Data-Driven Optimization at Kim’s Chocolates
Kim’s Chocolates is one of Belgium’s largest chocolate exporters, delivering to more than 67 countries each year. Their passion for quality goes hand in hand with sustainability, with digitalization as a crucial lever. For this digital transformation, they were looking for a partner capable of seamlessly connecting OT and IT in one integrated solution. Agidens, who had previously implemented Brighteye’s MES solution Momentum, once again proved to be the right partner.
The Need for Transparency
Kim’s Chocolates processes 10,000 tons of chocolate annually in a wide variety of recipes and packaging formats. But what slowed down their sustainable growth was the lack of real-time insights and consistent data quality.
Many checks were performed manually or through ad-hoc queries. As a result, operators often only detected issues after deviations had already occurred, or quality controls were not carried out in time. Automatic adjustments, such as synchronizing product descriptions or registration units between Profab (ERP) and Momentum (MES), were not always consistent. On top of that, the absence of real-time alarms and an integrated historian made downtime analyses slow and cumbersome.
For a manufacturer with a global customer base, this loss of efficiency translates into significant costs. Kim’s Chocolates needed a central solution that could:
Bring data together and analyze it to generate data-driven insights
Validate data between Profab and MES
Link PLC status information to machine statuses and order data
According to Dimitri Schotmans, IT Manager at Kim’s Chocolates, the company immediately knew Agidens was the right partner for the job.
“For us, Agidens is the number one partner in automation. Their approach is always clear, structured and accurate. They work with precision, honor commitments, and are flexible enough to adapt to changing circumstances. That combination gives us tremendous confidence and peace of mind.”
Schotmans points to the Momentum MES system that Agidens implemented a few years ago. “We’ve been reaping the benefits for years. The impact is enormous: where we used to have an error margin of 7% in our preparations, that has now dropped to just 0.02% thanks to the MES implementation.”
“Thanks to Agidens, our error margin dropped from 7% to 0.02%.”
A Total Solution with a Focus on OT and IT
To replace the outdated validation system, Agidens set up a proof of concept (POC) in Ignition, an industrial software environment that integrates data and processes at the shopfloor level. This POC focused on critical checks and automated adjustments essential for both Profab (ERP) and Momentum (MES).
The validations included controls on rejected items, label templates, date codes and mold numbers. In addition, an extra check was introduced to ensure that the QC question tool in Momentum was available for all relevant products.
Ignition also automates the synchronization of master data between Profab and MES. Automated adjustments compare MES data with Profab data and directly correct discrepancies where needed. Profab data is retrieved via ODBC queries and MES data via MSSQL queries. When an error is detected in the registration unit (Registration Measure Type) in MES, it is automatically corrected.
Operators can easily retrieve error details through this dashboard. Status changes are logged, and notifications are sent automatically if issues are not resolved in time. Dimitri Schotmans highlights the importance of this centralized approach: “The most recent Ignition project is a milestone for us. It gives us the agility and transparency we need to take our processes to the next level.”
“The POC gives us the agility and transparency we need to take our processes to the next level.”
Maximum Stability, Minimal Error Margins
And the story doesn’t end there. In the near future, the Ignition platform will be expanded with several features, including a Tag Historian Module to efficiently store all Aasted 4 data and make historical trends easily visible. A Web Development Module will replace the custom ERP palletizer gateway with robust REST APIs for direct communication. The Voice Notification Module will ensure that alarm notifications are sent directly to SIP-compatible phones. In addition, the Sepasoft OEE module, an Ignition plug-in for OEE calculation and reporting, will be implemented.
This module provides operators and managers with:
- Real-time insight into line performance and downtime causes
- Contextual data for approval flows and analysis
- Support for data-driven decisions, enabling optimization projects to start faster
To ensure continuity, a redundant Ignition architecture is also being implemented. In case of server failure, a backup server will seamlessly take over.
Flexible, Scalable and Future-Proof
The customized Ignition ecosystem provides Kim’s Chocolates with the backbone for a data-driven production environment that is more reliable and transparent than ever. Thanks to the redundant architecture, critical processes continue uninterrupted, even in the event of server downtime.
All communication between the PLCs and the MES (Momentum) runs through the Ignition OPC Server. Within Ignition, a scheduler and simulation tool has also been developed, giving planners insight into expected end times and allowing them to simulate scenarios and proactively adjust planning. All weighing data is centrally collected and made available to quality staff via an Ignition portal. Additional functionalities for Operator and Kitchen kiosks, enabling operators to control lines directly, are also planned.
Operators and managers also benefit from real-time dashboards that display the status of checks and validations, while centralizing historical data and alarms. By linking machine statuses from PLCs to order and product data, teams gain direct insight into actual Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE). This makes downtime causes visible, streamlines approval flows and accelerates optimization projects.
For Kim’s Chocolates, this translates into greater stability, lower error margins and a more flexible production system. Dimitri Schotmans: “This will allow us to work faster and more transparently, with reports that deliver the right insights immediately. We are confident this project will be another major success.”
“They thought along with us, perfectly understood our needs and always made the right choices. It never felt like working with an external party, but as one unified team.”
TL;DR
The collaboration between Kim’s Chocolates and Agidens shows how a thoughtful digital transformation can strengthen both operational stability and efficiency. By bringing OT and IT together in the digitalization journey, the Belgian chocolate producer now has a robust and future-proof foundation for data-driven production optimization.
