Global Food Manufacturer
IIoT Solutions
Food Manufacturer Puts the Crunch on Productivity Losses with Cutting-Edge IIoT Solutions
With operational complexity ever increasing, a global food manufacturer with Canadian operations recognized the need to prepare both new and existing network equipment and configurations for the challenges of modern large- scale manufacturing. With growing infrastructure demands and external threats to their operational networks, it was vital for our client to secure a long-term solution.
Challenge
A global food manufacturer with Canadian operations found their production line was becoming increasingly slow due to aging technology and security vulnerabilities, negatively impacting their bottom line and employee morale.
Solution
With the help of one of our “Internet of Things” partners, Westburne ran a full Industrial Network Diagnostic, revealing hundreds of network vulnerabilities. Westburne worked with our expert partner to redesign the client’s industrial network, giving them a cutting-edge system which minimizes downtime.
Result
With the upgraded industrial network and diagnostic system in place, diagnosing issues takes seconds, allowing the manufacturer to proactively resolve them. The upgrade is projected to save our client hundreds of thousands in unnecessary costs caused by downtime, lost productivity, product waste and human capital.
The Heart of the Issue
Westburne performed a walkthrough of the facility to evaluate the equipment and to experience first-hand the issues brought up by the client. The client’s network was unable to gather important production data thereby not seeing problems when packaging product, and with the line halted, large amounts of product had to be discarded. With decreased production and increased workload, employee morale and turnover was becoming an increasingly challenging problem to address.
Creating a Best In Class Solution
Westburne worked with their trusted partner to run a full diagnostic on the manufacturer’s system, revealing major gaps in their network. Westburne provided a detailed and easy to process document that allowed the manufacturer to take immediate action in securing their network. After a full diagnostic, our team of experts re-designed the client’s industrial network with a clear goal in mind – run production without network failures. To do this, Westburne implemented:
– Updated Industrial Network Design
– VLAN’s - Segmentation
– New Layer 2 and 3 Switches
– Updated to the correct type of cabling
– Developed a new daily backup and daily monitoring with a full dailysecurity diagnostic
The Right People Working Together
Westburne outlined the project’s progression with the client as each timeline was reached and then assessed. The client was given up to date information and had control over the process at every step. By encouraging client engagement, any arising issues could be quickly addressed, allowing us to meet the standard of excellence we hold ourselves to at Westburne.
Exceeding Customers’ Expectations
The manufacturer now has a fully backed up, and secure industrial network with the latest switch gear. Daily monitoring can immediately identify hidden issues before they cause line delays, saving our client time, money, and resources. With machine diagnosing, the client is projected to earn back their investment in a matter of months.
We take the time to understand the needs of our client and work with great partners to develop solutions that exceed their expectations.