Innovative, sustainable, agile: The top talks to attend at AVEVA PI World

Posted: May 16, 2022

AVEVA PI World is almost here! From May 16-19, users from around the world will flock to Amsterdam to hear from industry experts about trends, digital insights, and innovation that enables a sustainable future. Here’s what’s coming up at this week’s conference and some of the top sessions to attend.

Industrial innovation is going strong

Industrial innovation is progressing at a rapid pace. Companies everywhere are achieving incredible feats by enabling brilliant minds with brilliant technologies. Kick off your conference journey with a Tuesday morning keynote from AVEVA CEO, Peter Herweck. Titled Digital Insights for Industrial Innovation: Are you ready to spark your industrial ingenuity. Peter will offer his take on the state of innovation and how industrial companies are maximizing their potential using digital tools. Next, AVEVA’s EVP of Engineering, Amish Sabharwal, and SVP of Information Management, Gregg Le Blanc, will give an overview of AVEVA’s integrated portfolio. Later that day, Michael Dean of Kellogg will talk about the power of human ingenuity.

On Wednesday, learn how Albemarle Intelligence uses AI to empower employees to get the right type of data to the right person—and use the human mind to extract value from that information. From reducing out-of-spec product to minimizing downtime and improving raw materials utilization, Albemarle has now scaled its successful pilot program across its global sites.

Wednesday’s sessions continue with Azim Ezani bin Muzamli of ExxonMobil. He’ll discuss the importance of high-quality data and how ExxonMobil extracted deeper operational insights through centralized visualization. Next, head out on a pulp and paper journey with Klabin to see how they used predictive analytics to avoid $2 million in corrective maintenance costs and 30,000 tons of lost paper production.

With more than 70 customer presentations across 12 industries, Wednesday is a great opportunity to hear directly from PI System users from around the world.

Digital twins reign supreme

Just a few short years ago, digital twin technology was not widely adopted by manufacturing companies. Now, industrial teams are off and running simulations that are enabling big results…or are they?

On Wednesday, Wood PLC asks the question, “Are digital twins worth it?” to determine if they are going beyond adding value and delivering on their promise. From new efficiencies to predictable operations to achieving sustainability goals, Wood PLC will highlight how the company is enabling customers to get a return on digital twin investment. Meanwhile, Evonik, a specialty chemicals manufacturer, will lay out its five-step approach for process manufacturers to deploy digital twins at existing plants.

COVID-19 necessitated more agile operations—and companies delivered

The pandemic disrupted operations like never before. Supply chain breakages, remote workforces, and everything in between highlighted one thing: The need for more agile operations. Manufacturers must pivot quickly, all while ensuring quality, efficiency, and safety.

Pfizer is solving the world’s problems thanks to its agile operations. Despite pandemic-related hurdles, Pfizer developed a COVID-19 vaccine at “lightspeed.” While it typically takes at least ten years to bring a drug to market, Pfizer rolled out its mRNA in just nine months. It was the most ambitious vaccine development cycle in history. On Wednesday, Marylène De Winter, Director of Global Automation, will showcase how the company’s global historian (and data!) was instrumental in this achievement.

Sustainable, renewable, net-zero operations are coming

As the world grapples with climate change, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives are no longer an option—they’re imperative. Now, companies around the world are pledging to be net-zero by 2050 in hopes of mitigating the effects of climate change.

On Tuesday, Jan Broekman of McDermott will offer insights into building sustainable capital projects. The Digital Agility and Resilience panel will take a deeper dive into the new business models that emerged from the pandemic, and how companies are seizing the opportunity to use technology and collaboration to strengthen sustainability initiatives and reach net-zero goals.

During Wednesday’s session, Sergio Valencia will share how EDP Renewables embarked on an OCS Lighthouse Program project to power its disparate wind farms with data. The company sent 2,000,000 data streams from wind farms into the cloud, giving users access to a gust of centralized insights.

Thursday brings more opportunities to do a technical deep-dive across the entire AVEVA portfolio. Learn from AVEVA experts and lab instructors, or visit the expo, to soak in as much information as possible before departure.

See you in Amsterdam!