CUSTOMER CASE STUDY
Valsemøllen takes control with a new modular MES system
Valsemøllen – www.valsemollen.dk
Industry – Food Processing
Valsemøllen’s grain supply from storage silos is managed by the modular AVEVA™ Manufacturing Execution System (MES). The implementation was carried out in stages in close collaboration with Eltronic, with minimal downtime.
Valsemøllen in Esbjerg is among the leading suppliers of flour and grain products to the Danish market. Each year, 100,000 tons of grain are processed, which corresponds to 15-20 truck deliveries of wheat, rye, and oats arriving at the factory in Esbjerg harbor daily. With nearly 120 years of history, the facility has undergone many
modernizations. Recently, some of the large wooden silos at the mill were replaced, the cleaning facilities were renewed, and a large portion of the IT equipment was upgraded.
MES replaces Measuring Rods
Managing the entire production process is complex, involving many production phases. The mill has recently implemented a brand-new control system in the form of AVEVA Model Driven MES, installed and customized
in close collaboration with Eltronic, the only certified supplier of this software in Denmark.
Initially, the system manages 39 storage silos, containing various types and qualities of grain, all upgraded with flow balancers. With over 500 different product types and grain raw materials that always vary in protein and gluten content, lab staff must be meticulous when creating recipes based on existing data. Silo operators must then be equally precise in measuring the quantities of various grain raw materials, such as 180 tons of wheat flour. Until a few years ago, this measurement was done manually using a traditional measuring rod to gauge the flow height through a small window.
Monitoring and Simplified Workday
One individual who has been part of Valsemøllen’s development over the past 15 years is production manager Carsten Mariager. He appreciates the new physical facilities and the MES system, which has simplified the workday and provided new monitoring
capabilities based on MES-generated data.
“We have three operators who were exceptionally skilled at measuring grain quantities. They now have different tasks. At the same time, we’ve eliminated a lot of paperwork in the form of large Excel sheets, which are now integrated into the MES,” says the production manager. He is also pleased that employees no longer need to work weekends managing grain supply, as this is now programmed and occurs automatically.
“The operators have adapted quickly to the new control system, partly because of the accessible user interface, which provides a fantastic overview of the status of the entire production plant in a very clear layout,” says Carsten Mariager, referring to the MES program built using AVEVA HMI (formerly Wonderware InTouch) and Situational Awareness.
No Room for Downtime
The production manager is very pleased with the swift and straightforward ramp-up phase of the new control system.
“A company of our size with a lean operating organization simply cannot tolerate significant downtime without production, so this was a requirement when we chose the new MES system. Eltronic guaranteed this – and they delivered,” says Carsten Mariager. “The modular design of AVEVA MES has facilitated the ramp-up of the control system, allowing implementation in small steps with almost no downtime. The installation itself can be completed in 2-3 days, but the full implementation of various control elements took 10 months. During this time, a five-member team from Eltronic alternated to assist Valsemøllen in different phases.”
Flexible service 24/7
“Flexible 24/7 service is one of Eltronic’s core competencies,” says Anders Linneberg, Eltronic’s project manager for Valsemøllen.
“We have the scale and expertise in AVEVA products to adapt to projects at a pace that suits the customer’s preferences and production profile,” he says.
Claus Sass Hvass, Customer Success Manager at AVEVA Select Scandinavia has been closely involved in the process and is pleased with the collaboration with Eltronic.
“I am especially pleased that Valsemøllen, after just one and a half months of full operation in the silo section, has generated enough data to begin trend analysis and statistical process control based on the existing
data from the silos’ new flow balancers. This provides a clear overview of various thresholds, enabling better maintenance and service before damage occurs – and, of course, insights into connections between yield, grain conditioning, and much more,” says Claus Sass Hvass, who looks forward to supporting the expansion of MES in the rest of the mill’s operating system in the coming years.
Facts – Valsemøllen
Valsemøllen operates mills in Esbjerg, Køge, and Svendborg, with its headquarters in Esbjerg.
In Esbjerg alone, 100,000 tons of grain are processed annually, equivalent to 15-20 truck deliveries daily.
Ownership structure: 45% shares each by Swedish Abdon Mills AB and Norwegian Norgesmøllerne, with the remaining 10% owned by CEO Niels Brinch-Nielsen.
Carsten Mariager, production manager at Valsemøllen (right). In the middle is Anders Linneberg, sales director/project manager from Eltronic, and Claus Sass Hvass, Customer Success Manager at AVEVA Select Scandinavia.
Goals
Challenges
Solution
Results
”A company of our size simply cannot tolerate much downtime without production, so this was a requirement when we chose the MES system.”
–Carsten Mariager, production manager at Valsemøllen
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