Case Study: Anheuser-Busch InBev reduces production downtime with Minitab

Anheuser-Busch InBev meets customer demand by streamlining production

Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world’s largest beer company, needed to reduce production line downtime as it expanded to more than 200 brands and faced increasing planned downtime from start-ups and brand changes. Using Minitab and Minitab Statistical Software, the company set out to streamline operations, lower costs, and create a repeatable approach that could be rolled out across multiple facilities.

Minitab helped Anheuser-Busch InBev analyze downtime data with tools such as Pareto charts, histograms, control charts, ANOVA, and Gage R&R to identify root causes and validate measurement reliability. The team then implemented streamlined conversion procedures, a shorter checklist, standardized training, and visual timing support, cutting planned downtime by 34% and reducing related costs by more than $430,000. The toolkit earned an average operator rating of 4.85 out of 5 and was later deployed to more than 180 facilities worldwide.

Anheuser-Busch InBev