Holcim delivers efficiency, sustainability gains across the business with digitalization

Leading building solutions provider Holcim Philippines, Inc. is ramping up digitalization initiatives to improve the efficiency of operations for better business and sustainability performance.

Holcim Philippines’ embrace of digitalization across its operations

The company is increasingly using digital technologies from its production sites to commercial engagements to unlock efficiency gains that are improving costs and enhancing services while lowering its impact on the environment.

Among the key digitalization initiatives of Holcim Philippines is its partnership with San Francisco-based business planning software company Anaplan whose Connected Planning tool has rapidly modernized the building solutions provider’s internal processes and operations, including leveraging intelligent data-led insights for faster business modeling and planning.

Aside from developing market scenarios to accelerate decision-making, the Connected Planning tool has enabled Holcim Philippines to monitor and track decarbonization indicators, such as overall carbon emissions, optimize fuel mix for plants to lower carbon footprint and produce emissions forecasts using intelligent scenario-based planning. Together with other initiatives, such as producing more blended cement and using alternative fuels and raw materials, Holcim Philippines has reduced its carbon footprint by 12 percent since 2015.

Horia Adrian, Holcim Philippines President and CEO: “As a leader in innovative and sustainable building solutions in the Philippines, Holcim is always committed to challenging the status quo and traditional ways of working. Collaborating with Anaplan gave us the opportunity to simulate real-time, develop forecasts or scenarios analysis, and enhance and hasten the decision-making process. All these translated into increased efficiencies in the production, distribution, and selling processes.”

Mark Micallef, Anaplan Senior Vice President, and Managing Director for Asia Pacific: “Using the Anaplan platform, Holcim Philippines can now very rapidly and intelligently interpret any change in market forces using a wider range of data to produce sales and/or financial planning and forecast reports in one day, a process that previously took up to eight days. Holcim can now adjust its business outcomes during micro and macro shifts not just after the impacts are felt. Using an intelligent cloud-based platform also allows users to simultaneously input data into the models no matter where they are based. The result is a more intelligent use of team hours, faster reaction times, and the ability to pivot quickly to cost savings at scale.”

Holcim Philippines is also driving improvements in key areas of its operations. On the manufacturing side, it has implemented 70 projects under the Holcim Group’s Plants of Tomorrow program focused on automating production processes and predictive maintenance.

It has similarly embraced digitalization in logistics, with the performance of fleets and drivers tracked to optimize routes for improvements in safety, customer service, and efficiency.

Furthermore, the company has strengthened its online customer portal Easybuild to provide clients 24-hour connection for a hassle-free experience in placing orders, checking delivery status, reviewing account history, and credit standing, among others.

“We have already realized a number of gains from these initiatives and are excited to accelerate digitalization to better serve customers, deliver excellent business results, and meet sustainability goals,” Adrian said.