Systems, methods and apparatus for providing comparative statistical information for a plurality of production facilities in a closed-loop production management system

A method comprising:

• performing the following operations for each of a plurality of production facilities:
• producing a plurality of batches of concrete at the respective production facility, each batch being produced based on a corresponding formulation;
• determining, for each of the plurality of batches of concrete produced at the respective production facility, a first difference between a measured quantity of cementitious actually used in producing the respective batch of concrete and a first quantity of cementitious specified in the corresponding formulation;
• determining a first standard deviation based on the first differences;
• determining, for each of the plurality of batches, a second difference between a measured quantity of water actually used in producing the concrete and a second quantity of water specified in the corresponding formulation;
• and
• determining a second standard deviation based on the second differences;
• wherein a plurality of first standard deviations associated with the plurality of production facilities and a plurality of second standard deviations associated with the plurality of production facilities is thereby generated;
• selecting a first benchmark representing a first achievable standard deviation relating to use of cementitious in production of concrete, from among the plurality of first standard deviations;
• selecting a second benchmark representing a second achievable standard deviation relating to use of water in production of concrete, from among the plurality of second standard deviations;
• and
• for each of the plurality of production facilities, determining an amount by which costs may be reduced by improving production at the respective production facility to meet the first and second benchmarks.