KHS has expanded its long-standing operator training portfolio with a production line coaching service focused on end-to-end line understanding. The program is designed for machine and system operators, production managers and shift supervisors, addressing the interdependent processes that define overall performance on a filling line. Beyond machine operation, the coaching covers goods and material flows, ongoing maintenance measures and cooperation between production personnel. The stated goal is to help participants detect and remedy sources of disruption more quickly, thus improving efficiency and avoiding unplanned downtime.
The concept builds on the premise that line performance depends on precisely coordinated processes across the entire system. As Pasqual Sturm, line optimization auditor at KHS, notes, "Our lines integrate reliable machine processes that are exactly coordinated with one another to enable top performance." He adds, "With our production line coaching service, we’d like to sensitize production managers and shift supervisors to the various influences and sources of disruption prevalent in the production environment so that they can use their line as intended: for maximum efficiency and permanent top performance." The approach aims to establish a common basis for understanding how individual machine behaviors and process details affect the function of the line as a whole.
An additional focus is on the growing use of digital monitoring and data analysis in production. According to Roger Schwarz, line optimization auditor for KHS, "The information constantly captured by a data analysis system provides key indications of the state of the line." He continues, "So that customers can exploit the efficiency of their line to the full, personnel must interpret this information correctly. They can then predict avoidable downtime from this." The ability to read and interpret line signals is therefore positioned as a core competence for modern operations teams.
Program scope and example
The coaching addresses varying levels of in-house knowledge, which KHS attributes to factors such as employee fluctuation, commissioning of new lines and changing efficiency or resource conservation requirements. The service is intended to close knowledge gaps that lead to lost time and lower line efficiency by enabling participants to read cause-and-effect relationships on the line.
Sturm illustrates the approach with a practical case: "Take the following example: at the end of the line, the product conveyor doesn’t collect the full product pallets from the palletizer fast enough. The upstream packer then interrupts its work and reports a line stop." This message has to be compared to real events on the line to identify the error source. Operators then apply their expertise to isolate the actual cause so that the line can resume smooth operation. KHS emphasizes that a sound understanding of dependencies and interactions across the entire production setup is essential for fast, targeted troubleshooting.
Beyond improved responsiveness to faults, the company frames the coaching as an investment in personnel development. New employees gain structured expert knowledge, while experienced staff can refresh their know-how and consider new perspectives. According to KHS, this supports knowledgeable and specific reactions to changing circumstances on the production floor and helps beverage producers increase line efficiency while shortening downtime.
On-site coaching and small groups
Each engagement begins with a preliminary discussion to jointly analyze the current state of the line. Based on this assessment, KHS conducts the coaching directly in the production shop. Schwarz states, "Instructions, telephone support, FAQs, there’s plenty of that on offer. With production line coaching, we want to provide assistance precisely where it’s needed, namely directly on the line." Together with participants, the findings are translated into exemplary measures for improvement. The intensive format is designed for a maximum of two participants per course.
