Importance of data

Sander and his team need to be efficient, flexible, and responsive to fluctuating yields, seasonal market changes, and production line breakdowns. By integrating data across their supply chain, they can go a step further and be proactive. We sat down with Sander to discuss data integration, process optimization, and...more data.

“Unlike most supply chains, ours is supply-driven”, Sander explains. “This means that we rely on the production planning, yields and continuity of our suppliers.” Data is a key factor that enables an efficient supply chain for Duynie. “For our supply chain to run smoothly, we need adequate forecasts and efficient planning. We take it a step further than that, though. We integrate real-time data into our supply chains by placing sensors in silos, for example.

 

Completely unburdening suppliers

Data integration allows Sander and his team to respond to any event that occurs in their suppliers' processes. "Even in the most advanced food processing plants, yield fluctuations or production errors can occur. You can imagine that the last thing on a process manager's mind is a batch of co-product. Our dashboard alerts us to any anomalies, and we send trucks to pick up any excess by-product before they know they need to deal with it.

An innovative data dashboard and real-time sharing of production planning automates most of the interaction between Duynie and the supplier. This eliminates human error. Ideally, Sander doesn't have to discuss planning and operational details at all. "It's not that I don't like our suppliers," he laughs. "But I want to be able to focus on issues that are important in the long term. We don't need to talk about yield per hour, we have the data for that. What interests me is what we can do with our data to further optimize the processes.

 

Efficient decisions directly result in preventing unnecessary transport and storage

The sensors needed for a fully connected supply chain are placed at both the supplier and the customer, in most cases a farmer. To allow more farmers to join the data network, Duynie uses a silo subscription model.

• The more data points in the supply chain, the more efficiently it can operate.

Sander: "Logistics with co-products is a constant balancing act. We have to make sure that our suppliers' silos don't fill up with co-products, and that our customers' feed silos don't run dry. At the same time, we make sure our routes are as efficient as possible. The great thing about working within this supply chain is that making the most efficient decisions directly results in eliminating unnecessary transportation and storage of co-products, which in turn reduces our carbon footprint.”

 

“The great thing about working within this supply chain is that the most efficient decisions directly result in preventing unnecessary transport and storage of co-products, which in turn reduces our carbon emissions.”

 

Extended throughout Europe

 "As Duynie, we've grown to almost full coverage in Europe," concludes Sander. "Our supply chain industry is becoming more and more integrated, which allows us to learn from experiences in different countries and share best practices.

• The supply chain and data integration Duynie has implemented in the Benelux countries will be extended throughout Europe.

The European approach will reduce environmental impact and provide services to farmer customers, such as automated supply and delivery and minimizing supplier involvement in the co-product supply chain. This saves money and effort. The supplier can focus on their core business, the primary production processes.