Seamless Digital Transition for Elian Barcelona’s Soy Crush Plant

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Challenge

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Elian Barcelona embarked on a mission to enhance its soy processing capabilities, integrating advanced digital and automation solutions to support a growing demand for sustainable and specialty feed ingredients. The transition required a complete redefinition of the plant’s operational technology (OT) environment—ensuring all infrastructure, automation, MES, and security systems were seamlessly integrated and future-ready.

The challenge was twofold: ensuring uninterrupted operations during the transition while modernizing systems to improve efficiency, security, and data-driven decision-making. The need for a harmonized digital framework aligned with industry best practices made this transformation a high-stakes endeavor.

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Solution

AG Solution partnered with Elian Barcelona to design and execute a structured migration plan prioritizing precision, minimal downtime, and scalability.

• OT Infrastructure & Network: Designed, built, and configured a virtualized OT environment, ensuring a seamless transition to modern architecture. A dedicated OT domain and security policies were implemented to safeguard operations and guarantee compliance with industry best practices.
• Automation: Upgraded the DCS Siemens PCS7 from V9.0 to V9.1, migrating the system to new virtualization servers based on the ESXi platform, enhancing performance, stability, and maintainability.
• Data Analytics & MES: Migrated historical process data and OSIsoft PI servers to the new infrastructure, ensuring data continuity and accessibility. A LIMS (Labware) system was also implemented, enabling enhanced laboratory data management and integration.

Results

The transformation positioned Elian Barcelona at the forefront of digital manufacturing, ensuring the facility operates resiliently, efficiently, and adaptable.

• No critical or significant issues followed the migration, showcasing a seamless transition effectively managed for risks.
• Operational continuity was maintained throughout the transition, enabling seamless integration of new technologies without production delays.
• Scalable and standardized digital infrastructure was implemented, allowing for future enhancements and process optimizations.
• Enhanced security and network resilience ensured stable and protected operations, mitigating cyber threats and system vulnerabilities.
• Enterprise-wide data intelligence enabled real-time monitoring and analytics, unlocking opportunities for continuous improvement and efficiency gains.
• Efficient execution resulted in project completion in under six months, with the actual transition finalized in just 10 days of shutdown, minimizing operational disruptions.
• Post-Go-Live Support ensured a smooth adaptation to the new digital ecosystem, allowing continuous improvements and performance monitoring.

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By reengineering its digital foundation, Elian Barcelona now operates with a state-of-the-art infrastructure to support growth, innovation, and long-term sustainability in the feed and food industry.