FISC is working with industry to help solve problems relating to six key themes. In this case study partner CPI is supporting an SME to optimise and digitalise their operations to improve productivity and reduce costs and carbon emissions.

Theme: Process Optimisation
To work closely with industry to develop sensing and measuring approaches that improve the efficiency of exiting processes and help develop new processes. Data gathered will be analysed to help improve operations, but also to identify best practice across the foundation industries and transfer knowledge that aids the competitiveness of the UK.

What problem/s does industry have?
Industry is sat on a lot of data but often doesn't have access to the specialist skills it needs to unlock the value of the data. It can be challenging to know where to start and how to develop a data driven strategy using the insights to grow, improve productivity and develop business model innovation.

How is FISC helping solve the problem/s?
Through collaboration FISC and its partner CPI worked with Therma-Chem, a Scottish, family-run SME that supplies cleaning agents for industrial boilers to support them to optimise and digitalise their operations and become a more data driven business.

CPI supported the company to take their existing data held in excel with hundreds of columns and thousands of different data points to build an intuitive, interactive dashboard. This easy to understand and quick visualisation of data allowed the boiler cleaning schedule and ROI to be monitored live for their clients. Most significantly it also proved the concept of predictive models allowing for predictive maintenance.

How does this benefit industry?
For Therma-Chem, the digitalisation of their operations has saved time and money through automation. The creation of the dashboard shows clients how the running costs and carbon-emissions can be reduced and ROI increased through regular boiler cleaning. In the future it might allow them to expand their business by offering clients access to these services to enable predictive maintenance to reduce unplanned and long shutdowns.

Digitalisation and process optimisation across industry as a whole not only saves time and money but can improve efficiency, reduce emissions and allow higher ROI throughout the supply chain. Using unused data and exploring its potential allows industry to optimise existing facilities and equipment and builds a data-driven culture providing a competitive advantage.

"The digitalisation of our business is integral for our growth and as a small business it can be very time consuming and costly to acquire these skills. Working with CPI has allowed us to offer automated, data driven solutions to our clients and work towards developing modelling systems which will be vital for us going forward." Ron Semple, CEO (Therma-Chem).

Read more case studies of CPI's work in innovation HERE.

If you'd like FISC to support you with your industrial problems please drop us an email at info@ukfisc.org

Published: 12-02-2025