Why independent monitoring matters in modern manufacturing
FROM ASSUMPTION TO EVIDENCE
GEMINI DATA LOGGERS
Why independent monitoring matters in modern manufacturing
Manufacturers face increasing pressure to improve efficiency, reduce waste and optimise performance. Whether the objective is lowering energy consumption, improving process reliability or supporting sustainability initiatives, success ultimately depends on one thing: understanding what is happening on site.
The challenge is that many facilities already generate vast amounts of operational data through Building Management Systems, Energy Management Systems and plant control systems. Yet even in highly instrumented environments, assumptions can still creep into decision-making.
For Shane Kennedy, Environmental and Sustainability Lead at C & C Group’ s Bulmers facility in Clonmel, Ireland, independent monitoring has become an essential tool for turning assumptions into evidence.
When Shane joined the business, which owns brands including Bulmers, Magners and Tennent’ s, he quickly identified opportunities to improve operational efficiency. However, he also uncovered a familiar challenge.
“ I came in here and I noticed there was a lot of quick, easy wins just from an initial view of the site. But the problem that they had was poor metering.”
Like many manufacturing facilities, Bulmers already had monitoring systems in place. However, sitewide consumption data can only tell part of the story. Understanding
how individual assets perform often requires more targeted investigation.
To support sustainability projects and secure funding, Shane relies heavily on Measurement and Verification.
“ If I go in for a project, I always want grants. But all of these need measurement and verification.”
Without reliable baseline data, projected savings remain estimates. With accurate monitoring, they become measurable outcomes.
To support this work, Shane deployed Tinytag Energy Loggers across a variety of projects. One particularly application involved the facility’ s compressed air system, often one of the largest energy consumers in manufacturing.
By installing Tinytag Energy Loggers to compressors, Shane was able to compare measured performance against data recorded by the site’ s existing EMS and the results revealed something unexpected.
“ I can use your loggers against what I’ m recording on my energy management system. If it’ s within one percent, that’ s fine. But I’ ve actually found that the power factor on one of my compressors was completely off and I was able to find that out from your loggers.”
The discrepancy prompted further investigation and uncovered inaccuracies within existing metering infrastructure. Without independent monitoring, the issue may have remained hidden.
This highlights an important principle: monitoring is not simply about collecting data, it is about validating assumptions and creating confidence in decision-making.
The same approach has since been applied across lighting systems, LED upgrade programmes and EV charging infrastructure. Rather than relying solely on aggregated site data, Shane can isolate individual systems and understand their true impact.
As he explains:“ That’ s the best thing. You can’ t ask why without data. That’ s energy. It’ s all about the data.”
For manufacturers operating in these sectors, the lesson is clear. Improvements begin with accurate measurement. By helping engineers move from assumption to evidence, Tinytag Energy Loggers support better troubleshooting, stronger validation and more informed decision-making.
For further information, please visit www. geminidataloggers. com
98 PECM Issue 81