PLANT MANAGEMENT
A CAREFUL UPGRADE I
How one food and biochemicals processing company embarked on a controlled, and carefully planned upgrade of its DCS infrastructure
n the food processing industry, many well-established firms are currently facing the prospect of upgrading their aging Distributed
Control Systems (DCS) as well as the underlying computer network. Many will also be daunted by this task, given the cost and potential for disrupting operations while the new system is brought online As a result, many engineering,
operations are instead opting for a controlled, planned, multi-stage implementation, while immediately addressing any significant gaps, points of pain and cybersecurity risks. Food and biochemicals company
Corbion was one such company when opting to upgrade its computer
network and automation system at its facility in Blair, Nebraska, The Netherlands-headquartered company provides naturally derived preservation solutions, including lactic acid and its derivatives, to support food processors worldwide and the Blair facility is expected to help the company expand its lactic acid production capacity in North America by 40% With these ambitious goals
in mind the company planned a staged implementation, but it also wanted to make more use of available enhanced automated features that modern DCS systems use to streamline production, gain greater control over batch
specifications, and simplify the user interface.
CORBION SELECTS NOVATECH AFTER CONSULTATION After an extensive evaluation involving a third-party consultant and reviews of multiple technology vendors, Corbion selected NovaTech, a leading provider of distributed control systems and solutions to upgrade its DCS system. NovaTech had partnered with Corbion on the facility’s original installation and startup decades ago and had been providing ongoing technical support. The automation solution provider recommended a technology upgrade and formulated a detailed plan for implementation in three phases.
Many food-processing companies are looking to upgrade their DCS systems
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