Chemistry

In the chemical industry, process control is of paramount importance. Uncontrolled variations pose a risk.

Symbol helps organisations in the chemical industry to control and improve processes.

Engage Chemistry Experts

Organizations we’ve helped...

From Process Complexity to Control and Performance

The chemical sector is under pressure due to rising energy costs, stricter environmental regulations, and increasing international competition. Simultaneously, supply chains are becoming more complex and vulnerable, making delivery reliability and planning more challenging. Companies must organise their production processes efficiently while meeting high demands for safety, quality, and sustainability. Variation in processes, inefficient working methods, and limited transparency in the chain can lead to higher costs, delays, and risks to quality and compliance.

By structuring processes better and continuously improving them, chemical companies can enhance their performance. Methodologies such as Lean, Six Sigma, and digitalisation help to reduce waste, limit process variation, and make production more efficient. At the same time, quality and environmental management systems like ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 provide a solid foundation for ensuring quality, safety, and sustainability. By combining process improvement with robust management systems, organisations can reduce costs, manage risks, and produce more reliably.

Controlled Processes; Predictable Quality

Academy

Symbol helps chemical companies develop competencies in process improvement, quality management (ISO9001/14001), and data-driven work. With training in Lean and Six Sigma, leadership, and continuous improvement, teams learn to organise processes more efficiently and safely, reduce variation, and structurally improve performance.

All training sessions

Consultancy

Symbol supports chemical organisations in optimising production processes, quality systems, and supply chains. With Lean Six Sigma, performance management, and data-driven analyses, we help companies increase efficiency, reduce costs, and simultaneously meet high demands for quality, safety, and sustainability.

Deploy Expertise

Interim Management

Symbol provides experienced interim professionals (Green and Black Belts) for operations, quality, and continuous improvement within the chemical sector. Our experts support process optimisation, quality management, project management, and operations management, ensuring improvement programmes are realised faster and results are sustainably secured.

Deploy Capacity

Practical Results

Shin-Etsu Silicones: IATF 16949 implementation

Shin-Etsu Silicones Europe needed to start working in accordance with IATF 16949, but lacked the in-house knowledge. Symbol guided the implementation: processes documented, work instructions digitised via LeanForms, and KPI reporting set up in Power BI. Result: Shin-Etsu is on track for certification and has a data infrastructure that the organisation can use independently.

Sealed Air: £100k annual savings through Lean Six Sigma

Sealed Air starts with Lean Six Sigma at the Enschede site: 16 employees trained and four improvement projects launched. The Mixing project delivers €100,000 savings per year and was internationally nominated. Enschede serves as a pilot for a European roll-out and more than 10 employees have signed up for further training.

Mogema: Process Knowledge Secured with an Interim Consultant

For years, Mogema had accumulated process knowledge that was not documented anywhere. Internally, there was insufficient capacity to address this. Symbol provided an interim consultant who conducted interviews in the factory and converted knowledge into structured work instructions. Result: ongoing projects fully documented at the same level as new projects.

Peka Kroef: Lean Green Belt Training Leads to Tangible Improvement Projects

Peka Kroef had an improvement team but lacked knowledge of Lean methodologies. Symbol provided an in-company Lean Green Belt training for 10 employees from various departments. Result: water consumption reduced, higher production per man-hour, and employees who link improvement projects to organisational objectives themselves. Peka Kroef now has true ambassadors of continuous improvement.