Modernization of the Interquell feed mill is complete

March 2022

The reference at a glance

Project

Modernization of all plant control systems at feed manufacturer Interquell

Technology

Plant control based on WinCC OA software

Operating site

Wehringen, Großaitingen and Bobingen in the greater Augsburg area, Germany

Industry

Foodfeed

Application

Animal feed production

Solution

Step-by-step implementation of new industry-specific plant control systems based on the WinCC OA software.

The German animal feed manufacturer Interquell and BHS Control Systems look back on a ten-year partnership. In the fall 2021, Interquell successfully completed connecting all of its machinery to the modern control solution from BHS Control Systems and harmonized its entire production – from incoming raw materials to shipping.

The long-established German company Interquell has been producing high-quality food and feed for pets and small animals since 1795 at its three sites in Wehringen, Großaitingen and Bobingen in the greater Augsburg region. Both the product portfolio and the machine landscape have grown steadily over the years. From extruders, mills, packaging machines to receiving raw materials: All process steps and machines at Interquell had different control systems due to the long history of the company.

Unified and modernized

To harmonize the different applications, the feed manufacturer decided ten years ago to team up with BHS Control Systems. Following early joint successes, the control technology was gradually modernized in its entirety. “When we were choosing a partner for the control system, the most important thing for us was good and ongoing cooperation”, says Werner Bobach, production manager at Interquell, explaining why the company opted for solutions from BHS Control Systems. “Our systems must always be up to date in order to ensure modern, effective production processes.”

Specific software and support ensure success

Now that the entire plant in Wehringen has a homogeneous operating system, Interquell plans to connect further machinery to the BHS control system or retrofit older machinery at its other sites in the coming months. For the mills’ control systems, BHS Control Systems uses industry-specific solutions based on programmable logic controllers (PLC) to deliver transparent process visualization and an intuitive operating concept. The base technology is the 100 percent open and fully scalable WinCC OA software from Siemens. But just as important as having the software in place is the ongoing support provided by the BHS professionals. “We and our customer are growing together, allowing us to contribute to their success in the long term,” says Ulrich Leinauer, software developer at BHS Control Systems, summing up the successful partnership between BHS and Interquell.