Tobacco Asia

Volume 20, Number 1

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44 tobaccoasia MANUFACTURING NEWS 制造新闻 Identifying untapped potential: Kobus de Koker, head of the GPO consulting team, with his in-depth knowledge of the tobacco market and the challenges it faces. GPO Business Model Hauni's GPO: A Unique Consulting Service With its global process optimization (GPO) consulting service, Hauni seeks out the hidden potential for savings and optimization in cigarette production processes. GPO offers a unique knowledge base covering the entire process from GLT to Primary and Secondary, coupled with over 65 years of technological know-how in machinery, equipment and instruments for tobacco processing. Tough competition teaches tough lessons. In the tobacco industry, one insight is gaining ever wider acceptance – any process can be improved, and this makes sound commercial sense. Rising tobacco prices are forcing manufacturers to keep a close eye on their costs. Optimization of processes and tobacco utilization must be top priorities if they wish to repeat the commercial successes of the past. It sounds simple but, of course, in practice it requires a level of knowhow that goes far deeper than the operation of individual machines or production processes. In 2013, Hauni launched GPO as a targeted optimization service for its international customers in the tobacco industry. Australia PM Sells Cig Factory Tobacco giant Philip Morris recently sold its former manufacturing site ahead of relocating its Australian headquarters to Melbourne's South Wharf later this year. The company stopped manufactur- ing cigarettes at the 6.27-hectare site in Moorabbin in 2014, when it transferred all production to its Korean factory. The factory and administration buildings, which have been the group's Australian headquarters for more than 60 years, was sold for an undisclosed amount. Market sources said Philip Morris was seeking more than A$20 million (US$14.5 million) for the property, with the final price above expectations. Up Property plans to refurbish some of the old buildings and turn the site into a business park with new structures. This service builds on Hauni's expertise which has been developed over many decades as a world leading supplier of technologies and technical services. "The secret to optimizing individual processes is finding the right components to tweak and achieve sustainable, measurable successes. To do this, you have to know the processes in the tobacco industry from green leaf threshing to the secondary and under- stand how they interact," explains Kobus de Koker, head of GPO consulting. "The many audits and projects we have conducted over the past two years have shown our customers the value of a trusted partnership and proven that they can depend on the integrity and independence of our advice." In every GPO project, customers focus on one specific objective. The aim can be to improve product quality or to cut production costs at customers' factories. In addition, they profit from the experience of GPO consultants who increase the efficiency and performance of their plants, offer their extensive knowledge about leaf, primary, and secondary processing to the workforce and thus help them to achieve a higher level of operating. For de Koker, "constantly growing demand" is a clear sign that Hauni's new concept is perfectly in tune with the times. He is not surprised by its success. "Interdisciplin- ary knowledge and experience developed over decades are very precious resources. GPO enables us to offer these as a service to our customers." Photograph Taken During the WT Middle East Exhibition (Left to Right: Jens Faerber, executive sales manager, Max Schlatterer GmbH & Co. KG, Jean Lorber, regional account manager NTM & RTL, Schweitzer-Mauduit International, Inc.,Thomas Beckh, managing director, Max Schlatterer GmbH & Co. KG, Arun Hitkari, chairman and managing director, Hitkari Group of Companies, Charles Boegli, managing director, Boegli-Gravures S.A., and Tim Williams, dusiness development manager, C.B. Kaymich & Co. Ltd.).

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