Unilever takes factory management into the digital age with AI
Together with Accenture, the group is expanding the use of AI-powered virtual factory models to help production sites anticipate technical problems, improve product quality, reduce waste and energy consumption, and make faster operational decisions as consumer demand evolves.
Unilever is extending the use of AI-powered digital twins throughout its manufacturing network. These virtual replicas of production lines and equipment analyse data from factories in real time, helping teams understand how operations are performing and identify potential disruptions before they affect output. The technology can also be used to test possible changes digitally, without interrupting physical production.
“Scaling AI across operations was a commitment to superior products, sustainability and empowering our teams across our factories. The digital twin rollout supports Unilever’s climate target to reduce absolute operational greenhouse gas emissions by 100 per cent by 2030 from a 2015 baseline,” said Adam Raeburn-James, Global Vice President for digital business operations at Unilever.
