Unilever and Accenture Bring AI Digital Twins to the Global Shop Floor

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“Scaling AI across our operations isn’t just a technological shift, it’s a commitment to superior products, sustainability and empowering our teams across our factories.” - Adam Raeburn-James, Global VP for Digital Business Operations - Unilever

June 2026 : Imagine walking onto a bustling factory floor where machines seamlessly anticipate their own breakdowns and self-correct quality issues before they even happen. This isn’t a sci-fi movie - it’s the daily reality Unilever is building. Partnering with Accenture, the consumer goods giant is scaling AI-enabled "digital twins" - virtual replicas of physical production lines - across its global manufacturing network to make production smarter, cleaner, and faster.

For the everyday teams crafting your favorite household products, this multi-year rollout means having a high-tech crystal ball right on the shop floor. By feeding live data into these virtual models, workers can simulate manufacturing scenarios, predict maintenance needs, and spot bottlenecks sooner. Over the next 18 months, Unilever plans to expand this blueprint by deploying more than 40 new digital twins. “Scaling AI across our operations isn’t just a technological shift, it’s a commitment to superior products, sustainability and empowering our teams across our factories,” said Adam Raeburn-James, Global VP for Digital Business Operations, Unilever.

The real-world impact of this tech is already quietly hitting retail shelves. In Raeford, North Carolina, a digital twin making Dove and Axe deodorants predicts 95% of process restrictions, cutting waste by 20%. Meanwhile, in Poznan, Poland, a digital clone ensures Hellmann’s mayonnaise maintains its perfect consistency, slashing minor stoppages by up to 20%. From energy-saving twins in Haldia, India, to precision ingredient mixers in Vietnam, these virtual copies are transforming operations.

Behind every smart machine, however, remains a human-centric approach to innovation. As these systems learn, they will progressively automate minor shop-floor adjustments under close human supervision. “Unilever has long been recognised for its supply chain excellence, and expanding the use of manufacturing digital twins reflects the company’s continued focus on both technology and people,” noted Nicole van Det, CEO Accenture Netherlands and Nordics and Global Account Lead for Unilever.

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