Setting up a Smarter Factory

Most factories were built well before the word digital was even a thing. So it can be a big challenge to bring a factory floor up to speed with the digital era. But it’s also well worth the effort.

Such was the case for DECO Industrie in Italy. They opened their first factory in 1951 to make a rainbow of household detergents. Since then, they’ve branched out into cookies, bakery products, and personal care—and expanded to 5 production plants with 500 employees.

As a first step to modernize these plants, DECO upgraded their machines to ones that can connect to each other and the internet. They wanted to get useful data to improve the quality of their products, plus help their workers do their jobs more efficiently and safely.

But they soon found that new machines alone weren’t enough—they also needed a new network to tie them all together. To help make this happen, they chose network expert Vem Sistemi. Together, they connected their production lines with an array of new Cisco tech, all designed with rugged industrial settings in mind.

Specifically, they brought in the Cisco Identity Services Engine to help monitor and control exactly which machines were on the network when. This system includes Cisco Industrial Network Director, which lets users track every conversation that happens on their networks. And it’s all secured by Cisco Industrial Security Appliance, which protects every machine from malicious or unwanted actions

So far, DECO has rolled out their new network across three of their production lines. This has given them a bird’s-eye view of everything going on down the line. So now they can keep their machines working as they should—and their workers safe. All of this helps them make more of the products their customers know and love.

Between a traditional factory and a future-proof network, there’s a bridge.

Watch the DECO Industri Sucess Story here!