The Hidden Cost of Waste and How Braincube Can Finally Solve It
In our recent webinar, InSource’s Jarett Messing and Braincube’s Kurt Peterson discussed the ongoing issue of waste in manufacturing and how leading companies are successfully breaking the cycle. They examined the hidden costs associated with waste, which go beyond just scrap materials. These costs include time, energy, and focus lost due to constant firefighting. The presenters also highlighted how poor design, disconnected systems, and siloed teams contribute to the problem.
If you’ve ever spent a shift addressing urgent issues, such as machines breaking down overnight, unexpected increases in raw material usage, or an entire batch being put on hold, you understand how quickly the idea of “optimization” can be sidelined. Waste isn’t just the physical scrap accumulating on the floor; it also encompasses time, energy, materials, and even people’s focus, all of which are consumed by problems that could have been prevented initially.
That was the core message of our recent webinar, hosted by InSource Solutions and Braincube. Kurt Peterson (Braincube) and Jarett Messing (InSource) pulled back the curtain on why waste continues to creep into manufacturing processes and what can be done about it.
Why Waste Sticks Around
Most manufacturers are on a journey toward progress, not perfection. But waste keeps showing up year after year because:
- Teams get stuck firefighting daily issues instead of making long-term improvements.
- Departments often use disconnected systems, resulting in blind spots and finger-pointing between groups.
- Data is scattered across ERPs, historians, machines, and paper logs, making root cause analysis a time-consuming and painstaking process.
When processes, systems, and data aren’t aligned, waste becomes the inevitable byproduct.A Framework for Fighting Waste
Kurt and Jarett broke waste down into five interconnected levers manufacturers must balance:
- Labor & Efficiency – Make more with less downtime.
- Material Usage – Optimize recipes and inputs to minimize waste.
- Energy – Run sustainably without sacrificing throughput.
- Quality – Meet customer expectations without cutting corners.
- Yield – Turn more raw material into finished product.
The challenge is that adjusting one lever can impact the others. For instance, if you increase the temperature to meet food safety standards, you may end up wasting energy. On the other hand, choosing cheaper raw materials might compromise the quality of your products. The real difficulty lies in finding the right balance among all these factors within your factory.
Real-World Stories
In our webinar, Braincube discussed a case study of Maple Leaf Foods, which aims to become the most sustainable meat company in the world. By utilizing AVEVA MES and Braincube’s productivity management system, they were able to reduce variability in incoming meat logs, optimize oven settings to save energy, and fine-tune slicing machines to maximize yield resulting in reduced energy waste, higher yields, and improved product consistency.
In another case study, a European potato chip manufacturer faced a recurring problem with potatoes arriving at varying moisture levels. They managed this issue by overcooking all the potatoes to ensure consistency, which resulted in unnecessary energy waste. However, by utilizing Braincube’s AI-driven scenario planning, they were able to adjust fryer settings in real-time according to the moisture content of the potatoes. This change not only reduced energy consumption but also maintained the product’s quality.
Both stories prove the same point. When data is connected, contextualized, and ready to talk, waste doesn’t stand a chance.
If your teams are constantly reacting instead of improving, it’s time to rethink how you manage your data, processes, and goals. With the right tools, manufacturers can move from guessing and finger-pointing to making informed, data-driven decisions that eliminate waste at its source.
Ready to see how? Contact us and learn how InSource and Braincube can help you turn waste into opportunity.
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Watch the entire webinar to dive deeper into the live demo, real customer results, and expert insights that can help you take your operations to the next level.