Bangkok, Thailand – November 2024 – A leading Southeast Asian food and beverage manufacturer has reduced energy consumption by 22% and improved compliance with food safety regulations after upgrading to ABB PM862 automation systems at its Bangkok processing facility. The project, completed in Q4 2024, addressed the plant’s dual challenges: high energy costs (accounting for 30% of operational expenses) and manual compliance tracking that risked FDA and Thai Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) penalties.
The Challenge: Energy Waste and Compliance Risks
Before adopting the PM862, the Bangkok plant relied on standalone controllers for its snack production lines (e.g., potato chips, rice crackers) and manual logging for compliance. The system had two critical flaws:
- Inefficient Energy Use: Legacy controllers ran motors, heaters, and conveyors at constant speeds—even during low-demand periods (e.g., night shifts, product changeovers). This wasted 15–20% of the plant’s monthly electricity, adding $80,000 to utility bills.
- Manual Compliance Tracking: Technicians manually recorded 90% of process data (e.g., oven temperatures, cooling times) on spreadsheets. This led to data entry errors (e.g., incorrect timestamps, missing readings) and delayed audit preparation by 5–7 days—risking TFDA fines of up to $50,000.
- Inconsistent Process Control: The old controllers lacked precise temperature regulation, leading to 8% of snack batches being overcooked or undercooked—wasting 5 tons of raw materials monthly.
With Thailand’s energy prices rising 12% in 2024 and TFDA audits becoming more stringent, the plant needed a solution to cut costs and mitigate risks. “Energy and compliance were eating into our profits,” said Supaporn Thongdee, the plant’s operations director. “We needed an automation system that could do more than just control processes—it had to optimize them.”
ABB PM862: The Efficient, Compliance-Ready Solution
After evaluating five automation systems, the plant selected the ABB PM862 for its energy management features, data integration, and precision control:
- Energy Optimization Algorithms: The PM862 adjusts motor speeds, heater output, and conveyor rates based on real-time demand (e.g., reducing oven temperature during idle periods, slowing conveyors when no product is present). It also integrates with energy meters to track consumption by line.
- Automated Compliance Logging: The controller logs 100% of process data (temperature, pressure, cleaning times) with time stamps and digital signatures—complying with FDA 21 CFR Part 11 and TFDA requirements. Audit reports can be generated in 1 hour, down from 5–7 days.
- Precision Process Control: The PM862’s advanced temperature control (±0.5°C) ensures consistent cooking and cooling, eliminating over/undercooked batches. Its built-in hygienic design (IP65-rated front panel, corrosion-resistant components) meets food safety standards.
- Remote Monitoring: The controller connects to ABB’s Ability™ cloud platform, allowing Thongdee and her team to monitor energy use and process data from anywhere—enabling proactive adjustments to reduce waste.
Results: Energy Savings and Compliance Peace of Mind
Three months post-upgrade, the Bangkok plant’s results are impressive:
- Energy consumption down 22%: Monthly electricity bills dropped by $17,600, delivering ROI on the PM862 investment in 14 months.
- Compliance preparation time cut by 98%: Audit reports now take 1 hour to generate, eliminating late fees and TFDA risks.
- Batch waste reduced by 40%: Over/undercooked batches fell from 8% to 4.8%, saving 2 tons of raw materials monthly.
“The PM862 has been a game-changer for our bottom line and compliance,” Thongdee said. “We’re not just saving energy—we’re running a smarter, more sustainable plant that meets global food safety standards.”
Suresh Patel, ABB’s regional product manager for food & beverage automation, highlighted the PM862’s relevance to the industry. “Food plants face unique pressures: energy costs, strict compliance, and the need for consistency,” he said. “The PM862 addresses all three with features built specifically for food processing environments.”
The manufacturer plans to roll out the ABB PM862 to its three other facilities in Thailand and Vietnam by mid-2025, targeting a group-wide 20% reduction in energy use and 50% cut in compliance-related labor costs.
