Clover SA improves software project development life cycle through standardisation and simplicity
FOOD & BEVERAGE
Goals
- Standardised project development
- Rapid implementation
- Reduced development costs
- Implementation simplicity
- Improved operator decision-making
Challenges
- Formalising a process flow and software structure to allow for the documentation of the process and to ensure the desired result is achieved
Results
- Clear objective and predictable results
- Involvement of multi-disciplinary parties in the design phase
- Clear mandate for the software developer(s)
- Measurable results
- Easier and predictable commissioning
- Faster implementation
- Repeatability with other projects
- Mechanism for continuous improvement by incorporating new technologies and approaches
- Ability to outsource software development to third parties
Solutions & Products

Business objectives
- Rapid commercialisation – Being a very dynamic company with the constant release of new products, flavours, etc., Clover needs to beat their competitors to the supermarket top shelf by going from concept to product as quickly as possible.
- Increased complexity – Consumers are constantly demanding more complex products as well as an ever-increasing range of product choices which leads to a huge variety of products that must all comply to strict quality standards. And this all has to be handled by the same infrastructure.
- Increased asset utilisation – This means decreasing downtimes and changeover times to cope with a growing product range.
- Operator efficiency – Operators need the right assistance to make their lives easier and therefore more effective
- Process and production information – The HMI screens of the past are no longer sufficient. Today, operators want contextualised, real information that helps them make the right decisions quicker.
- Cost control – Always a major consideration in spite of having to do more.

Benefits of standardised software project development
- Clear objective and predictable results
- Involvement and consensus of all concerned parties in the requirements specifications
- Involvement of multi-disciplinary parties in the design phase
- Clear mandate for the software developer(s)
- Measurable results
- Easier and predictable commissioning
- Faster implementation
- Repeatability with other projects
- Mechanism for continuous improvement by incorporating new technologies and approaches
- Ability to outsource software development to third parties without compromising the company’s intellectual property while ensuring they conform to set standards