Solvay reinforced its alliance with IMI to extend the use of IIoT sensors across its global production network and take a new step in the digitalization of industrial maintenance.
Solvay expanded its global framework agreement with IMI to accelerate the deployment of connected industrial sensors in its production plants. The chemical company thus consolidates IMI as a preferred provider of these technologies and deepens a strategy aimed at improving operational reliability, energy efficiency, and real-time data-driven decision-making.
Currently, the infrastructure already exceeds 5,000 sensors installed in 25 plants located in 11 countries. Solvay’s roadmap contemplates increasing that figure to 9,000 units by 2027, an expansion that reflects the speed with which the company is incorporating digital tools into its industrial operations.
From scheduled maintenance to predictive maintenance
In this deployment, Industrial Internet of Things sensors continuously monitor variables such as vibration and temperature in critical equipment. This monitoring allows for the detection of condition changes before they become major failures, helping to plan maintenance interventions with greater precision.
Furthermore, the approach reduces dependence on manual inspection routines and maintenance based solely on calendars. Instead, Solvay is moving toward a condition-based maintenance model and subsequently toward predictive schemes, where operational information allows for anticipating breakdowns, prioritizing resources, and minimizing unplanned downtime.
This shift has a direct effect on operational continuity. When a plant can identify deviations in motors, pumps, or rotating systems in advance, it improves its ability to avoid prolonged damage, contain repair costs, and sustain asset performance for longer.
IIoT sensors for efficiency, safety, and lower environmental impact
The expansion of the agreement also aligns with the sustainability and operational excellence goals that Solvay groups under its “Essential for Generations” strategy. The use of real-time data not only strengthens production reliability but also contributes to limiting energy losses, reducing waste, and optimizing the response of maintenance teams.
Lanny Duvall, Chief Operations Officer at Solvay, noted that digitalization is changing the way the company manages its plants. As he explained, expanding the use of connected sensors allows for faster and better-informed decisions to increase safety, reliability, and energy efficiency, while reinforcing the competitiveness and profitability of operations.
Likewise, the company remarked that the growth of this infrastructure has been rapid. In 2023, it had barely a few hundred sensors, and now it exceeds 5,000 devices deployed on a global scale. The leap shows a much broader adoption of digital solutions to create a more resilient industrial base across different regions.
IMI highlights the value of continuous monitoring in the chemical industry
From IMI, the expansion of the agreement confirms the growing demand for continuous monitoring technologies in sectors where margins, safety, and equipment availability are critical factors. The company provides fluid control and motion solutions for asset-intensive industries and, in this case, supplies connected sensors designed to detect operational anomalies at early stages.
Diana Garcia, Global Business Development Director for Digital Products at IMI, stated that the complexity of modern plants and constant pressure on margins make it unfeasible to rely on manual inspections as the primary maintenance control mechanism. In her view, real-time information facilitates Solvay’s transition toward more efficient and consistent predictive maintenance.
Source and photo: Solvay