€8 B
Company turnover
Chemical Company Unlocks €13M Potential Savings
A global chemical company operating a high-tech fiber production site in the Netherlands needed to adjust its cost structure to support future expansion plans. EFESO conducted a comprehensive Human Dynamics and loss analysis across workforce, asset utilization, leadership, and culture. The assessment identified €13M in labor savings and significant organizational improvement levers, providing a fully aligned implementation plan.
Chemicals
High Performance Organization
Leadership & Change Management
Manufacturing
Operations Strategy and Transformation
People and Organization
Our Client
A global chemical company with €8bn in turnover. The project was conducted at one of its advanced fiber production sites in the Netherlands, employing 750 FTE.
750
FTE at production site
The Challenge
The client needed to adjust its cost structure to realize economies of scale for upcoming expansions. To support these decisions, leadership required data-driven insights into:
- Workforce effectiveness and non-value-added activities
- Asset utilization and line performance
- Leadership behaviors and Human Dynamics patterns
- Cultural enablers and barriers to improvement
- Strength of the performance control system
Real Results Achieved Together
The analysis revealed substantial savings potential and clear improvement pathways.
€13M
Potential savings identified on labor
€1M
Savings on out-of-pocket cost in maintenance
+5%
OEE increase identified
Transformation Impact
- Identification of workforce inefficiencies resulting in a 20% labor cost reduction potential
- 10% savings identified on maintenance out-of-pocket costs
- +5% OEE improvement revealed through full loss analysis
- Integration and reduction of indirect functions following organizational effectiveness review
- Redesigned organizational chart and resource model aligned with true functional purpose
- “Ready-to-go” implementation plan agreed with both management and works council
- Clear levers defined for performance control, cultural reinforcement, and focused improvement teams
Our Approach
EFESO applied a holistic and highly participative methodology to ensure both analytical rigor and workforce alignment.
Human Dynamics & Leadership Assessment
- Interviews across all layers and functions, including specialized Human Dynamics assessments
- Evaluation of behaviors, collaboration flows, leadership patterns, and cultural impacts
Workforce Effectiveness Analysis
- Quantification of non-value-added time through DILO (“day in the life of”) reviews and time studies
- Identification of bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and improvement levers in frontline and support roles
OEE & Loss Analysis
- OEE loss analysis performed on all production lines
- Categorization of mechanical, procedural, and operational losses
- Use of findings for target setting and performance benchmark creation
Stakeholder Alignment & Communication
- Continuous engagement with stakeholders to validate findings
- Transparent communication with the entire workforce on approach and outcomes
- Ensuring buy-in before defining structural changes
Related Services
Aging equipment meets rising costs and technology disruption. We transform operations through smart factory integration, predictive maintenance, and workforce capability building.
Workforce transformation, leadership development, and structure optimization. Learn more about our People & Organization consulting services.
Ready to Unlock Hidden Savings in Your Operations?
- Transform workforce effectiveness and asset utilization into measurable cost reductions
- Stop making critical decisions without data-driven insights into your true operational potential
- Join global manufacturers who’ve turned organizational assessments into millions in sustainable savings
Discover More Clients Results
45K m²
Optimized factory layout (reduced from 52K m²)
Industrial Manufacturing
Creating a solid, structured plan for the material flow of its production and validated the static forecast, enabling the factory to increase the output with the existing machinery.
13%
Reduction in release time for high-value APIs
Chemicals
Life Sciences
A QC lab optimization framework helps a multinational chemical-pharmaceutical company achieved simultaneous gains in productivity, service level, and resource efficiency, delivering measurable improvements in release time, productivity, and FTE requirements without compromising quality.
+25
Business cases initially identified
Consumer Goods and Luxury
Design and implementation of a 10-year strategy targeting 4% annual growth for a world-leading luxury group, focused on aligning operations.
12
"Golden Rules" implemented for production planning
Industrial Manufacturing
Creating a solid, structured plan for the material flow of its production and validated the static forecast, enabling the factory to increase the output with the existing machinery.
+10K
Pallet positions created through optimized DC layout expansion design
Life Sciences
EFESO conducted a feasibility study for a new 10,000-pallet automated warehouse in Romania, optimizing logistics design, layout, and CAPEX to enable scalable, efficient pharmaceutical distribution.
Industrial Manufacturing
Fact-based restructuring of a complex industrial site, enabling a clear shutdown decision, cash-drain elimination, and a structured roadmap for execution.
40%
Reduction in Capital Expenditures for new production technology
Packaging
A leading global manufacturer of glass containers reduce capital expenditure by 40% in the commercialization of a new glass production technology by applying Value Engineering and Lean Product Development principles.
+30%
OTIF improvement
Life Sciences
Reengineered Order Management processes for pharma services provider, achieving 30% OTIF improvement to 95% target.