of this customer-centric approach , food and beverage companies now have to meet the same key performance indicators ( KPIs ) they ’ ve always maintained ( cost , quality , sustainability , safety ) while also contending with these new considerations . Technology is key to solving these challenges , but the food and beverage sector has historically been conservative when implementing new technologies . That ’ s why determining the digital maturity of a company is vital before you implement any additional solutions ,” says Simonis . “ Manufacturers move at different speeds , so we first analyse where they are in their digital journey and then figure out what their next step could be .” For ABB , to achieve this involves a holistic plant assessment or a digital plant assessment . “ We have teams who visit the food and beverage facility and work together with the customer . They spend anywhere from one to five days analysing the entire factory , from power to palletizing . We then outline opportunities where companies can increase productivity and efficiency .” Simonis explains .

It ’ s important to note that technology can not only help with food and beverage production but could also help to bring supply chains to the next level . “ With ABB , we provide solutions

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— Darcy Simonis , Industry Network leader for food and beverage at ABB

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