Water, the most essential element on earth, is vital for industrial processes that produce daily necessities such as food, beverages, medicine and energy. The Belgian water utility Azulatis N.V. specializes in circular water solutions for industrial processes in dairies, breweries, chemical plants etc. In September 2023, Azulatis signed a five-year ABB Care agreement, a service framework that supports asset availability, performance and lifecycle.
With water production plants across Belgium, the Netherlands and Suriname (South America), Azulatis provides water to industrial facilities owned by some of the world’s leading companies, including ABInBev, Danone and IFF. Azulatis maps its customers’ internal water flows and provides recommendations to optimize water consumption based on sources available (groundwater, surface water, or treated wastewater).
“We enjoy a long-standing relationship with Azulatis,” said Thomas Smets, ABB Energy Industries Belgium. “Our automation and digital solutions are installed in multiple Azulatis plants. We are pleased to extend our relationship with Azulatis with an ABB Care agreement to ensure asset availability, process performance and safety for their assets.”
ABB Care: providing support for life
ABB has for decades provided automation, electrical and digital solutions to industrial customers, along with services that keep their assets optimized. With ABB Care, customers like Azulatis can choose a service level that suits their business needs. “Azulatis had the opportunity to choose from our four levels of ABB care service packages with optional upgrades to suit its business needs,” said Thomas.
Azulatis selected the ABB Care Priority level. It supports Azulatis’ maintenance strategies, keeping their system’s software current. It ensures long term service partnership with a dedicated support manager, focused on lifecycle planning, integrated service delivery and a customized support model. The services include (remote) assistance during emergencies, regular software updates of ABB-provided systems, robust cyber security and early detection of incidents so that operators can be alerted to act. ABB Care remote-enabled services give Azulatis more flexible options in monitoring plant operations.
A real best practice in the Benelux
The ABB Ability™ System 800xA® Distributed Control System (DCS) is installed in all Azulatis plants automating their daily operations. Today, 28 controllers, that are connected to the redundant DCS system, are enabling Azulatis to operate, visualize, and manage all plants from one and the same control system architecture. A real best practice in the Benelux. This advanced setup not only exemplifies innovation in water management but also enhances operational efficiency, system reliability, and integrated control across all facilities. “Azulatis has been able to operate water production plants 24/7 for more than 15 years, thanks in part to ABB's 800xA systems,” said Ruben Kestelyn, Azulatis. “Now with the ABB Care agreement, we will receive even better support to keep our operations running and our customers satisfied.”
In October 2023, as part of the agreement, ABB installed the ABB Ability™ Cyber Security Workplace at the Azulatis plants. The Cyber Security Workplace provides a holistic perspective of the plant’s cyber security, helping Azulatis to identify and mitigate cyber risks faster. Dries Van Laerhoven, Digital Solutions Architect at ABB, adds: “It increases cyber resilience by ensuring process uptime through faster risk recognition and response. It also reduces costs and improves security management efficiency by automating manual processes and consolidating existing tools.”
