Schotte Plastics develops, produces, and prints plastic packaging for various industries, from food and chemicals to pharmaceuticals and automotive. The company primarily specializes in Extrusion Blow Moulding, with a smaller portion of packaging produced in PET. Schotte Plastics operates production facilities in Ens (Netherlands) and Rheine (Germany).
Workforce challenges in modern manufacturing: high turnover and complex training
The Ens facility operates over thirty different machines continuously, five days a week, 24 hours a day. With approximately eighty employees and ongoing expansion plans, the company faces significant challenges in the tight labor market. New employees are difficult to recruit, and many seek new opportunities after just a few years, while long-term staff approach retirement age.
Richard Zwaan, Technical Director at Schotte Plastics, explains: “Today’s workforce typically stays for two years before moving on – right when they’ve mastered our process and could really contribute. Our specialized processes aren’t taught in textbooks; all training must be done internally.” He emphasizes, “Getting new staff operational quickly is crucial for us.”
The situation is complicated by complex production processes and high quality standards. The extensive training period strains experienced staff, who lack time for proper instruction. Additionally, new operators frequently need to consult senior employees when facing technical issues or breakdowns.
These circumstances led Schotte Plastics to seek an efficient solution for rapidly training new employees from across Europe while preserving institutional knowledge. They partnered with ELICIT Online to address these needs.
Implementing 24/7 knowledge
ELICIT Online’s knowledge analyst, Emiel Weijn, initially created a comprehensive knowledge file covering three identical blow molding machines. This was developed through interviews with Richard, experienced operators, and quality department staff. The project then expanded to include documentation for PET machines and refrigeration units.
The documented knowledge is now accessible 24/7 via plant tablets, reducing operators’ dependence on experienced colleagues during problem-solving.
Richard praises the collaboration: “Emiel’s enthusiasm and dedication to understanding our processes was impressive. We shared a passion for the work. He delivered on his promises and assured we met our commitments.”
Breaking Language Barriers: Multilingual Training Platform
With employees speaking more than ten different languages, ELICIT Online’s translation feature proves invaluable. Richard notes, “Our production hall operates at 100dB, making verbal instruction challenging even without language barriers. Not everyone speaks English, but now each employee can access instructions in their native language, from Portuguese to Hungarian.”
Future-Proofing Manufacturing: Knowledge Retention and Self-Sufficient Operations
Schotte Plastics has successfully preserved critical production knowledge. The current focus is encouraging operators to consult ELICIT Online before seeking assistance from team leaders or the Technical Director.
Richard envisions having knowledge files for every machine within a year, leading to more self-sufficient employees. “While we’re still adapting to this new approach, I’m confident in its success,” he says. “This is about changing behavior and culture. We’ll save considerable time when staff check ELICIT Online for solutions instead of searching for available colleagues to help them.”
Relevant cases
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When the master leaves: how CONO preserves half a century of cheese-making expertise
The retirement of team leader Pieter (50.5 years of experience) confronted cheese producer CONO with a major challenge: how do we ensure that the knowledge of such experienced people is retained? Arthur van Esveld, Production Manager, and Mike Koster, the new Team Leader Cheese Production, explain: “With ELICIT, every operator has autonomy.”
Van Merksteijn: Less downtime
Van Merksteijn Fencing Systems ran into a number of problems in production. Breaking in new employees took a lot of time. Also, the training program for new employees was not available digitally. Another major pain point for Van Merksteijn was the lack of a uniform working method. In addition, employees have a lot of experience knowledge, but it was not recorded anywhere. That knowledge was in danger of being lost when they retired. Finally, operators were dependent on other, more experienced colleagues for breakdowns and other problems. That cost time, and therefore money.
Casting legend Olle Lofgren heads for the snow, but his knowledge stays in Zutphen
There is hardly anyone in the world with more casting knowledge than Olle Lofgren. But after more than 50 years in the metal industry, working in factories all over the world, the Swedish casting specialist is retiring from KME. With the help of ELICIT, he is now leaving his knowledge behind for future generations. Olle: “It felt like someone opened my memory of the past decades.”
Reginox: More grip on quality
Reginox expects major changes in its workforce and the labor market leading to higher employee turnover. Experienced employees are retiring and finding new personnel is a challenge. For Reginox a reason to work with ELICIT Online on knowledge management.
Sharing knowledge is in our DNA
