Sage, Autoware form Italy-Australia partnership
Australia-based Sage Group and Italy-based Autoware announced in December that they've formed a strategic partnership. They've collaborated on best practices and advancing industry for more than 10 years as part of the Automation Alliance peer group of the global Control System Integrators Association (CSIA). They report this relationship underpins their decision to join forces; combine geographic coverage, technology knowledge, cultural alignment and domain expertise; and provide more value to clients. Both are certified CSIA members.
“Sage is thrilled to advance our association with Autoware to a partnership that offers even greater value to our respective customers," says Adrian Fahey, MD and CEO at Sage. "We share a cultural alignment with Autoware in our approach to excellence, knowledge sharing and a passion for enabling customers to thrive with Industry 4.0 and digitalization.”
Sage and Autoware collectively have more than 600 employees at 17 offices on four continents. The two system integrators and their seven specialist companies support clients in innovating, modernizing, digitizing and improving how they run their operations. They add that Autoware’s focus on improving manufacturing operations management will complement and extend existing Sage’s capabilities and add presence in the European market, while Sage’s differentiated business will enable Autoware to grow the portfolio of solutions offered to their clients and extend its global presence.
"Sage and Autoware were partner in a way since they joined the Automation Alliance Group in 2008," says Luigi De Bernardini, CEO of Autoware. "We've known each other well since then, and I have huge admiration and respect for Sage. We have many things in common, and we both believe in digitizing the globalized manufacturing world. For this reason, it's easy and natural to transform our partnership into a more formalized and strategic one.
Endress+Hauser bundles analysis expertise
Endress+Hauser reported Jan. 1 that two of its subsidiaries, SpectraSensors Inc. and Kaiser Optical Systems Inc., have joined forces to form a new company—Endress+Hauser Optical Analysis Inc. Consolidating its laser-based measurement expertise will reportedly strengthening the overall company's focus on laboratory and process analysis and position it to provide customers with even better support for future analysis tasks.
Endress+Hauser Optical Analysis is headquartered in Ann Arbor, Mich., where it develops and manufactures Raman spectroscopic instruments. TDLAS instrumentation continues to be produced in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. The new company, with around 200 employees, will remain a wholly owned subsidiary of the Endress+Hauser Group.
“We want to further develop and expand our portfolio for laboratory and process analysis. Together with Endress+Hauser Liquid Analysis and the Analytik Jena subsidiary, Endress+Hauser Optical Analysis forms an important element of our group’s analysis strategy,” says Dr Manfred Jagiella, who is responsible for the analytical business on the Endress+Hauser Executive Board.
Endress+Hauser acquired the two U.S.-based companies in 2012 and 2013, and strengthened its position in gas analysis with tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS) technology from SpectraSensors. Kaiser Optical Systems, a global leader in Raman spectroscopy, brings expertise in solid, liquid and gas analysis across a wide range of applications, including vaccine production. Endress+Hauser has concentrated on process and laboratory analysis for years, and reports that it generates nearly one-fourth of its sales from analysis technologies.
System integrator EA certified for Aveva APM
Enterprise Automation, a Tetra Tech company, reported Jan. 5 that it's achieved Certified Performance status for Aveva’s Asset Performance Management (APM) product portfolio to help clients eliminate inefficiencies and optimize operations. This certification makes EA one of the first system integrators in the world and the first in the U.S. to achieve this certification. The portfolio of digital products includes artificial data analytics to help clients run more efficiently
“The technology available in Aveva’s APM hits on the digital transformation aspect of going beyond just basic automation," says Josh Riley, principal at EA. "APM provides machine learning and AI, digitizing mobile rounds and paper data collection to tablets that sync with historians. This lets users manage their assets using data and technology, rather than gut feel.”
Tim Black, senior partner program manager at Aveva, adds that, "“Aveva is very proud of Enterprise Automation’s accomplishment of achieving the Certified Performance status for APM. This certification requires dedication to training, passing exams and proof of the ability to deliver a project. EA joins a rare few SI companies worldwide that have met our requirements and criteria.”
EA adds it's the only system integrator worldwide to achieve Master Alliance Partner status with Schneider Electric, for expertise in control systems, Citect, Aveva System Platform, PLC modernization, and EcoStruxure Process Expert. In addition, the company is an Aveva- Endorsed SI partner.
Load Control appoints McClurg as president
Load Controls Inc., a provider of motor power sensors and controls, reported Jan. 3 that Michael McClurg has been named president, taking over for retiring president and co-founder William McClurg.
Michael McClurg previously served as Load's chief marketing officer. He has more than 35 years in technology sales, marketing and engineering, and held sales management roles at Actifio, which was acquired by Google, IBM and EMC, which was acquired by Dell. He holds a B.S. in engineering design from Tufts University and an MBA from Babson College.
“I’m excited to be able to help write the next chapter in Load Controls’ history," says McClurg. "We have a fantastic, loyal customer base and the industry’s most complete line of motor power sensors and controls. With more attention being paid to energy awareness and the opportunity to make industrial motors more efficient, our future is very bright.”
Bill McClurg started Load Controls in 1984 with Bob Nystrom. He pioneered the business of applying power sensing technology to industry challenges in the food and beverage, pharmaceutical, discrete manufacturing and chemical processing industries.
Philippines renewables producer will use Honeywell alarm management
Honeywell reported Dec. 14 that Energy Development Corp. (EDC), the leading renewable energy producer in the Philippines, will improve safety and performance at its sites by implementing Honeywell Forge Alarm Management to optimize its industrial alarm system performance. EDC will implement the suite and its Alarm Performance Optimizer module at seven of its sites in the Philippines. The solution will enable EDC to improve operational efficiency and safety, monitor compliance with corporate alarm guidelines, and enhance alarm management at seven sites.
“Ensuring safer and dependable operations is essential for EDC to provide an uninterrupted supply of clean renewable energy to the Philippines. We're utilizing alarm management as a key element in our process safety framework,” says Engr. Liberato Virata, senior VP and head of EDC’s Facilities Operations & Maintenance Group. “Honeywell Forge Alarm Management suite and Alarm Performance Optimizer will help us identify and resolve issues, such as overloaded alarm systems or those lacking appropriate operator guidance. They'll deliver centralized capabilities that improve the efficiency of our alarm management processes.”
Honeywell adds that average results for Alarm Performance Optimizer can include up to a 25% reduction in alarm rationalization cycle time, up to a 15% improvement in operator response times, and up to a 10% reduction in console alarm loads.
Valmet to supply microwave consistency measurements to SCA Ortviken mill in Sweden
Valmet will supply eleven Valmet Microwave Consistency Measurements (Valmet MCA) to SCA’s Ortviken mill in Sweden. The mill is currently being converted from paper to market pulp production. The consistency measurements will be installed in the new chemi-thermomechanical pulp (CTMP) line to control the process reliably.
The order is included in Valmet’s orders received of the fourth quarter 2021. The measurements will be delivered during the first quarter of 2022.
"We evaluated different applications and found Valmet’s solution to be the best. In this project, the mill is expanded from existing process sections where we have already been using Valmet MCAs for ten years. When the responsible production staff asked us to keep using these measurements, it was an easy choice," says Patrik Pettersson, project engineer, SCA.
"We have been cooperating with SCA Ortviken for a long time developing a world-class CTMP plant and this order further deepens our relationship. The rebuild project has been ongoing for a year now and these microwave consistency measurements complement Valmet’s wide delivery scope in the project," says Andreas Lindstedt, corporate account manager, services, Valmet.
