Arla installs integration software to cut costs
system using Wonderware's SAP NetWeaver.
The company hopes that the use of an open standard combined with standard connectors from SAP and Wonderware will dramatically reduce the costs of business-to-manufacturing integration. Arla Foods has 20,000 employees and 70 production sites in total.
"The integration of business and manufacturing systems has strategic importance for Arla Foods in supporting the challenges the business is facing in terms of optimising production performance, as well as fulfilling foods safety regulatory requirements," said Arne Svendsen, Arlas's production IT manager.
"This integration is a key point for a complete, internal supply chain, which includes the transfer of detailed production schedules to the shop floor, as well as the seamless collection of key production figures.
"With an expansive growth strategy, it is a must to have a clear path on integrating business and manufacturing, not least when new facilities become part of the family due to mergers and acquisitions."
This latest version of Wonderware's SAP NetWeaver software is achieved in an ISA S95 XML standard-based environment, using the ArchestrA architecture developed by parent company Invensys. Wonderware has worked closely with SAP to simplify the integration effort, lower the implementation and support costs, and improve manufacturing agility as their mutual customers' business needs evolve.
Both Wonderware and SAP are leaders in their respective markets and have numerous manufacturing customers, making the potential impact of this collaboration significant.
"Customers have been integrating SAP business solutions and plant execution systems for about a decade in support of the drive towards demand-driven manufacturing," said Mark Davidson, vice president of Wonderware and ArchestrA global marketing.
Wonderware and ArchestrA are business units of Invensys Systems. Wonderware software powers intelligent plant decisions in real time, while ArchestrA technology provides a unified set of software services that enables every system in your plant, working in concert.
