The Viscofan Story: It’s Not Just About Savings. It’s About Controlling Them.

About the company

Viscofan CZ s.r.o. is a leading manufacturer of artificial casings for the meat industry, headquartered in České Budějovice, Czech Republic. It is part of the international Viscofan Group, which operates in more than 100 countries worldwide and is the global leader in cellulose, collagen, plastic, and fibrous casings. The Czech plant is a key manufacturing and distribution hub within the group.

Our Journey Together

When we first approached Viscofan, we expected a typical “digital energy project.” But we quickly realized Viscofan was far ahead of the curve. They had been systematically addressing their energy consumption for years. In fact, their historical data showed that back in 2003, they were able to track and assign just 27% of their energy usage. By the time we launched the project together in 2024, that number had reached an impressive 85%.

Our job was to build on their efforts and take them to the next level, where traditional tools fall short. Thanks to FLOWBOX, Viscofan has now achieved 95% energy traceability. That means nearly every unit of consumption can be mapped to specific technologies, production lines, or processes enabling precise and intelligent energy management.

We also refined their data structure significantly, breaking down consumption into smaller, more actionable blocks. This enabled deeper analysis, better insights, and faster, more effective decision-making.

Early Challenges: Trust and Incomplete Data

Despite the solid foundation, the project didn’t start without challenges. We had to align expectations, grasp the complexity of production, and navigate internal processes. Equally important, however, was earning the team’s trust showing them that the effort they invested would pay off in the form of simpler workflows and new ways to optimize energy usage.

At the outset, not all the necessary data was available or accurate. Some measurements were missing, others only approximate. Although their system was partly in place, it needed to be fine-tuned: reference performance data had to be located and linked to the correct consumption blocks.

Once that was done, we truly began to understand how energy was flowing and more importantly, where the biggest optimization potential lay. From there, it was clear where to focus and how to move forward.

“Today, we know exactly where our energy is going and why.”
Josef Novotný, Energy Manager

Step-by-Step Progress

We gradually brought experts from across the company into the project from energy specialists and controllers to production leads. Each offered a different perspective and hands-on knowledge. Together, we pinpointed where energy was being consumed, how efficient it was, and what options we had to influence or reduce it.

As FLOWBOX began delivering concrete data and simulations, our understanding deepened. We discovered root causes of inefficiencies, and—crucially—which ones truly mattered. That’s when the first “aha” moments came. And they didn’t come just from us; Viscofan’s internal teams started suggesting their own energy-saving measures.

That was the turning point. FLOWBOX stopped being an “external solution” and became their tool something they trusted, used, and saw real value in.

The Results: Transforming Thinking, Not Just Numbers

• ‍19% identified savings potential
• 95% of energy usage fully traceable
• Clear visualizations and cost-based flow mapping
• Immediate savings worth millions annually from fast, easy-to-implement actions

Beyond the hard numbers, there was a clear shift in mindset:

“FLOWBOX shows us how mature our energy management has become. The time for simple fixes is over. We now need deep analysis linked to production.”
Josef Novotný, Energy Manager

“The analytical system helps us measure consumption more precisely across both space and time. This allows for more accurate cost calculations and production planning. We’ve moved from monthly summaries to real-time, 15-minute analytics.”
Pavel Kozák, Controller

“Analytics helps us evaluate production efficiency in detail by material, product type, or operator behavior. We can now identify exactly when and where high-consumption events occur, and calculate their cost.”
Václav Vařil, Head of Extrusion Production

The Greatest Value: Controlled Savings

According to Viscofan’s Managing Director, the project’s biggest benefit lies not just in how much was saved, but in how controllable those savings now are. The key takeaway? Ownership of data enables smarter decisions.

“We chose FLOWBOX after thorough preparation and comparison with other solutions. We appreciate its flexibility and the professionalism and responsiveness of the FLOWBOX team. As our experience with the system grows, we keep unlocking new opportunities for savings and optimization.”
Ing. Miloslav Kamiš, Managing Director, Viscofan CZ

In Conclusion: A Lesson in Collaboration and Trust

This project wasn’t just about technology, measurement, and savings. It was also a powerful lesson in partnership and understanding internal teams. Here’s what we learned:

• Set the right expectations early and be patient while aligning different perspectives.
• Respect the knowledge of customer teams, and don’t hesitate to admit when we need to learn their processes.
• Most importantly, build trust gradually through facts, transparency, and meaningful results.

We deeply value this collaboration and thank Viscofan for their trust. Watching the shift from early hesitation to active engagement and finally to enthusiasm has been our greatest reward.

With FLOWBOX, Viscofan didn’t just get a software tool. They gained a platform they understand, trust, and use to actively advance their energy intelligence.

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