Source: InTech magazine, July/August 2011. Copyright © 2011 ISA. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Getting CAP: A Personal Voyage
FEBRUARY 12, 2011/EXTON, PA – ProLeiT AG, Herzogenaurach, Germany (www.proleit.com), a global process control engineering and MES software solution company, has named Avanceon LP, Exton, PA (www.avanceon.com), its exclusive partner serving the distilling, brewing and dairy markets in North America. The partnership is intended to expand sales of ProLeiT’s Plant iT and brewmaxx brands in the United States and to extend support of existing installations through Avanceon’s support network across North America.
The ProLeiT products combine object-oriented process automation and tightly integrated MES functions into a single software platform for reduced cost of ownership and greater supportability. The ProLeiT platform leverages over 100 years of process expertise that is embedded in the preloaded process standard objects. This imbedded process functionality translates into time and effort savings in the overall development and implementation of a project. The ProLeiT products are currently in use at over 600 locations worldwide and are the number one brewery automation product.
“This partnership combines the power of the ProLeiT process and MES technology platform with Avanceon’s process experience, size, depth, support organization, and proven execution methodology,” said Manfred Czepl, COO of ProLeiT.
“Avanceon is excited to bring the ProLeiT Plant iT and brewmaxx technology to the U.S. distilling, dairy and brewery markets,” said Martin Michael, Vice President of Avanceon. “ProLeiT’s unique combination of embedded process knowledge, advanced control algorithms, and MES functionality will provide key business return to the United States manufacturing industries in an economic period when efficient operations are critical,” said Michael.
Exton, PA-based Avanceon is a leading provider to manufacturers worldwide of engineering services and system integration solutions. The company is located at 640 Rice Boulevard, Exton, PA 19341. www.avanceon.com
The headquarters of the ProLeiT AG is located at Einsteinstr. 8, 91074 Herzogenaurach, Germany. The ProLeiT Group consists of international subsidiaries in Russia, China, the Netherlands, Spain, Mexico, South Africa, Brazil and Austria as well as with partners in Asia, the USA and South America. www.proleit.com
Avanceon Hires Siemens Industry Veteran to Serve Customers in Midwest and Southeast
With over 18 years of management and leadership experience, Keith Spiro has joined Avanceon, a premier provider of manufacturing engineering services, control systems, manufacturing execution systems, and support services as Senior Manager of Manufacturing Solutions for the Food, Beverage, and CPG industries.
“Our clients are working hard during very difficult times to meet their production demands and maintain a competitive advantage. Sometimes, they’re so focused on working 'in' their business that they may not have the time to see what’s setting them back. They may have great ideas but don’t have the expertise or bandwith to implement them,” says Keith Spiro. “My role is to work with customers addressing business concerns such as evaluating best in class strategies to improve operational performance, eliminating production inefficiencies and bottlenecks, tracking and reducing production downtime, and optimizing business decisions based on real-time data."
Keith Spiro brings extensive manufacturing, business and engineering experience to Avanceon from his management positions with Siemens in engineering, design, and operations. As a Siemens executive, Spiro worked with many fortune 500 companies to improve their manufacturing operations and directly assisted them with setting and meeting their manufacturing technology objectives.
“Businesses are pressed to consider and adopt new ways of improving their manufacturing processes to remain relevant in a very competitive market,” says Matt Ruth, Director of Food and Beverage at Avanceon. “Keith's experience is a great addition to our team and we are excited to have him on board."
Keith lives in Lake Wylie with his wife and three children. In addition to working with Avanceon’s Food & Beverage clients, Keith is involved with Rotary International and enjoys coaching youth athletics.
The demand for energy is expected to double by the year 2050 driven by the growth of industrial energy consumption in the developing countries," shared Bakhtiar Wain, Avanceon CEO. He was addressing an audience of manufacturers at a Forum on “Financing Energy Optimization Projects with Guaranteed IRR” organized in Lahore and Karachi on May 18th and 25th respectively. He said that more efficient use, conservation and management of energy allow us to save up to 30% of the total industrial energy consumption. Bakhtiar further explained that 30% of energy savings on a global level would equate to saving one year of electricity from 20,000 coal fired power plants which in turn mean a 12 Gigaton reduction in annual CO2 emissions.
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Avanceon had organized this forum for the purpose of enlightening industrialists about the advantages of energy optimization projects while discussing the financial options which will deliver a guaranteed return on investment. In his presentation Bakhtiar explained that a 30% reduction can be achieved by introducing Energy Management Solutions (EMS) at three levels: (i) installation of low consumption devices and power factor correction, (ii) optimization through automation regulation of plant operations and (iii) proper monitoring, maintenance and metering of installed systems through energy efficiency analysis software. Avanceon provides integrated energy management solutions to industry with its proprietary products iWater and iBoiler, along with data visualization solutions that provide complete energy usage information across the enterprise.
Distinguished business leaders present at the forum presented case studies that illustrated the application and benefits of energy optimization projects with reference to their specific industries. Peter Witherick, Head of Technical at Nestle explained how energy optimization projects using Avanceon's iBoiler and iWater solutions have helped Nestle to reduce up to 41% of their energy cost at their plants. Najam Saeed, Manager of Engro Fertilizer shared that his company is using Avanceon’s iWater application and the result is an IRR of 20% on total investment through savings achieved. Riaz Khan General Manager of Agritech also briefed the audience on how he has been able to achieve annual savings of US$118K for his plant with the help of Avanceon’s Energy Management Solutions. He also spoke about the additional benefits of an EMS project that has reduced mechanical stress and improved uniformity of his process control systems.
Bikash Pandey, Deputy Chief of Party – USAID and the Director Clean Energy and Environment, Winrock International providing consultancy to Worldbank also addressed at the Energy Forum. He encouraged the industrialists to opt for energy management and optimization projects while describing their multiple benefits to their companies and to society at large. Referring to the Kyoto Protocol of 2005 he said that developing countries must reduce carbon emissions by 5.2% by 2012. He explained that Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) has been developed that has dual objectives of lowering the costs by reducing GHG emissions while supporting sustainable development initiatives within developing countries. He further explained that CDM is designed to make feasible those low-carbon projects which are currently not the norm in the particular market and which are not attracting adequate investment . He assured the audience of the World Bank’s support of Avanceon and that Avanceon’s innovative energy management solutions are in line with the CDM objectives and added that six energy projects are under consideration as part of Avanceon’s first CDM Program Activities for 2010.
Enercon, an attached department of Ministry of Environment Pakistan was represented by Farid Ullah Khan. Farid stated that there are extensive energy conservation opportunities in Pakistan and Enercon is ready to provide technical, financial and policy support to energy efficiency initiatives.
The events at Lahore and Karachi were well attended by over two hundred industry leaders of the country. While the foremost advantage of energy optimization is the saving of energy resources it also has a dramatic impact on profits of an industry. The audience at the forum discussed how industries are burdened because of the increasing cost of energy and in return profit margins are being reduced. The audience also discussed their apprehensions regarding investments in energy saving projects. It was explained by the speakers that investment in energy optimization projects can start giving returns within a year. The program concluded with a consensus that we cannot stop the growth of energy demand however we can change the way we use energy and reduce CO2 and GHG emissions.
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We have seen Dubai become the center of the world during last twenty years. The progress of Dubai is of course linked to the discovery of oil in late 60’s but today the city offers much more than oil & gas. Dubai is regarded as one of the best financial centers and tourist destinations in the world. The recent construction boom has led to massive developments in the infrastructure and thus we see projects like Burj Al Arab, The Palm Islands, The World Islands, etc.
Avanceon first went to Dubai in early 2005 executing a project for Zayed University Central Cooling and DCS/ ESD system for Fred Olsen’s offshore platform.
Our most recent Dubain venture is theDubai Metro project for the Roads and Transports Authority (RTA) of Dubai. This will project will be the first fully automated (driverless) urban train network in the Arabian Peninsula. The network consists of a total of 49 stations running across two lines.The Metro system was partially operational by September 2009 and will be fully operational by 2012. In March 2008, Emirates Trading Agency (ETA) nominated the consortium of Avanceon and Honeywell to undertake the automation works including installation, cabling and commissioning for the Red Line project.
Avanceon’s scope was to design, procure, develop and commission the Tunnel Ventilation System for the four underground stations of the Red line. The tunnel ventilation system’s core functionality was to take over the main system in case of a fire in the tunnel and control/operate all the emergency systems and equipments. Since this was human safety related scope, Avanceon’s solution had to be of the highest safety standards . In order to meet the client’s safety specifications, Avanceon design was approved after a detailed scrutiny and series of safety audits. The approvals and audits were conducted by internationally renowned consultants and auditors namely Atkins, Lloyds Register, Systra and while the final consent was given by ETA, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Japan-Turkey Metro Joint Venture. Avanceon’s solution was based on Rockwell Automation’s TUV certified SIL-2 Controllogix system.
Mr. Bidyut Chattopadhaya, Project Director of ETA, said “Avanceon has successfully met ETA and RTA’s requirements by procuring, building and completing the testing procedures for the panels in 4 weeks. This was a challenging task and Avanceon has proven their capability as an established System Integrator by meeting this deadline”
In September 2009, Avanceon successfully commissioned the Tunnel Ventilation system for the four underground stations and this seamless execution earned the trust of the project’s approving authority. This success led to Avanceon’s nomination as the preferred sub contractor for the Green Line project under the project management of Rockwell Automation. Avanceon’s scope was increased to design, development and commissioning of the underground and over-ground Tunnel Ventilation Systems and Environmental Control Systems including installation and cabling for all the underground stations. According to Rockwell Automation, this is one of the largest engineering sub contract orders ever awarded by them to a system integrator.
Upon completion of the Green Line project, Avanceon will have invested close to 83,000 man hours making it the largest project ever completed by Avanceon.
MARCH 04, 2010/PLANO, TEXAS - Invensys Operations Management, a global provider of technology systems, software solutions and consulting services to the process and manufacturing industries, today announced the addition of Avanceon LP Exton, Penn. and another Texas based company as two endorsed Wonderware systems integrators (SIs) to its Partner Ecosystem Program. The SIs were selected based on their demonstrated commitment to superior solutions and service for Wonderware customers, as well as for building a strong business practice around delivering solutions built on Wonderware® software.
"The Invensys Operations Management partner ecosystem is an active, collaborative community focused on developing innovative, real-time production, automation and information solutions for the process and discrete manufacturing, transportation, energy and facility management industries," said Matt Bauer, vice president, ecosystem for Invensys Operations Management. "Endorsed partners can leverage the history, knowledge and expertise of the entire Invensys community, including technology sharing, sales support, marketing and business development. They play a key role in our long-term growth strategy."
The selected SIs have undergone a detailed business process assessment and have been certified for several years on their proven expertise in implementing Wonderware technology at customer facilities. Evaluations include a validated track record of customer satisfaction with solutions demonstrated to increase customer efficiency, reduce costs and/or maximize customer profits.
Exton, PA-based Avanceon is a leading provider to manufacturers worldwide of engineering services and system integration solutions.
The company is located at 640 Rice Boulevard, Exton, PA 19341. Website: www.avanceon.com
Avanceon’s iBoilerTM, a New Energy Management Solution, is Featured on “Industry Today” on Industrialinfo.com
SUGAR LAND--October 9, 2008--Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas) will host special guest Avanceon (Exton, Pennsylvania) as part of this week's "Industry Today" webcast. The webcast will introduce Avanceon‟s new 24/7 energy management service that will provide critical operational and financial information to plant personnel for their use in optimizing boiler performance and reducing energy costs.
Join Bob Zeigenfuse, CEO of Avanceon, USA, along with the host of Industry Today, and learn how this new energy management service, named iBoiler collects, stores and calculates critical Key Performance Indicators, enabling you to manage and improve your boiler's performance, save you thousands of dollars, and improve your bottom line and ROI.
“In a word,” explained Bob Zeigenfuse, CEO of Avanceon USA, “iBoiler is an invaluable reporting tool for characterizing, monitoring, and benchmarking boiler performance – the starting point for superior boiler energy management. It supports well-informed, real-time decisions that lead to the effective optimization of a boiler‟s performance and,” he continued, “is easily customizable to different operating conditions and provides secure, real-time information.
“For anyone interested in getting a handle on their plant‟s energy costs,” Zeigenfuse emphasized, “boilers are a good place to start. They are a major source of heat production and power, but they can also be „energy monsters‟ consuming huge quantities of fuel and electricity.” Other features of the iBoiler Energy Management Solution include real-time savings calculator; data archiving and history management; intelligent load-sharing recipes for multiple boiler operation; web-based interface; data logging, trending, alarming and statistical performance analysis; and remote troubleshooting of boiler and operational support.
Exton, PA-based Avanceon is a leading provider to manufacturers worldwide of engineering services and system integration solutions. iBoiler is the latest in the company‟s portfolio of energy management solutions provided as part of the company‟s Factory Support Services offerings.
The company is located at 640 Rice Boulevard, Exton, PA 19341. Website: www.avanceon.com
Click Here to hear this or any of the more than 320 previous "Industry Today" webcasts covering topics important to industry spending, including trends, outlooks, and focus segments on specific industries.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is a marketing information service specializing in industrial process, energy and financial related markets with products and services ranging from industry news, analytics, forecasting, plant and project databases, as well as multimedia services.
EXTON, PA, July 25, 2008 – Avanceon LP, formerly Advanced Automation, has been honored as a CHARTER MEMBER of CONTROL SYSTEM INTEGRATORS ASSOCIATION (CSIA), one of only a score of the world's largest association of control system integrators to earn the recognition.
The award was presented to the Exton, PA-based firm during CSIA's 15th Annual Executive Conference, held in Savannah, Georgia. The company specializes in the development of real-time performance management systems for the process and discrete manufacturing industries.
"Companies like Avanceon," said Norman O'Leary, executive director of CSIA, who presented the award to Robert Zeigenfuse, company president and CEO, "provided the initial foundation for our association more than 15 years ago, and," he added, "have continued to provide the direction, vision, and support that have enabled us to grow nearly 15-fold since our first conference in 1994." But beyond its role as a founding member of CSIA," O'Leary continued, "the company has unselfishly provided the services of its president, Bob Zeigenfuse, who has been a stalwart supporter since day one — serving as its only two-time president, a member of the executive council for nearly a decade, and as the architect and co-creator of the association's landmark Best Practices and Benchmarks process, acknowledged as a pivotal program in raising the professionalism, stature, and recognition of control system integrators around the world. We are proud," O'Leary concluded, "to call Avanceon a member of CONTROL SYSTEM INTEGRATORS ASSOCIATION."
Avanceon is recognized as a global expert in manufacturing automation controls, manufacturing technology integration, manufacturing execution solutions, and manufacturing support services — a portfolio of capabilities it uses to create integrated solutions that enable its clients to control, improve, and optimize their manufacturing processes.
The company is located at 640 Rice Boulevard, Exton, PA 19341. Telephone: 610-458-8700. Website: www.avanceon.com.
Avanceon LP (www.avanceon.com) was created by bringing together Advanced Automation LP, Innovative Automation & Engineering, FZE, and Engro Innovative Automation Pvt. Ltd. — three leading providers of engineering services, system integration solutions, and support to manufacturers worldwide: U.S.-based Advanced Automation is a foremost provider of technology solutions to manufacturers, IAEF is a leading United Arab Emirates-based engineering and system integration company, and EIAL is a global provider of industrial automation and engineering support products and services.
Formal alliance of the three companies reinforces the singular brand identity that emerged following their initial affiliation in early 2007.
World headquarters for Avanceon operations are in Exton, PA, which also serves as the management center for global services and solutions. Customers in the Eastern Hemisphere are managed from the Regional Operations Center in Dubai, UAE; customers in Southeast Asia are serviced from a Center in Lahore, Pakistan. Robert Zeigenfuse is Avanceon CEO.
For more information, contact:
Dana Hammer-Eden, 610-458-8700, ext. 238, dhammer@avanceon.com
Exton, PA, June 30, 2008 – Advanced Automation LP, a leading provider of technology solutions to manufacturers in North America; Innovative Automation & Engineering, FZE (IAEF), a leading Dubai based engineering & system integration company serving Middle East and African Oil & Gas, Water, Waste Water, Infrastructure, and Manufacturing industries; and Engro Innovative Automation Pvt. Ltd. (EIAL), a global provider of industrial automation and engineering support products and services announced today that all three companies will immediately begin working under the unified company name of Avanceon.
Since March 1st, 2007, when all three companies became affiliated, they have successfully worked to become a single global enterprise, and the new company name will help to reinforce the single brand identity that has emerged over the last 16 months. Avanceon's Exton, Pennsylvania location will be the worldwide headquarters for the operations and continue to be the management center for global services and solutions while customers in the eastern hemisphere will be managed out of the Regional Operations Center in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Customers in Southeast Asia will be serviced from the Regional Operations Center in Lahore, Pakistan.
"This move is part of a global restructuring of our company," said Robert Zeigenfuse, formerly president and CEO of Advanced Automation, who will now serve as CEO of the newly named Avanceon LP. "It will make Avanceon much stronger, with significant working capital, and the ability to leverage the technology and business process knowledge from a global community."
"In the United States," Zeigenfuse said, "Avanceon will continue to provide the same level of manufacturing technology solutions, support and service – in control systems, manufacturing execution system (MES) deployment, and technology support services – that has been the hallmark of Advanced Automation for more than two decades, and he added, "earned us '2007 System Integrator of the Year' honors."
"We believe our new name: Avanceon, supports the value of the brand, and it communicates the unique strengths and memorable attributes that are important to our customers around the world," says Bakhtiar Wain, former President of EIAL and IAEF, and now the President of Regional Operations Centers in Dubai and Lahore.
The new name is also accompanied by a new slogan, Tomorrow's Solutions, Today. "The tagline communicates the innovation and creativity that Avanceon delivers to our customers in the form of advanced manufacturing technology solutions that improve productivity and quality", says Robert Zeigenfuse.
Immediate steps to launch the new branding for the company include the introduction of a new corporate web site, www.avanceon.com and graphic identity. The new identity will be rolled out progressively during 2008.
Exton, PA - based Avanceon is a leading provider to manufacturers worldwide of engineering services, system integration solutions, and support. The company's Worldwide Headquarters is located at 640 Rice Boulevard, Exton, PA 19341.
Website:www.avanceon.com
For more information, please contact:
Martin Michael
610-458-8700, ext. 257
mmichael@avanceon.com
EXTON, PA, October 12, 2007 –EXTON, PA, October 16, 2007 – Advanced Automation today announced a new 24/7 energy management service that will provide critical operational and financial information to plant personnel – from boiler operators to senior facility managers – for their use in optimizing boiler performance and reducing energy costs.
Named iBoilerTM Energy Management Solution, the new monitoring and measuring service collects, stores, calculates, and generates Key Performance Indicators (KPI) for use in improving energy productivity and performance at steam generation facilities.
Among the KPIs monitored and calculated every second are:
- Steam Production Expenses – Real-time unit cost of steam
- Monetary Loss Analysis – Steam header, lines and efficiency losses
- Optimum Load Sharing among multiple boilers to reduce fuel consumption
- Boiler’s overall fuel-to-steam, combustion and thermal efficiencies
- Shift-wise steam production, distribution, consumption and much more in Hourly/
- Daily/Weekly/Monthly and Yearly web-based report.
(sample screen shots)
“In a word,” explained Robert Vogel,* Advanced Automation’s director of support services, “iBoiler is an invaluable reporting tool for characterizing, monitoring, and benchmarking boiler performance – the starting point for superior boiler energy management. It supports well-informed, real-time decisions that lead to the effective optimization of a boiler’s performance and,” he continued, “is easily customizable to different operating conditions and provides secure, real-time information.
“For anyone interested in getting a handle on their plant’s energy costs,” Vogel emphasized, “boilers are a good place to start. They are a major source of heat production and power, but they can also be ‘energy monsters’ consuming huge quantities of fuel and electricity.”
In operation, the iBoiler service collects and stores all real-time data from the instrumentation, processes it for analysis, and then presents it in the form of trends and reports.
The iBoiler reports, given added definition and dimension by Advanced Automation’s Factory Support Services’ team of boiler optimization consultants, provide personnel with secure, real-time information – whenever and wherever it is needed – that is pertinent to their roles, whether they be boiler operators, engineering or maintenance managers, senior plant or facility managers, or chief financial officers.
Other features of the iBoiler Energy Management Solution include real-time savings calculator; data archiving and history management; intelligent load-sharing recipes for multiple boiler operation; web-based interface; data logging, trending, alarming and statistical performance analysis; and remote troubleshooting of boiler and operational support.
Exton, PA-based Advanced Automation is a leading provider to manufacturers worldwide of engineering services and system integration solutions. iBoiler is the latest in the company’s portfolio of energy management solutions provided as part of the company’s Factory Support Services offerings.
The company is located at 640 Rice Boulevard, Exton, PA 19341.
Website: www.advancedautomation.com
For more information, please contact:
John Phillips
610-458-8700, ext. 392
iboiler@advancedautomation.com
iBoiler is a trademark of Advanced Automation.