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Industrial sector
GEA saves time and costs with AI-driven process optimisation
Modern production supply chains are under increasing pressure to optimise efficiency and reduce costs. Together with GEA, we developed a scalable document processing solution that streamlines material flow in production lines and solved this challenge.
GEA, a global leader in process technology and machinery solutions, faced the challenge of efficiently handling large volumes of supplier documents and certificates. Efficient processing of documents, certificates and related components is mission-critical.
Manual processes such as archiving, reading, extracting meta data and classifying documents consumed significant employee time, were error-prone, reduced efficiency and increased compliance risks. Due to the documents’ diversity, conventional rule-based approaches failed in terms of accuracy.
“Working with Zühlke allowed us to significantly reduce manual workload in a matter of weeks. The accuracy and scalability of the AI-powered solution exceeded our expectations and created real momentum for supply chain document handling automation across our factory.”
Scaling AI: From MVP to a global platform
GEA and Zühlke realised a GenAI-based solution for document and content analysis, enabling advanced retrieval of component documents, metadata extraction, and material tracability. Within a few months, a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) was realised, providing the first GEA site with automated document processing, reducing manual workload & validating the solution´s value.
The MVP was developed into a generic, scalable platform adaptable to the specific needs of many GEA sites. The solution´s compliant and modular architecture supported a broader roll-out.
Immediate impact and foundation for future automation
Two GEA sites adopted the solution, experiencing immediate reductions in manual document handling and increased process efficiency & improved process duration times. The solution’s flexibility and customisability have enabled fast adoption across other business units, supporting both operational alignment and regulatory compliance requirements.
Achieving high data recognition and extraction accuracy over a vast kind of documents, the platform has laid the groundwork for future automation initiatives across GEA’s global operations.
