Standardization of Packaging Line for a Major Global Food & Beverage Organization

The Business & The Challenge

A large food and beverage manufacturer was operating a low-performing plant with serious operational risks and inefficiencies:

• OEE performance was below 40% in 2023
• Over $6.5M in lost opportunity due to production     inefficiencies
• High turnover rates (>25%) led to significant knowledge     loss
• Lack of structured onboarding and training processes
• Low visibility into the execution of critical operator tasks

Main objective:
Stabilize and improve results through the standardization of critical tasks and enablement of knowledge multipliers across local teams.

Approach

Falconi deployed a standardization playbook framework designed to embed operational consistency and reduce variability in performance:

Key Steps

1. Assessing the Prioritized Area
   
    
   • Shadowed operator roles to evaluate tool use and activity flow
    
   • Prioritized tasks through a criticality matrix
 
2. Reviewing Operational Standards
   
    
   • Defined failure analysis triggers
    
   • Audited and revised training content and task documentation
    
   • Provided support for initial training cycles
 
3. Training the Trainers
   
    
   • Built SOP-based training plans
    
   • Structured audit routines and coaching cadence
    
   • Delivered train-the-trainer sessions for RTE CI team

Execution Framework

For each line:

• Failure Analysis → Process Evaluation → Task Description → Task Criticality → Evaluation & Development → Training & Audits

✅ Focused on risk and criticality heat mapping
✅ Delivered content in the operator’s view: checklists, visual guides, color codes, escalation triggers

Results Achieved

Impact Area                                                Outcome

Tasks Standardized                                52 total tasks; 60% of all  critical tasks

Failures Identified  & Addressed       26 most frequent issues,  with response actions

Most Relevant Assets  Covered        3 key assets (2 end-to-end  lines included)

Full Team Coaching                                All RTE CI members trained  in standardization

Qualification-Linked  Audits              48 auditing items  integrated with standards

SOP Governance Model                       Rolled out across all lines

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Conclusion

Falconi supported a major food and beverage client in transforming a fragmented, high-turnover packaging line into a standardized, knowledge-enabled operation. With over 50 tasks documented and codified, and more than $6.5M in risk addressed, the project created a replicable model to be scaled across additional plants.