+100
Production sites worldwide
Turning an Energy Crisis into a €350 Million Opportunity
Industry: Chemicals
Service: Operations Strategy and Transformation
Service: Sustainability
Our Client
A diversified chemicals group operating globally with both specialty chemicals and commodity products portfolios. The company maintains a strong culture of operational excellence developed through long-standing continuous improvement initiatives. Its European operations represent critical production capacity for both regional and global markets, with heavy energy consumption integral to its manufacturing processes.
40%
Operations in Europe
+1K
Employees at largest site
2km²
Site coverage area
The Challenge
The war in Ukraine created an unprecedented energy crisis that threatened the viability of European chemical manufacturing operations.
- Fivefold cost increase: Energy prices in Europe rose dramatically due to the disruption of Russian gas supplies, creating immediate pressure on heavy energy-consuming production units
- Existential threat to European operations: The sudden cost surge posed the risk of potential shutdown for business units across multiple European countries, threatening both regional supply chains and global production capacity
- Complex energy infrastructure: The interconnected nature of production units with centralized energy departments required comprehensive analysis across multiple sites, to identify savings opportunities while maintaining operational continuity
Real Results Achieved Together
Comprehensive energy diagnostics transformed an immediate crisis into a structured improvement program across European operations. Working alongside site teams and engineering departments, the partnership delivered immediate relief through quick wins and long-term sustainability through major energy projects.
€350 M
Total savings identified
160
Energy-saving ideas generated
15%
CO2 emissions reduction
30
Quick win initiatives
Transformation Impact
Our Approach
The partnership combined EFESO’s operational excellence expertise with DB Energy’s specialized energy engineering capabilities, working closely with the in-house team.
The three-step approach began with energy walkthroughs, spending one to two days on-site analyzing energy balance and discussing findings with operators and engineers. S
elected opportunities moved to concept design phase, developing detailed feasibility studies and business cases. The engineering and construction phase followed, with projects implemented either by the client’s in-house engineering team or subcontracted to DB Energy.
Initial diagnostics at four production plants and the main energy department expanded to ten additional plants across different European countries.
The vendor-neutral engineering expertise from DB Energy enabled unbiased assessment of energy-saving opportunities, from small operational improvements to large capital expenditure projects.
Quick wins, including adjusting pump pressure levels and improving steam pipe insulation, delivered immediate savings to recover project costs rapidly.
Related Services
Operations Strategy and Transformation
Helping organizations rethink how they create value. We strengthen performance, build resilience, and accelerate growth across every layer of your business.
Sustainability
ESG pledges require embedded operational transformation. We deliver measurable impact through circular economy practices, carbon reduction programs, and sustainable value chain redesign.
Facing Similar Energy and Cost Challenges?
- Rising energy costs threatening your operational margins and production viability
- Transforming energy constraints into competitive advantage through systematic improvement
- Partner with us to identify and implement sustainable cost reduction opportunities
Discover More Clients Results
+8.3%
OEE increase in 3 months
Packaging
WCOM™ Boosts OEE 8.3% in 3 Months in Forestry & Paper
Board manufacturer increased production capacity through WCOM™ implementation, achieving 8.3% OEE improvement in three months.
+20%
Increase in global production capacity using the same plants
Life Sciences
WCOM™ Boosts Production Capacity 20% and OEE 12% in Cosmetics
Global cosmetics manufacturer implements WCOM™ across 29 plants, achieving 20% capacity gain and 70% OEE.
-55%
Waste reduction (from 12.5% to 6.8%)
Packaging
WCOM™ Cuts Waste 55% and Delivers Savings in Packaging
Packaging manufacturer slashes material waste by 55% through WCOM™ defect analysis and machine care protocols.
-50%
Reduction in claims
Packaging
WCOM™ Implementation that Transforms Global Packaging Performance
Global packaging manufacturer deploys WCOM™ across 24 plants, slashing claims and waste 50% while boosting productivity 30%.
+20%
Production capacity
Packaging
WCOM Implementation Increases Production Capacity by 20% and Reduces Accidents by 75%
Building operational excellence at a major sawmill in Sweden, increasing production capacity by 20% and reducing accidents by 75%.
+30%
OTIF improvement
Life Sciences
WCOM™ in a Global Provider of Services to Pharma
Reengineered Order Management processes for pharma services provider, achieving 30% OTIF improvement to 95% target.
-45%
Reduction in maintenance backlog
Transportation, Logistics and Services
Transforming Public Transit Operations at Scale
Metropolitan transit authority needed reliability improvement and cost optimization. We enhanced maintenance programs, optimized scheduling, and improved asset utilization, achieving 98% service availability.
-81%
Reduction in breakdowns
Food & Beverage
Transforming Wine Production Excellence Through Total Productive Maintenance
Wine producer struggled with quality consistency and rising costs. We implemented Total Productive Maintenance, optimized production flow, and enhanced quality systems, achieving 81% OEE improvement.