Introducing the new “Skills” module for assessing and developing your team’s competencies
MILKOM
How a Russian dairy producer improves problem-solving effectiveness using LEANWAVE
About the Project
MILKOM is one of the largest dairy producers in Russia and is part of the KOMOS GROUP agro-industrial holding. For more than three decades, the company has consistently demonstrated that in the dairy business, quality and scale can go hand in hand with innovation.
Starting with milk processing in the Udmurt Republic, MILKOM has grown into a powerful holding company with a network of plants across the Volga Federal District. Today, the company processes more than half a million tonnes of raw materials annually, produces hundreds of product SKUs, and supplies them not only throughout Russia but also abroad: to China, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, and other countries.
The company was looking for a solution that would standardize the approach to identifying and solving problems, as well as automate this process through a digital platform while ensuring full transparency of key performance indicators. This need led MILKOM to the LEANWAVE digital platform, which implements continuous improvement principles by turning every action into a measurable result and creating a new wave of operational efficiency.
Starting with milk processing in the Udmurt Republic, MILKOM has grown into a powerful holding company with a network of plants across the Volga Federal District. Today, the company processes more than half a million tonnes of raw materials annually, produces hundreds of product SKUs, and supplies them not only throughout Russia but also abroad: to China, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, and other countries.
The company was looking for a solution that would standardize the approach to identifying and solving problems, as well as automate this process through a digital platform while ensuring full transparency of key performance indicators. This need led MILKOM to the LEANWAVE digital platform, which implements continuous improvement principles by turning every action into a measurable result and creating a new wave of operational efficiency.
>500
employees
Dairy
Industry
1992
Founded
Izhevsk
Location
6
Factories
Project Goal
Project Goal
Project Goal
To implement this strategic initiative, the team faced several key objectives:
- Establishing a unified approach to identifying and resolving equipment-related issues
- Improving key performance indicators (equipment OEE, production output, and the level of manufacturing service)
- Achieving tangible economic benefits through increased productivity
Implementation
Implementation
Implementation
To launch the project, it was decided to select a pilot site — the Kazan Dairy Plant (KMP) — to test and refine the approach before scaling it across MILKOM’s other production facilities.
In the first phase, key directories of the digital platform were populated in collaboration with the project leader, taking into account the company’s specific requirements. Following this, employees and administrators participated in two intensive training sessions, enabling them to work confidently with the system.
At the same time, a standardized business process for identifying and analyzing equipment-related issues was developed and formalized within the company, and all project participants were trained on it. A key feature of this approach was that the process was not static: it adapted based on real feedback, creating a system fully grounded in actual data and establishing a universal standard that could be easily replicated across other production sites.
In the first phase, key directories of the digital platform were populated in collaboration with the project leader, taking into account the company’s specific requirements. Following this, employees and administrators participated in two intensive training sessions, enabling them to work confidently with the system.
At the same time, a standardized business process for identifying and analyzing equipment-related issues was developed and formalized within the company, and all project participants were trained on it. A key feature of this approach was that the process was not static: it adapted based on real feedback, creating a system fully grounded in actual data and establishing a universal standard that could be easily replicated across other production sites.
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The system proves to be highly valuable: a single identified deviation provides an opportunity to analyze a range of broader issues. A major advantage is that the responsible person is not left to deal with the problem alone - other related departments get involved, creating a unified information space for problem-solving. Management also stays fully informed.
Recommendations
Recommendations
Recommendations
To successfully roll out the project to other sites and maximize staff engagement, the team highlighted several key points:
- Support from the vendor during the system testing and launch phase is crucial, as monitoring task completion and coordinating employee interaction through the digital platform accelerates adaptation and improves efficiency.
- Leveraging all the platform’s capabilities unlocks its full potential: in the pilot project, only half of the modules were used, and scaling the remaining ones will bring even greater benefits.
- Involving management from the very beginning creates a “top-down” effect, ensuring participation and accountability at all levels — from managers to operators, technicians, and engineers.
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LEANWAVE is a powerful digital platform for managing operational efficiency. The program allows users to analyze downtime, record deviations, conduct audits, and store all this information in a single system, preventing data loss and ensuring transparency for all participants. The platform is easy and intuitive to use, featuring a user-friendly interface and the ability to attach photographic materials. The program fully meets expectations and has become an indispensable tool for management.
Results
Results
Results
The project enabled the development of a unified business process for identifying, analyzing, and resolving equipment issues using the LEANWAVE digital platform, trained production personnel, and improved key performance indicators. The work was completed on time and within the approved budget, confirming the effectiveness of planning and organizational decisions.
The impact of the implementation was also tangible:
As a result of the LEANWAVE digital platform implementation, the production efficiency of the KMP site was further enhanced, laying the foundation for scaling the approach to other MILKOM facilities.
The impact of the implementation was also tangible:
- Actual production output per line increased by 6.1%
- Current manufacturing service level grew by 8.6%
- Average OEE improved by 6.3%
As a result of the LEANWAVE digital platform implementation, the production efficiency of the KMP site was further enhanced, laying the foundation for scaling the approach to other MILKOM facilities.
Future plans
Future plans
Future plans
The rollout of the full version of the LEANWAVE digital platform across all MILKOM production sites (and eventually throughout the entire KOMOS GROUP agroholding) opens up the potential for synergistic effects and maximized operational efficiency.
Key advantages include:
Key advantages include:
- A single list of problems and solutions across all sites, ensuring transparency and consistency.
- Knowledge sharing between teams and the application of best practices on similar equipment, with no limits on the number of users.
- Freeing up resources of managers and specialists, allowing them to focus on strategic and systemic tasks.
- Staff development through enhanced equipment maintenance competencies via the “Skills Management” module.
- Transparent management and process control across all sites: resolving production issues, monitoring task completion, and tracking employee engagement.
- Identification of leaders and the unlocking of employees’ creative potential.