Unilever is widening its use of AI-enabled digital twins across its manufacturing network in partnership with Accenture, in a move aimed at sharpening quality control, lifting efficiency and giving factories a faster response to shifts in consumer demand.
The multi-year programme will see the consumer goods group build more than 40 additional digital twins over the next 18 months, according to Accenture’s announcement. The virtual models mirror factory equipment and productio...
Continue Reading This Article
Enjoy this article as well as all of our content, including reports, news, tips and more.
By registering or signing into your SRM Today account, you agree to SRM Today's Terms of Use and consent to the processing of your personal information as described in our Privacy Policy.
n lines using live operational data, allowing teams to monitor performance, predict problems and test production scenarios before making changes on the shop floor.
Unilever has already been using the technology at several sites, with the company citing early gains in waste reduction, output and product consistency. In North Carolina, a digital twin used in deodorant production cut waste by 20% and lifted capacity by 10%. In Poland, the approach helped improve mayonnaise consistency, reduce stoppages by as much as 20% and trim waste by nearly 30%. Similar applications in India and Vietnam have also been used to lower energy consumption and improve manufacturing performance.
The company is pairing the systems with AI analytics and agentic tools designed to flag maintenance needs earlier, improve machine performance and automate some operational adjustments under human oversight. The expansion builds on Unilever’s wider digital transformation efforts, including its AI Horizon3 Lab in Toronto, as the company seeks to embed advanced technology more deeply into its supply chain.
Source: Noah Wire Services
