Zukunftsgestalter: Kann Rohstoff-Spezialist Dorfner mit KI den Umsatz um 40 Prozent steigern?

In the Hirschau open-pit mine, Gebrüder Dorfner excavates white kaolin, a fine, iron-free mineral used in porcelain, cosmetics, paper production, and durable paints. The 130-year-old company operates from a central location amidst two mining fields, which will not be exhausted for eternity. Dorfner has successfully increased its efficiency using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and slowed the extraction process.

Since 2020, the company has relied on AI, reducing the extraction of raw materials by about a third. Dorfner's CEO, Mirko Mondan, states that the company has not only grown in terms of resources but also in sales. The company primarily extracts kaolin and quartz sand, with a ratio of approximately 1:4. Quartz sand undergoes special processing, coloring, and additives for various applications, such as flooring, durable kitchen sponges, medical glass, and high-quality glass buildings.

However, following the COVID-19 pandemic, Dorfner faced challenges with supply chains, increased sustainability demands, and a limited outlook for local extraction. To address these issues, the company embraced AI, recognizing that it has not only a raw material source but also a data source. With hundreds of Excel sheets containing decades-old recipe data, the company began harnessing the power of AI to identify customer needs, create recipes, and streamline the testing process.

As a result, Dorfner has reduced the amount of kaolin needed to achieve a specific color result by a third, significantly impacting the company's resources and overall performance. The company aims to continue innovating, exploring new business models, and potentially substituting its primary raw material entirely. By leveraging AI-driven insights, Dorfner is moving away from a pure raw material focus towards providing customized solutions, fostering internationalization, and reducing reliance on overseas deliveries.