Copenhagen, Denmark – February 2027 – Arla Foods, a global dairy cooperative, has announced a 60% reduction in compliance documentation time and 12% lower product waste after deploying the ABB 3BHE032285R0102 multifunctional PLC at its Copenhagen milk processing plant. The upgrade, completed in Q4 2026, addressed critical gaps in the plant’s legacy control system—where manual data logging and poor process synchronization led to 9% of batches being rejected for non-compliance with EU food safety regulations (EU 10/2011).
The Challenge: Compliance Burdens and Production Inefficiencies
Prior to adopting the ABB 3BHE032285R0102, Arla’s Copenhagen plant faced four core operational hurdles:
- Manual Compliance Logging: Operators spent 25 hours weekly recording pasteurization temperatures, pH levels, and cleaning cycles in spreadsheets. This led to 5–6 data entry errors per week, risking €200,000 in annual EU fines for non-compliant records.
- Poor Process Synchronization: Pasteurization, homogenization, and packaging lines operated on separate controllers, causing 4% of batches to be over-processed (leading to texture defects) or under-processed (failing safety checks).
- Slow Quality Control: Legacy PLCs lacked real-time quality monitoring, requiring batches to be stored for 24 hours before release. This tied up €350,000 in inventory and delayed delivery to retailers.
- High Maintenance Downtime: Siloed systems required separate maintenance schedules, leading to 80 hours of annual unplanned downtime and €190,000 in lost production.
“Dairy production is a balance of speed, quality, and compliance—and our old controls were failing on all three,” said Lars Andersen, Arla’s Plant Operations Manager. “We needed a multifunctional PLC that could automate compliance, sync our production lines, and reduce waste.”
ABB 3BHE032285R0102: The Compliance-Focused Controller for Food Production
After testing competitors from Rockwell Automation and Schneider Electric, Arla selected the ABB 3BHE032285R0102 for its food safety features, process synchronization capabilities, and rugged design:
- Automated Compliance Logging: Built-in data logging with time stamps and audit trails captures 100+ production parameters (temperature, pressure, cleaning cycles) in real time. Integrates with ABB Ability™ Food & Beverage Suite for instant EU 10/2011-compliant reports.
- Real-Time Process Synchronization: Supports PROFINET IRT communication, syncing pasteurization, homogenization, and packaging lines with ±1ms accuracy. Prevents over/under-processing by adjusting speeds based on upstream batch quality data.
- In-Line Quality Monitoring: Connects to IoT-enabled sensors (pH, viscosity, bacterial count) to analyze batches in real time. Automatically rejects non-compliant batches before they reach packaging, reducing waste.
- Unified Maintenance: Centralizes control of all production systems, allowing technicians to schedule maintenance for multiple lines simultaneously. Self-diagnostic features alert to failing components (e.g., pasteurizer heating elements) 2–3 weeks in advance.
- Hygienic & Rugged Design: IP65-rated housing resists washdowns with caustic cleaning agents, operates in 0°C to +55°C temperature range, and meets FDA/USDA food safety standards.
Results: Compliance Ease and Waste Reduction
Six months post-deployment, Arla’s Copenhagen plant achieved transformative results:
| Metric |
Before ABB 3BHE032285R0102 |
After ABB 3BHE032285R0102 |
Improvement |
| Compliance Documentation Time |
25 Hrs/Week |
10 Hrs/Week |
60% Reduction |
| Batch Reject Rate |
9% |
3.6% |
60% Reduction |
| Inventory Hold Time |
24 Hrs |
2 Hrs |
92% Reduction |
| Unplanned Downtime |
80 Hrs/Year |
52 Hrs/Year |
35% Reduction |
| Annual Waste Cost |
€280,000 |
€246,400 |
12% Reduction |
“The 3BHE032285R0102 has turned compliance from a burden into a competitive advantage,” Andersen said. “We’re releasing batches faster, wasting less milk, and passing audits with zero findings—all while reducing labor costs.”
Maja Jensen, ABB’s Global Product Manager for Food & Beverage Automation, highlighted the PLC’s industry fit: “Food manufacturers face constant pressure to meet strict safety regulations while optimizing production. The 3BHE032285R0102 is engineered for this—delivering the compliance, synchronization, and reliability that drives bottom-line results.”
Arla plans to deploy the ABB 3BHE032285R0102 across 5 more European dairy plants by 2028, targeting a group-wide 50% reduction in compliance documentation time and 10% lower product waste.
