the-bel-group-exploits-ai-to-accelerate-innovation-and-strengthen-the-efficiency-of-the-value-chain

Bel Group leverages AI to accelerate innovation and enhance value chain efficiency

July 12, 2024

The Bel Group has entered into a partnership to optimize its value chain from manufacturing to marketing.

Dassault Systèmes has a strong presence in the aviation and transportation sectors with its 3D modeling and simulation solutions. Dassault Systèmes also provides integrated supply chain solutions to FMCG companies that can reduce logistics costs and delivery times while reducing operational costs.

The partnership will enable Bel Group to reduce its product development time, improve manufacturing efficiency and increase the transparency of its global operations. Perfect Production, a suite of software from the French company, will be used by the food producer. It provides real-time information on manufacturing, product design, availability and other aspects. Dassault Systèmes claims its software can accelerate new product launches and reduce cost of goods sold by up to 27 %.

Bel claims that Perfect Production allows it to be more responsive to the market, optimize its stocks and control the use of raw materials. The company will be able to achieve consistency in quality and sustainability across all locations. The food producer will also use AI and machine learning to optimize product formulations, time to market, performance and other factors.

The product lifecycle management system will be improved and it is expected that the system will improve collaboration throughout the new product development process.

What can AI do to improve global supply chain strategies?

A Dassault Systèmes spokesperson said: "There is a saying that no two factories are the same." Layout, machinery, equipment and production capabilities, as well as the skills, experience and knowledge of the workforce, may vary from plant to plant. The ability to read, capture and transmit data across a network of facilities to make informed decisions is difficult without proper systems in place.

With digital continuity, all factories can benefit from improved visibility, control and synchronization of production processes. This leads to continuous improvements in efficiency.

The French software company is trying to improve the efficiency of its supply chain, but that's only part of its equation. They also use artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques to aid in product development.

The spokesperson said the FMCG industry is all about speed. Consumer tastes and preferences have evolved faster than ever. The consumer wants more flavors, less fat, less salt, natural ingredients and much more. R&D departments are under pressure to produce more products, faster and cheaper, while still being able to be “greener”. Constant regulatory changes regarding materials and ingredients further increase the workload. The real challenge lies in changing formulation and ingredients without affecting the quality, taste or mouthfeel of the final product. Artificial intelligence and machine learning play a key role in this. »

AI and machine learning algorithms analyze data to predict future outcomes and help businesses make decisions, such as coming up with new product recipes. Dassault Systèmes said its sentiment and semantic analysis software can analyze large volumes of customer comments and conversations, including emails, web reviews, survey results, customer feedback, social networks, forums and brand websites

The spokesperson also told us that AI could help with this. to sustainability. AI can be used to improve material discoveries, to eliminate physical testing, to learn from the past and predict the future, and to use in silico simulations before real-world production. It saves time and labor, and provides increased durability.

This technology is also used in factories to minimize downtime. In production, the role of technology is to mathematically optimize variables to improve predictive maintenance, production efficiency and supply chain optimization. AI can be used to predict when equipment or machinery might require maintenance. This is about reducing downtime and costs. »

It's all about improving efficiency by synchronizing events throughout the supply chain. The Dassault Systèmes spokesperson said machine learning could be used to improve the efficiency of a 10 % factory. This substantial improvement, while impressive, does not automatically translate into seamless integration into the broader supply chain. This increase in efficiency could lead to excess inventory, logistical issues, and out-of-sync supply chain challenges.

Bel continues to explore emerging technologies

Beautiful. Cécile Beliot, CEO of the Group, declared that the partnership between Dassault Systèmes and the Bel Group would accelerate the transition of the agri-food industry towards “augmented R&D”. The common capabilities of our two companies, which share the same vision, will allow our teams to move towards “”. increased R&D “through AI and reshaped manufacturing and product management for the food of the future,” she said.

The Bel Group actively pursues emerging technologies to increase sustainability and expand its portfolio of non-dairy products. To reduce climate impacts, the company is aiming for a 50-50 split between dairy and fruit/plant-based products by 2030.

Babybel was launched in the UK last year by a manufacturer. Climax Foods, a company specializing in AI products, has partnered with us.Bel has accelerated its plant-based product development strategies and ideas. Climax Foods uses machine learning and AI to determine which plant varieties will produce superior plant-based products, both from a functional and sensory perspective. Bel can then offer new formulations richer in improved natural and plant proteins. The first products will be launched in the United States in the fourth quarter of 2024.

Precision fermented dairy products are another new technology the company has been exploring. Standing Ovation, Parisian start-up.

Bel also uses Bovaer, a methane-removing food ingredient developed by DSM Firmenich. This is to reduce the carbon footprint of the milk used in Babybel's production, which will be shipped to Central Europe and the United Kingdom. The feed additive, recently approved also in the United States, will reduce enteric emissions from each farm by approximately 1/4. This would result in an annual reduction of 400 tonnes of methane.

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