Schneider Electric implements predictive maintenance for Nestlé’s Dubai South factory

The Nestlé Al Maha factory in Dubai is benefiting from an innovative approach to the maintenance of its Low Voltage electrical machinery, thanks to technology from Schneider Electric. The solution is helping Nestlé’s operations team monitor power management, electrical loads and temperature settings from all of the factory’s connected assets, so they can address issues proactively, avoid unplanned downtime and mitigate safety risks as well as optimize electrical loads to make the facility more energy efficient. Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure technology evaluates data in real time from the plant’s electrical equipment and uses cloud-based predictive analytics to identify and resolve potential faults.

Located in Dubai South, the Nestlé Al Maha factory in Dubai was opened in 2017 and produces NESCAFÉ and MAGGI products. The facility is one of the most advanced in the region; it runs on 100 percent LED lighting, is insulated to save air-conditioning energy, and recycles 100 percent of the waste from the production lines. Nestlé has also installed the country’s largest ground-mounted private solar plant – 20,000 photovoltaic panels in total – that generate 9GWh of electricity annually to supply the factory’s annual energy needs, eliminating nearly 6 million kilograms of CO2 per year.

“This facility is one of our most advanced in the region in terms of energy usage and efficiency, and we’re always looking at how we can improve on our operations, to make the plant more sustainable, reliable and more productive,” said Cristian Fernández, Nestlé Chief Engineer Middle East and North Africa. “Schneider Electric is helping us to better monitor our equipment, so that we’re able to optimize electricity loads and proactively monitor our assets, reduce unplanned downtime to a minimum and ensure the safe operation of the factory’s equipment.”

The solutions implemented at the factory includes Edge Control power management software, EcoStruxure Power Monitoring Expert, and Artificial Intelligence-powered services including EcoStruxure Asset Advisor. The software will provide the Nestlé engineering team with insights into asset reliability, electrical system health and energy efficiency. With its open, scalable architecture, the EcoStruxure platform connects to smart devices across the electrical system and integrates with process control systems and enterprise data platforms. Data is analyzed by cloud-based algorithms, and the solutions provide insights into equipment health and suggest predictive maintenance schedules, allowing for a proactive approach to asset management.

“We understand how critical it is to keep electrical equipment and assets running at their best, to optimize energy usage, improve safety conditions, and ensure that there’s no unplanned downtime,” said Waseem Taqqali, Vice President Field Services, Schneider Electric Middle East and Africa. “Nestlé has worked to make the Dubai South factory as green and as efficient as possible, and we’re delighted that we’ll be able to support them in their aim. Our EcoStruxure technology will help ensure that there’s no unplanned electrical shutdowns and that electrical equipment is running at its best in terms of energy usage.”