PECM Issue 53 2021 | Page 67

Having access to the depth and breadth of maintenance-focused insights within Infor EAM at the source , or machine , means that British Sugar plant employees can observe , record , input and retrieve insights in the moment . Previously , they had to make notes manually , risking time lags and errors pending a return to a desktop in an office .
“ As a large site , the time taken to walk around a plant , make notes and return to an office is not insignificant ,” comments Nick Smalley , Programme Manager , British Sugar . “ Running Infor EAM on mobile devices not only provides us with a modern , realtime way of working , but can save hours potentially in a single day .
“ We can also use mobile applications to contact remote specialist support at the site of respective equipment , which helps to demonstrate the specifics of the issue and expedites fault resolution .
“ Through being able to access high quality information , such as a full equipment record , comprising work orders , plant history and supporting information , we can quickly complete details and take action immediately .”
Not only does the software improve accuracy , efficiency and reduce risk , it also helps British Sugar to attract new talent .
“ It stands to reason that young talent is unlikely to be motivated by the prospect of working with older , manual systems , so while it ’ s hard to identify a bottom line benefit , the ability to compete for the best talent is hugely important for us strategically ,” Nick explains .
SUSTAINABILITY
Sustainability is at the forefront of British Sugar ’ s strategy . Sugar beet travels on average just 28 miles from farm to factory . As part of its Factory of the Future investment , supported by Infor EAM , its operations are incredibly efficient , as illustrated by less than 200g of waste for every tonne of sugar produced . This is because process outputs are used to make products including aggregate , topsoil and animal feed , thus making the best use of all available resources to minimise cost and operate efficiently and responsibly .
REALISING THE VISION
Looking ahead , British Sugar is looking forward to leveraging its Factory of the Future to explore more ways in which to drive performance improvement and enhance sustainability activities .
“ Infor EAM is one of our core pillars moving forward , helping us to take our maintenance practices to the next level ,
It stands to reason that young talent is unlikely to be motivated by the prospect of working with older , manual systems
consolidate our predictive maintenance model , and use EAM as a springboard from which to capitalise on new technologies . There are a million different ways to use the insights Infor EAM provides us with . Specific initiatives we ’ ve earmarked as having a great deal of potential include using AI to analyse sensor information and raise work orders automatically ; supporting resource planning to refine skills utilisation and uphold stringent safety parameters ; and integration with British Sugar ’ s ERP system to automatically order spare parts , streamline inventory and assume greater control of stock ,” Nick concludes .
“ As our Factory of the Future evolves , we look forward to Infor EAM evolving with us . Twenty years ago , our maintenance was reactive , and for the last 20 it has been planned . Today , we ’ re excited to embrace an era where sensors and AI can help us to realise a truly proactive , predictive maintenance model which not only helps us to maximise uptime and quality , but also capitalise on IIOT and Industry 4.0 . Infor EAM will help ensure that we make the right capital investments to avoid unnecessary spending .”
For further information , please visit www . britishsugar . co . uk
Issue 53 PECM 67