Rockwell Automation partners with BIC to drive digital transformation

Rockwell Automation has announced the successful one-year implementation of the Plex Manufacturing Execution System (MES) at BIC, the well-known manufacturer of stationery, lighters and shavers, at its plant in Bizerte, Tunisia.

BIC’s primary business drivers for digitalisation and transformation are the standardisation of production processes and integration across machines, people and business layers.

Plex MES was selected for its broad functional scope and technical capabilities, with a cloud-based software as a service solution offering comprehensive support to BIC’s standardisation process.

“Our collaboration with BIC marks a major milestone in digitally transforming its manufacturing operations,” said Malte Dieckelmann, Vice President of Enterprise Software Sales, EMEA at Rockwell. “By leveraging Plex MES, BIC can transition to a more efficient, standardised and paperless system. This development not only improves operations but also aligns with our shared focus on innovation and efficiency.”

The deployment of Plex MES began in 2020 with a pilot project at BIC’s production facility in Bizerte, Tunisia. The Plex MES system offers live reporting, enabling real-time visibility, automation of data collection and tracking of production KPIs. The benefits of this project include improved inventory control, waste reduction, reduced error from manual processing and overall equipment efficiency (OEE). It has also allowed for the automation of production integration, a significant change for people on the shop floor.

“Our journey towards digital transformation is fundamentally about integrating people and technology to improve operations,” said Rogelio Demay, Senior Manager Information Technology Manufacturing at BIC. “The shift from a paper-based system to Plex MES has been a tremendous step towards self-sufficiency, enabling us to react swiftly to issues, drive continuous improvement and ultimately enhance efficiency.”

Plex MES also serves as a foundation for BIC’s broader smart manufacturing Initiative, including the integration of additional elements within the factory to help shift from a paper-based system to Plex MES and support self-sufficiency with a 360-degree view of the factory floor.

“We value our past while embracing innovation, with a focus on breaking down silos to integrate technology and people. We believe our people are the first factor for success and integrating MES with daily routines is our way forward to improve operational efficiency,” Demay added.

BIC is poised to continue this digital transformation beyond the Bizerte plant and Dafni and plans to use the same approach across other BIC factories in Athens, Manaus and Mexico with the Plex MES solution. Rockwell said the expansion will also deliver benefits beyond BIC’s factory walls, helping to integrate suppliers on one side and delivery on the other to fully realise the goals of Industry 4.0, including driving actionable insights from data to empower decisions.