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FOOD & BEVERAGE


WHEN FAST FOOD MEETS DATA SPEED


Although it takes many manufacturing processes to transform a humble potato into its frozen final product, with zero downtime, managing this data needn’t be chaotic. By processing data close to the source, Clarebout can ensure its high-tech production plants deliver on-time


to do with our data, but we were lacking a glue to unite our systems and form a rich, seamless snapshot of our production.” Contrary to what many manufacturers think,


you don’t always need cloud providers or platforms to run an enterprise IIoT project. For Clarebout, the answer to its challenge would be found at the edge. Specifically, Clarebout sought a solution that would act as one, central data management platform. It wanted to transform its systems from being reactive to proactive — and accessing data in real- time would be a key ingredient. Clarebout had been using a widely


available flow-based programming tool for some time. To level up, Clarebout needed access to a scalable platform that could bond its systems together — a data management glue. That’s why the company reached out to Crosser at the beginning of 2021. “Clarebout got stuck-in from the start,” said


Edge analytics software from Crosser is helping a producer of frozen potato products manage its data more effectively in its ‘always-on’ plant


Belgian frieten with mayonnaise? What cannot be denied, however, is the dish’s popularity as a staple of the modern Western diet. But this global demand requires intense processing, and data management, from food manufacturers. That’s why, when one of the world’s largest producers of frozen potato products for private labels, Clarebout Potatoes, sought to do more with its data, it turned to Crosser. Working closely with restaurant chains, retail


T


giants and other major players in the food industry, Clarebout exports its products to more than 60 countries and produces almost any shape, size and style of French fry imaginable. With manufacturing plants in Nieuwkerke


and Waasten, both in Belgium, and plans to open another facility in France, Clarebout works tirelessly to manufacture enough potato-based goods to meet global demand. In fact, its facilities never switch off. Continuous manufacturing can be


overwhelming for any plant, and for Clarebout, handling a constant flow of potatoes — which require de-stoning and washing, peeling, sorting, cutting, baking and freezing — is a repetitive and time-intensive process. When there are lots of steps in a production line with no chance for downtime,


here’s debate over the origins of the French fry — did it originate with English fish and chips, French steak-frites or


streamlining can be difficult. “A lot happens at our facilities, all at once,”


said Frederik Beun, leader of digital engagement and innovation at Clarebout. “Many of our processes are repetitive, and we found that this can increase the number of manual errors being made by workers.” This constant stream of activity also made it


difficult to sync-up operations, with manufacturing data kept in silos. Clarebout wanted to solve this issue — particularly as both its plants produce such a lot of data. However, this would prove especially challenging with data from multiple origins being siloed, including from customer relation management (CRM) systems, sales reports and plant equipment. Any enterprise that


struggles to connect data from different sources lacks interoperability. That means it can be difficult to see the bigger picture. “We needed visibility,


to see exactly what’s happening on our production lines and how that activity relates to the entire business,” Beun explained. “We knew what we wanted


30 DECEMBER 2021/JANUARY 2022 | PROCESS & CONTROL


Andrea Magnago, director of international sales at Crosser. “The team wanted a tool that could deliver, and were keen to start testing. A major benefit of using Crosser is that no downtime is required to get the platform up and running — so Clarebout could continue its operations without a hitch.” The first requirement from Clarebout was to


capture all the data running through its shop floor, including data on machine health and status, the amount of ingredients being used and wasted, and the time taken to complete certain plant processes. Then, its next goal was to link all this production data to a manufacturing execution system (MES) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. The MES and ERP would make the data available to the entire business, from shop floor to top floor. With this insight, Clarebout’s team can ensure any spotted errors or inefficiencies are not made again. How does edge analytics software benefit


this? It allows data produced by sensor-rich assets, like factory equipment, to be pre- processed in real-time closer to where it is created. When it is deployed on-premise —


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