Factry and AG Solution join forces, empowering process manufacturers with an open data culture
Ghent, 16 may 2024 - Belgium-based MES software and IIoT solutions developer Factry has announced a new strategic partnership with AG Solution, a leading software integrator known for its expertise in process automation and IT infrastructure. Together, they aim to bring an open data culture to the global production industry.
Factry and AG Solution have partnered to empower production companies with full control over their data, maximising its potential. This new collaboration aims to foster an open data culture in the process industry, making data widely accessible on the shop floor without costly licences, and offering companies the freedom to leverage their data for advanced analysis and AI applications.
Escaping vendor lock-in
“Trust in traditional vendors is diminishing,” says Frederik Van Leeckwyck, Business Development Director at Factry. “Many process manufacturers feel trapped and limited. Due to expensive licences and technological choices, their current systems are only accessible to a few technical people. Unlocking the potential of this data requires significant expertise, patience, and investment.”
“The market for data collection systems in process optimisation has existed for decades, but has seen significant consolidation in the past five years”, Van Leeckwyck continues. “The remaining vendors often find themselves tied to hardware and software distributors for production machine automation, leading to vendor lock-in, and missed opportunities for improving operations.”
To break vendor lock-in and give production companies full control over their data, Factry has developed Factry Historian, a user-friendly platform for collecting, storing, and visualising industrial data. With AG Solution as a partner, Factry aims to support its mission to create an open data culture, making data widely accessible for analysis and AI, and driving significant efficiency gains.
Opening up data access
“There is a growing need for widely accessible production data,” says Jordi Prior, Business Development Manager at AG Solution. "We see increasing demand for open systems that centralise all data and make it accessible for anyone on and around the shop floor. This is crucial because process efficiency benefits everyone. Factry Historian is a breath of fresh air in this regard."
Companies willing to make the switch will benefit doubly from this partnership. “Factry Historian offers an ideal solution, and AG Solution provides the necessary experience and expertise for implementation within their business processes. We are excited to announce the partnership with Factry and look forward to introducing their software to our global client base”, Prior says.
Gateway to growth
“Factry software is used in over 29 countries on 5 continents. Factry aims to further develop its software and has strong growth ambitions. “Access to market is crucial for our growth, and the market is inherently international. With an experienced partner like AG Solution, which has a strong international presence, we gain a gateway to industry players throughout Europe and beyond.”
A strong cultural fit
“Many partnerships don’t materialise,” says Factry’s Business Director. “With AG Solution, we carefully assess how this partnership can best serve our clients. Not only through their focus on the process industry, they are a superb fit for us. From our initial conversations, we felt a strong cultural alignment, while they recognise our status as established developers and the impact of our software.”
Contact Factry
Frederik Van Leeckwyck, M: +32 474 888 573, E: frederik.vanleeckwyck@factry.io
Contact AG Solution
Jordi Prior, M: +31 652 428 499, E: Jordi.Prior@agsolution.nl
About Factry
Factry provides process industry companies with open software for monitoring, analyzing and optimizing their operations. Our solutions make actionable data insights accessible to every role, from operator to CFO. With a strong focus on usability, Factry brings users closer to their process data so they can learn from it, make smarter decisions, avoid downtime and continuously improve the quality of products and processes. With Factry, manufacturers join forces with a team dedicated to the future of their plant, fostering a culture of continuous innovation - critical to gaining a competitive advantage in Industry 4.0.