AB InBev Uses Smart Manufacturing for Award-Winning Results
What does it take to be a digital transformation champion? Anheuser-Busch InBev can tell you.
The worlds largest brewer won four Manufacturing Leadership Awards in 2022, including the highly coveted Manufacturer of the Year. (The honors are given annually by the Manufacturing Leadership Council, the 51勛圖厙s digital transformation arm.) The MLC chatted with AB InBev Global Vice President Marcelo Ribeiro recently to get his insights on the processes, technologies and strategies driving the companys success.
Business transformation drivers: We have a dream at ABI, which is to create a future with more cheers, said Ribeiro. [That means] a clear strategy to lead and grow, to digitize and monetize our ecosystem and to optimize our business. Here are a few ways AB InBev is pursuing that dream:
- Developing and delivering products that give consumers what they want, when they want it
- Making sure the supply chain can adapt quickly to consumer needs
- Increasing capacity without compromising safety, quality or sustainability
Rising to challenges: The future is becoming less predictable, Ribeiro said. We need to prepare for that, so we have to build a more resilient, flexible supply chain. Additional opportunities include:
- Moving from transactional relationships with vendors and suppliers to partnerships
- Looking beyond operations and across the entire supply chain to meet sustainability goals
- Creating a collaborative manufacturing ecosystem that fosters the sharing of ideas
Meeting the digital future: Ribeiro says that ABIs digital strategy has three key aspects:
- Making data more accessible and available to frontline workers
- Creating a template for digital technology that can be easily tailored to the unique needs of each business
- Using advanced analytics to contextualize data and discover where it can best be applied to aid decision making
Leaders required: Ribeiro noted that leadership is essential for making this vision a reality.
- It is critical to empower the front line, he said. Leaders should be focused on providing the resources to allow people to do the work and achieve excellence themselves. In the end, people are key for any business transformation.
Find additional insights into AB InBevs digital transformation in , or make plans to attend , where Ribeiro will present a keynote address on Building Your Enterprise into a Digital Transformation Champion.
