CHASM Ltd

To all the food heroes out there, one final push. 🎄🎄A Chasm Christmas Carol for 2024 🎄🎄 Good King Wenceslas (The Christmas Food Factory Edition) Good King Wenceslas looked out, On the Christmas orders. Factories buzzed, the deadlines loomed, Chaos crossed all borders. Labels sat without sign-off, Yet stock was overflowing. Planners bent all rules of time, Infinite schedules showing. Hither, team, and tell me why, The cost keeps escalating? Machines break down, and labour soars, Our budgets aren’t relating! Sir, the forecasts don’t align, Materials come late here. Ops ignore the master plan, Heroics seal our fate here. Overtime will save the pies, Though it breaks efficiency. Stack the stock in every gap, And wave bye to profitability Elves and managers persist, While the systems bumble. Victory feels within their grasp, Though margins are sure to  crumble. In the still of January’s light, Reflection hits the weary. We could do this differently, Next year won’t be so dreary! But the cycle starts anew, As the rush brings meaning, Buzzing on impossible tasks, While the margins keep on leaning. There’s a better way, we know, Where systems do the leading. Invest in processes and design, To stop the frantic pleading. For every pound spent on change, The return is clear and steady. Tenfold gains at Christmas time, When your factory’s ready. So here’s to all the food heroes, Braving festive strains. May next year bring smarter Ops, And 10x more profitable gains!

The 7 steps to getting your operation Industry 4.0 ready. 🔹Data is king 🔹A digital operation 🔹IoT 🔹Cybersecurity 🔹Bringing your people with you 🔹Supply chain collaboration 🔹Cloud computing

The traditional operational model is not relevant for the world we now operate in. Automation, a changing labour market, spiralling costs, AI, and industry 4.0 have rendered it obsolete. Bad organisations are falling by the wayside, good ones are evolving to the changing environment. Closing your eyes and hoping for the best cannot be a strategy for survival. Whether it’s new business systems, supply chain, operational efficiency, Lean or people development you are looking for, Chasm might just be the Swiss Army knife you need on your journey. Today our short article takes a look at the Internet of Things (IoT) and smart sensors and their role in Industry 4.0 and food manufacturing #operationalimprovements #foodmanufacturing #ai #internetofthings

There is no one size fits all - every factory and manufacturing supply chain is different. However, with the right approach, Industry 4.0 can be a game changer for your manufacturing operation. In this article, we’ll explore why these technologies matter, how to decide if they’re right for you, and which ones are worth considering. #automation #upskilling #industry4

Digital twins hold immense potential for improving manufacturing operations in planning, scheduling, and operational efficiency. But buyer beware, their success hinges on how well they’re implemented and used. At Chasm, we bring decades of expertise in manufacturing systems and processes to ensure you get the most from this technology. This article takes a deeper dive into planning and scheduling and include our top 10 scenarios for using digital twinning. #planningandscheduling #digitaltwinning #foodmanufacturing #wefixyourfactories

Too much for a LinkedIn post so here is a very short article to help you get your head around supercharging your manufacturing. AI enhances what is already there so yes it can optimise strengths but it can’t fix your leaks. Whether you are looking at AI to help you with better planning, tighter scheduling, or more robust quality systems, you need to sort your mess out first. Have a read and by all means have a chat with Martyn King

Bringing in operational expertise early isn’t about where you are now, it’s about where you want to go. Chasm’s fractional support makes it possible to access the guidance you need without overextending your resources. Just as you wouldn’t market a product without a strategy or manage your finances without oversight, scaling your operations without expertise is a risk you don’t have to take. At Chasm, we specialise in providing operational expertise to challenger brands navigating  manufacturing and supply chain management.    We help you: 🔹Identify scalable solutions 🔹Optimise processes for growth 🔹Make confident, informed decisions about manufacturing and supply chain strategy. If you are approaching this point in your brand journey - have a chat with Martyn King.

Scaling any brand is difficult, food even more so. Understanding the processes and systems needed in food industry is tough enough with experience we see alot of mistakes made by people with none. Bring in advice from operational experts asap so you get the right systems and processes in place to build on.

The McKinsey article, "Capturing the True Value of Industry 4.0",  names and shames a critical challenge many manufacturers face "pilot purgatory", where  initiatives show promise in testing but fail to scale or even stall. At Chasm, we see this all too often. Manufacturers invest in cutting edge technology and innovative processes, but without the right operational strategy, training and embedding these pilots never fulfil their potential to become scalable, impactful solutions. To avoid this at Chasm: We start by identifying where your initiatives can deliver the greatest ROI. It’s not about technology for its own sake, it’s about creating measurable impact. Scaling requires more than just enthusiasm; it demands robust systems, clear metrics, and relentless follow through. Chasm ensures your processes are designed to grow with your goals. Organisational inertia is a common hurdle, as highlighted in the article. At Chasm, we help manufacturing leaders shift from a mindset of "this is how things are" to "this is how we move forward." Finally and perhaps our biggest result we bring is that we don’t just advise, we roll up our sleeves and work alongside you teams to create sustainable change that delivers results long after we have left building. Whether it’s refining processes, optimising resources, or implementing technology, Chasm delivers practical solutions. #operationalexcellence #automation #foodmanufacturing

How do you test bold ideas in operations without risking it all? At Chasm, we believe bold ideas deserve careful execution. With the right tools, data, and operational insights, you can experiment safely and unlock game changing results. Innovation in operations can feel daunting, especially when change carries potential risks to production, quality, or cost control.  The secret to transforming your operation may be in small scale pilots. Pilots allow you to explore new approaches, processes, or technologies. They’re a practical way to validate ideas and gather momentum and buy in before rolling them out across your factory. Here are 3 examples to get you thinking..... Predictive maintenance: Trial AI driven monitoring on one production line before applying it plant wide. Sustainability initiatives: Test a new eco-friendly packaging material with a single product SKU. Efficiency upgrades: Experiment with reconfiguring workflows in one department to improve throughput. See, there are lots of areas when you just stop and think ..... What’s one area of your operation you’d love to experiment with? Let us know – we can help you make it happen. #manufacturing #foodmanufacturing #fmcg #opex #automation #people