Trade fair
FoodTech highlighted the need for better labelling in industry
Simplewire Core was our main focus at FoodTech. Although the fair was quieter than others, we met businesses with specific challenges and a clear need for better labelling.
Core at the centre of FoodTech
Our main focus at FoodTech was Simplewire Core, the permanent solution that makes digital labelling part of the installation. Core is installed in the panel and gives technicians access to the information they need to identify cables in their day-to-day work.
For the fair, we introduced a special evaluation kit: Simplewire Core for one panel with up to 36 outgoing circuits. It lets businesses try the solution in a limited part of their installation and see how it works in their own operations before deciding on the next step.
The offer made it easier to take the next step. Instead of only seeing a demonstration at the stand, a business can try Core in its own panel and assess it where the need actually arises.
“Labelling is often the first thing to go when costs are cut, and one of the biggest problems when the installation later needs servicing.”
Feedback from FoodTech
When labelling is cut to save money
Several industrial technicians told us the same thing: when an installation is refurbished or a new one is built, labelling is often one of the areas where costs are cut. It may seem like a small saving on the project, but the consequences show up later when cables and outgoing circuits need to be located during servicing, alterations or downtime.
Many of the technicians we spoke with recognised the problem straight away. Their eyes lit up when they saw how Simplewire could make the connection between the panel and the installation clearer and give them the information they were missing in their day-to-day work.
With Simplewire Core, labelling becomes part of the fixed installation. That can remove a recurring uncertainty and give technicians a better starting point for troubleshooting, maintenance or alterations.
Fewer visitors, but promising leads
FoodTech was not as consistently busy as fairs such as El & Teknik, but the enquiries we received were valuable. Visitors who stopped at the stand often brought specific problems from their production facilities and were ready to discuss how to solve them.
That left more time for in-depth conversations. We could take a closer look at the businesses' panels, workflows and challenges with troubleshooting and documentation, and show how Core might fit into their everyday work.
That is the value of a fair like FoodTech for us: not necessarily having as many conversations as possible, but having the right conversations with businesses that have a real need and a clear next step.
All in all, we were very pleased with the fair, which of course we celebrated with an (almost local) Høker beer after taking down the stand.
Thorbjørn Riis
Thorbjørn writes about Simplewire's products, customers' day-to-day work and developments in the market.