Quality Defects Reduction

The defects reduction in a company is a challenge that implies new quality-systems, personnel with new skills, and the optimization of resources in different modalities. Discover the systems that we have implemented in Casa Sauza to maintain our quality.

How long does it take to make a bottle of tequila?

The tequila is as refined as any other alcoholic beverage recognized in the premium segment. As a reference point, the time that is needed to produce a tequila bottle is more than 7 years for a not so aged tequila (white tequila), because just the agave plant takes 7 years of growing and maturing till its harvest day.

Innovation in the tequila industry

Casa Sauza is characterized by being a pioneer in the alcoholic beverages in the tequila industry, turning all our processes into unique methods to assure the quality of our tequila. Since the beginning, Sauza has led the industry with optimization and continuous improvement not only in its processes but in the final product quality, being supported by our customer's trust.

Important changes have been performed in our production lines, such as the bottling automatization, reducing the number from 4 to 2 lines in the last 8 years. We have had the capacity to produce Artisanal, Premium or Standard products within the system "Make to Order", which contribute to not having an inventory of the final product.

Being the Premiumization the latest trend in the market in the world of alcoholic beverages, we are looking forward to improve the Sauza's brand design to increment the sales chances principally of our brands: Sauza Silver, Sauza Gold, and Sauza Blue.
The challenge was to create another Premium Product in the Sauza's catalogue, which implies:

• A higher complexity
• High flexibility
• Low Cost
• Latest technology application

The moment of truth was the vertical startup where we had the following scenarios:

• A) Losing the sales opportunity
• B) Reinvent and look for the ideal conditions that would allow us to have a complex and controlled process, avoiding problems, re-doing and damages.

This way, we defined an action plan that includes 2 stages:

Stage1

• Assure the equipment's restoration through the 6 GENS methodology.
• Determine the parameters that would allow us to work with a work standar through the PM analysis.

Eapa 

We finally finished the first stage, we had already restored the equipment and we implemented the general rules, but now we needed to improve the design conditions.

Thorugh the PM (Planned Maintenance) we established the different forces that intervene in the labeling process, having a scenario with the interaction of the 7 forces, which are integrated by 2 players.

• The pressing force
• The resistance that the label has for sticking to the bottle in different axes.

We established that, in order for us to assure the balance condition, the pushing force must be higher according to the label's resistance.

To guarantee the labeling system, we setted up some general conditions, the primary and secondary factors due to the 4'Ms, and abnormalities were identified in order to allow us to have a balance between all the forces: the rolling press and the dimensions of the roller width and height.

With these parameters or standards, we are able to measure the wear or damage conditons and it's possible to predict a problem, maintaining some good prevention conditions.

The preventive conditions were established in the main plant QM (Quality Management) and the standard values in the Quality Points, allowing us to obtain the following results:

• Order fulfillments of 100%
• Damages reduction costs of 44%
• Re-doing reductions of 77%
• An increment in each line's speed of 65 to 130 bpm
• Production in terms of the OEE (Overall Equipment Efficiency) was incremented in a 75%.

With this new way of working based on the continuous improvement, Casa Sauza is able to bottle its annual tequila production of 12 to 8.5 months with less extra time and without quality complains/rejections.

The best indicator for us is to make of Casa Sauza, "The Best Place to Work".

What is coming in the future for Casa Sauza?

• • Continue with the premiumization of our products achieving a higher complexity, flexibility, high technology, and a lower price.
  • Continue walking through our elimination of losses processes with a zero approach.
  • Continue our journey heading to become a worldwide company, being the continuous improvement through the Yate Minahare! spirit, our principal booster.

  Thank you for reading this article, in Casa Sauza we want our customers to have the best experience withl tequila and the making process of it, I invite you to read the following blogs for more information, and feel free to schedule your guided tour in our facilities. You will have an amazing time!

   Continuous Improvement at Casa Sauza

  Planned Maintenance