Driving Operational Excellence at Hessing’s New Facility

With over 320,000 kilos of vegetables processed daily into more than 850 product types, the factory demanded high uptime, fast lead times, and total traceability. Actemium Netherlands delivered an integrated digital architecture that now allows Hessing to synchronise production in real time and fulfill just-in-time deliveries to their retail customers.

Implementing a Smart, Scalable MES Backbone

From day one, Actemium worked closely with Hessing to translate their business objectives into a complete MES solution. By leveraging our domain knowledge and automation expertise, we developed a detailed Functional Design Specification (FDS), ensuring a smooth and accurate implementation. We selected and configured AVEVA’s MES platform to act as the central conductor of the plant, continuously aligning production execution with ERP planning. This orchestration enables real-time scheduling, efficient order-based production, and seamless material tracking—from raw intake to finished product dispatch.

Designing for Usability, Efficiency, and Scale

With over 125 HMIs on the shop floor, user-friendliness was critical. Actemium designed intuitive operator interfaces tailored to a multilingual workforce, avoiding unnecessary complexity. Instead of burdening operators with repetitive scanning tasks, we implemented an innovative crate signaling system that uses indicator lights to simplify sorting and order fulfillment. This system, powered by Turck bus technology and PLCs, reduced cabling costs and offered scalability across the large-scale facility. Every signal—from push buttons to sensor inputs—feeds directly into the MES, enabling high-resolution process control and traceability.

Ensuring Uptime, Security, and Long-Term Support

Given the 24/7 nature of operations, Actemium engineered the system for 99.9% uptime by integrating redundancy and robust infrastructure across all layers. We implemented cybersecurity solutions that allow for seamless updates without interrupting production. In parallel, our 24/7 service-level agreement (SLA) provides remote monitoring, patch management, and rapid incident response. As the plant scales toward over 120 production lines and integrates autonomous mobile robots and automated storage, our architecture ensures the factory remains agile, reliable, and future-ready.

Actemium’s tailored approach and cross-functional expertise enabled Hessing to launch one of the most advanced fresh produce facilities in Europe—built for performance, transparency, and long-term scalability.