Efficient remote management: GEA chooses IXON Cloud

The Refrigeration Division (RT) of GEA, a leading supplier to the process industry, has adopted the IXON Cloud platform, which provides an advanced user management system. The platform has made it possible to improve customer service, fully meeting the needs of the company, which has decided to equip each of its new solutions with an IXrouter.

GEA is one of the leading manufacturers of solutions for the process industry, particularly in the food sector, to which it supplies modern, safe and energy-efficient refrigeration, heat pump and air conditioning systems for industrial use. The company’s Refrigeration Division (RT) needed a remote access system that offered more advanced and versatile functionality than the simple VPN connection it had previously used.

For these reasons, in December 2020, GEA RT decided to migrate to the new IXON Cloud platform, of which it was one of the first beta users. The solution was a complete answer to the company’s remoting needs, as Kenny Schraven, automation engineer at GEA, explains: 

“We decided to move to the new IXON Cloud platform because it is easier to use and provides a complete user management system, allowing us to set up different roles and groups with specific access rights and permissions more broadly than before. The migration to the new platform was really easy with the help of the Guided Migration. The user management system and portal configuration were delivered efficiently with the help of Bart van den Corput, IXON Support Manager.”

24/7 Real-Time Support

GEA uses IXrouters and IXON Cloud to provide 24/7 service to its customers. The company’s engineers are able to access all registered IXrouters and connect to PLCs and SCADA via VPN and VNC. “We can provide instant service by easily establishing a VPN connection and troubleshooting a customer’s PLC. In addition, you can remotely connect to an HMI (operator panel) device without the need for a VPN connection. That’s the strength of IXON,” says Schraven.

With direct access to the HMI device, GEA’s technical support is now able to assist customers in a very efficient way. This means that only the most complex issues are forwarded to the automation department, thus optimizing service management. The engineer can resolve issues remotely via IXON Cloud, also eliminating travel time to the customer’s site, to everyone’s benefit.