The Plukon poultry slaughterhouse in Blokker has installations from all kinds of machine builders and suppliers. Each of these has its own control system and associated components from different brands. This situation has developed over time, with the result that Plukon lost track of the overall picture. When it became clear that many components were now obsolete, the company decided to have itsme carry out a FactoryScan. ‘This gives us more peace of mind and helps us to better plan the replacement of components for the future.’

Kemira Rotterdam produces hydrogen peroxide in various grades at its Europoort site for applications such as water purification, cleaning beverage packaging and bleaching paper. As is customary in the process industry, the installation was lit 24/7 for safety reasons. Kemira felt that there was a smarter way to do this. That is why the company contacted itsme Lighting Technology. ‘In addition to saving energy, we are now also saving on maintenance.’

Kemira Rotterdam produces hydrogen peroxide in various grades at its Europoort site for applications such as water purification, cleaning beverage packaging and bleaching paper. As is customary in the process industry, the installation was lit 24/7 for safety reasons. Kemira felt that there was a smarter way to do this. That is why the company contacted itsme Lighting Technology. ‘In addition to saving energy, we are now also saving on maintenance.’

At Damen Shipyards Group, field service engineers fly all over the world to provide service and carry out repairs. In addition to mechanics and electronics, communication networks are becoming increasingly important, with Modbus as the standard protocol. To brush up on their people's knowledge, Damen went in search of Modbus training. The shipbuilder chose itsme because of the customisation and flexibility that the industrial service provider could offer. ‘Nowhere else could we find this level of expertise.’ Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

An efficient motor cannot function without a good frequency converter. Drive specialist AMR and industrial service provider Breemes work together to deliver complete drive solutions. The retrofitting of an entire machine illustrates their intensive collaboration. ‘Whether customers contact AMR or Breemes, we work together to ensure that everything is taken care of for them.’

Drive specialist Van Meer developed an energy storage system for heavy-duty drives and designed a custom battery system for it. For the connectors in the battery system’s cabinet, their regular supplier itsme recommended omni-brand partner Phoenix Contact. Excellent connectors — only the frame didn’t fit. Phoenix Contact quickly developed a customer-specific connector design. itsme now supplies Van Meer with complete connector sets, including the custom plug.

Companies often have no clear idea of the installed base of industrial automation in their factories and warehouses. With FactoryScan, itsme can provide an overview of the current status of automation components such as PLCs. Potato processor Royal Avebe uses the results to update their component stock and assess future availability. The scan is intended to reduce the number of hardware-related disruptions Process Control Engineer Johan Wierenga has to deal with. It also helps him sleep better, knowing the stock is up to date.

Elektro VV, based in the Belgian province of Antwerp, carries out general electrical work and solar panel installations for both companies and private individuals. For complex projects, the company calls on Breemes, which brings expertise such as low-voltage studies. “The challenge is to design a panel that can be built quickly and efficiently, and is future-proof.”

The O-I glass factory in Leerdam produces 3.5 million beer bottles every day. The challenge of keeping production running 24/7 is tackled together with trusted supplier itsme. They ensure that technicians never run out of stock during maintenance and that critical components like cables and sensors are heat-resistant. This makes life much more relaxed for supervisor Patrick Maduro and his team in the electrical engineering department.

Kusters, based in Venlo, supplies its banknote devaluation machines worldwide. It has a large installed base in India and its own limited company there. In 2022, an Indian customer requested the renewal of twenty machines. Kusters was able to win this large order with the help of itsme. The supplier now efficiently handles the electromechanical supply from its Venlo branch.

Foam producer Sekisui Alveo has a large factory in Roermond. To support production and maintenance, warehouses and distribution points with thousands of different items are spread across the various halls. Think spare parts, personal protection equipment and consumables. The company cooperates intensively with itsme for management, such as recently with the step-by-step introduction of vendor managed inventory (VMI) for the grab stock of mechanical items.

To control the expansion of a silo park, engineering & construction company IEC called on Breemes. Being involved in the engineering from the beginning, the electrical service provider was able to make smart proposals for both the low-voltage part and the PLC control. ‘We have always been able to find each other well and when changes occurred, we were quickly on the same page with Breemes.’

Heliox, a developer and manufacturer of charging systems for electric buses and trucks, was already working with itsme when production still took place in the Netherlands. Today, production has shifted to Slovakia, Portugal, and Moldova, and is also happening in the US. itsme remains the “irreplaceable” partner for the supply of electrical components and cable harnesses.

Blok System Supply and itsme have maintained an intensive relationship for many years. Early last year, this was further deepened with electronic data exchange via the Smart Connected Supplier Network. ‘It saves an enormous amount of time and reduces errors. We always have real-time information automatically.’ However, time for personal contact is not saved. ‘That is precisely what makes itsme a very nice party to work with.’

TR-Service provides industrial maintenance using all disciplines, from electrical and mechanical to hydraulic and pneumatic. With support from Breemes, the company installed a large low-voltage panel. ‘After discussing my summary plan with them, I decided to just do it,’ says director-owner Raoul Tielens. At Breemes' suggestion, the panel was future-proofed by preparing it for power monitoring.

Since its founding a few years ago, Peeters Robotic Solutions has been rapidly developing, working on projects both domestically and internationally and providing standard solutions for industrial palletizing. The company stays up to date with the latest technology, including Festo’s electrical and pneumatic drives. To achieve this, it relies on itsme. “Thanks to their expertise and skills, we can bring innovation to the forefront for our customers.”

Kusters was looking for a weighing solution for its banknote devaluation machines that was easy to integrate into the Siemens control system. Through itsme, they came into contact with the right knowledge carriers at Siemens. ‘For us as Kusters, itsme is not only a supplier but also a source of knowledge, with which we co-engineer certain components and process steps, such as this weighing system.’

Eneco Bio Golden Raand, located in the port area of Delfzijl, converts biomass into green electricity and green steam. Each year, the plant processes approximately 300,000 tons of waste wood from the Netherlands and neighboring countries. As part of Eneco’s climate ambitions, a project began in 2022 to replace the existing fluorescent lighting in and around the boiler room. The project was carried out under the supervision of itsme. “Two factors were important in this process: the cost, of course, but also the level of service.”

The Oosterhout branch of flooring manufacturer Dycore was in need of an upgrade of the industrial network in the factory. Regular partner itsme called in specialist HMS Networks to supply a suitable solution with sufficient bandwidth and interference immunity in a dynamic environment. The cooperation went well for the three parties. “Also in technology, it's not always about what you know, but who you know who does know.”

Under the header “FastForward”, itsme supports product improvement and process acceleration, including by informing customers about time-saving solutions and smart technologies. For example, in spring 2023, a webinar on predictive maintenance was organised in collaboration with KIM Plus Delta, consultants for asset and maintenance management. Bright Renewables’ participation resulted in an actual predictive maintenance project for Bright's green gas plants.

Boon Edam, known for its revolving doors and turnstiles, picked itsme as their main electrical components supplier last year. The large product range and the vendor managed inventory (VMI) solution for the grab stock of electrical assembly materials were the deciding factors. “When you install VMI, you actually do it forever.”