The Challenge

Electrolux runs one of the most mature continuous improvement programs in global manufacturing. Its Electrolux Manufacturing System (EMS) has been evolving for over 20 years. But by 2017, their audit process hadn't kept pace. Audits lived on paper. Improvements tied to audit findings were tracked in spreadsheets and emails -- or not tracked at all. Teams at different sites couldn't see what other teams had already solved, and leadership had no reliable way to check audit status without scheduling a meeting.

The Outcome

Electrolux now tracks 4,000 audits and 6,000 connected improvements annually through KaiNexus -- across sites in Latin America, Europe, and beyond. Every improvement is linked to its originating audit. Leadership can check status in real time without scheduling a meeting. And with a 96% engagement rate, the platform isn't sitting unused -- it's how audit-related improvement work actually gets done.

From Paper Trails to a Single System 

In 2017, Sandro Casagrande, EMS Global Methodology & Documentation Leader, started looking for a platform that could handle the scale of Electrolux's audit and improvement work. A single site might generate 4,000 to 5,000 improvement actions. Paper boards and spreadsheets couldn't keep up. After evaluating options and running a pilot in Europe, Electrolux chose KaiNexus.

"We operate in a complex manufacturing environment where precision and collaboration are crucial," explains Casagrande. "After evaluating KaiNexus, particularly its collaborative Boards feature, we knew we had found the right solution to elevate our audit process to the next level."

Three problems got solved.

Visibility Across Sites and Teams 

Before KaiNexus, checking on an audit's status meant scheduling a meeting or digging through emails. Past audit results were even harder to find -- if the person who ran the audit had moved on, the data often went with them. Leadership had no consolidated view of what was happening across departments, let alone across sites.

Now, department leaders can check audit status and connected improvements in real time through a single Board. No dedicated meetings required.

"What previously required extensive searching through paper trails and emails is now instantly accessible," shared Casagrande, "Our team leaders can effortlessly monitor multiple teams through a single Board, ensuring no improvement goes unnoticed. The visibility and connectedness of the work together - metrics, charts, audits, & improvements - was absolutely the best appreciated part of KaiNexus across the organization."

Time Savings

Hours previously spent chasing people for updates now take minutes. Status update meetings that existed solely to ask "where are we on this?" have been eliminated. The time to complete improvements has dropped because nothing sits untracked. And with 96% engagement across the organization, adoption isn't an issue -- teams are actually using the platform.

"What previously took hours of tracking down updates now takes minutes," Casagrande explains. "We now have a more efficient way to follow up and monitor the audits and improvements, and as a consequence, more improvements get completed in a much faster time."

Traceability

When someone needed data from a past audit, they had two options: dig through email or track down the person who ran it. Sometimes neither worked. And because improvements weren't systematically linked to the audits that triggered them, attributing impact was guesswork.

Now every improvement is linked to its originating audit in KaiNexus.

"Every improvement is now clearly linked to its originating audit, creating an unbroken chain of accountability and progress. This systematic approach has significantly increased our completion rates simply because everything is tracked and visible," shares Casagrande.

What Made the Rollout Work

Casagrande's team shared three things they'd tell any organization considering a similar move.

Get clear on process before you touch technology. Before configuring KaiNexus, the Electrolux team answered basic questions that many organizations skip: what devices will people use, how often should they access the system, what does each user group actually need to do? These answers shaped configuration decisions and prevented rework later.

Invest in shop floor training. The platform only works if frontline teams use it. Electrolux focused training on two things: why the system matters to daily operations, and how it makes their jobs easier. They provided extra support for team members who needed it and made sure materials were accessible in the languages their teams actually speak.

Start small. The team piloted in Europe before expanding to Latin America and additional regions. That pilot phase surfaced configuration issues and built internal champions before the broader rollout. KaiNexus is now active across 60% of Electrolux sites globally.

"By taking the time to get these aspects right, we achieved not just implementation, but true transformation of our audit process," Casagrande says.

"These three elements were fundamental to our success," concludes Casagrande. "By taking the time to get these aspects right, we achieved not just implementation, but true transformation of our audit process."

For a deeper look at how the Electrolux Manufacturing System has evolved over 20 years -- and how KaiNexus supports their broader improvement culture beyond audits -- see our conversation with Sandro Casagrande on the EMS journey.

Electrolux manages 4,000 audits and 6,000 improvements a year across global manufacturing sites -- all in one platform. See KaiNexus in action -->