Challenge
Heavy industry still runs substantially on tribal knowledge, paper-based procedures and an absence of accurate real-time data. On a plant floor that produces a predictable set of questions: how is this inspection performed, what is the correct sequence, what equipment is needed, when was it last done, and by whom.
New hires and experienced workers alike ask them, and the answers keep moving as safety and sustainability requirements evolve. Manual paperwork is slow and cumbersome, and it fails in specific ways: records go missing or are lost, errors creep in, and sometimes work simply is not done at all. For Holcim, whose stated aim is zero harm to people and the planet across cement, aggregate, asphalt and ready-mix operations, that gap sat directly against its operational and environmental commitments.
Solution
Holcim partnered with CAI Parsable through Holcim MAQER, the company's venture client unit, which identifies technologies to support its open innovation agenda. The engagement targeted how field and routine inspections are carried out across Holcim's cement, aggregate, asphalt and ready-mix locations.
Work procedures and the information operators collect on inspection rounds have been standardised and digitised, replacing paper with a mobile-first platform so teams know what to do, when and how. Across thousands of operators, the platform connects a plant's whole workflow — from inspection and reporting through to analytics and insight — giving managers and executives a way to identify operational trends, flag incomplete jobs or floor issues, and compare how work is performed locally and across sites.
Results
- Paper-based work procedures replaced with a mobile-first digital platform
- Standardised inspection procedures across cement, aggregate, asphalt and ready-mix locations
- Real-time data captured by operators during inspection rounds
- Full transparency of operations across thousands of operators
- Managers able to identify operational trends and flag incomplete jobs or plant floor issues
- Inspection data accessible to environmental teams and site management on a single platform
- Data supporting regulatory compliance for local permits
- Data supporting ESG objectives including reduced water consumption and increased use of alternative fuels
- Insight into how work is performed shared locally and across sites
The Impact
Sustainability and environmental responsibility drive the way we operate across the Holcim US footprint and we work hard to meet these expectations. Leveraging a digital tool that creates a cohesive, agile platform for our environmental teams and site management to access inspection data not only helps drive accountability, but ultimately regulatory compliance to support our local permits and ESG objectives. Partnering with Parsable is a great example of how Holcim MAQER, our open innovation unit, allows us to rapidly deploy cutting edge, user driven solutions at scale.
Key Features Used
- CAI Parsable connected worker platform
- Digitised, standardised field and routine inspection procedures
- Mobile-first work execution for plant operators
- Structured data capture during inspection rounds
- Analytics and reporting across plant workflow
- Trend identification and incomplete job flagging
- Enterprise, site and local comparison of how work is performed
