A relaxed networking evening before the sessions at Henkel begin the following day. Use this opportunity to network with peers and build lasting relationships.

A key driver for the digitalization of Henkel’s Laundry & Home Care supply chain is the Digital Backbone, a cloud-based data platform that connects over 30 production sites in real-time. “This digital ecosystem allows us to keep track with the constantly growing expectations of customers while continuing to develop most sustainable production processes. Our digital transformation journey started back in 2013 – since then, we have been consistently leveraging digital in all our production sites worldwide,” says Holbach. By connecting the Digital Backbone with IT-systems, the business unit is driving line efficiency through predictive maintenance and advanced technologies.

To maximize effectiveness in supply, AI-algorithms and big data analytics can help agile planning and product scheduling. The proactive “agile manufacturing” approach minimizes the risks for out-of-stocks, by leveraging integrating data from cloud-computing platforms to identify volatility in consumer demands. Machine learning on historical data and AI-algorithms prescribe actions to assure breakdown-free line operations. A tighter alignment between planning, production and customer operations is thereby possible.