandable to include additional use cases

More about the shift plan software

“Germanedge is used to dealing with manufacturing companies. The specialists speak the same language as we do and also know the risks involved in making changes to such systems.”

Reinhard Hofmann | IT Manager at TOTAL Raffinerie Mitteldeutschland GmbH (now in well-deserved retirement)

Solution

Rollout of Germanedge Finito as a shift management solution in five plants of Total Energies Raffinerie Mitteldeutschland in the areas of safety, technology, maintenance, production and economy & sustainability.

Since then, the software has been used to map the following topics:

Standardized recording of shift events across all plants
Creation of tasks and instructions using checklists
Implementation of compliance-secure user and rights management
Bridge book implementation (possibly later blog contribution) including evaluation tool
Implementation of a tool for the digital exchange of product specifications with the laboratory
Preparation of information into reports for management
Expansion to include a Loss Control Manager (LCM), a reporting and investigation system for events within the refinery
Walk & Talks extension, i.e. the planning / logging of all scheduled safety inspections and the measures derived from them

More about the shift plan software

In addition, an extension for recording building electricity applications and an electronic approval process for certificates of analysis are currently being piloted.

Result:

700 active users
12 shift books, 9 instruction books, 6 task books and 7 collective reports in 5 plants
More than 22,500 shift events per year
More than 1,200 tasks and instructions per year
More than 670 bypasses per year

Would you like to know more about our solutions? Then please write me using the contact form. I will get back to you as soon as possible.

Christoph Schiffer
Sales Team Germanedge

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