Let's be Frank: Can you Teach an Old Fridge New Tricks?

There are huge benefits to be gained from integrating industrial IoT solutions into any organisation, not least for food retailers. From improved energy efficiency to financial savings, IoT is changing the way food retailers operate. However, a common concern I hear is that these benefits will come at a prohibitively high cost, primarily due to the whopping start-up expenses associated with integrating brand new IoT infrastructure. 

But does this have to be the case?

The traditional route for integrating a new IoT solution for many retailers is to install new and expensive hardware. Retailers are told that they will need to replace older equipment with expensive, solution-specific devices. They are told that in order to successfully digitise their stores it will require a comprehensive network of new infrastructure. This all adds up to become a costly and time-consuming process which, frankly, is acting as a barrier to entry for wider digitisation within the food retail industry. 

Industrial IoT integration doesn’t have to be this way.

IMS Evolve has proven that a fundamental step towards achieving digitisation is by embracing IoT to transform all processes. That means integrating technology that enhances, not replaces, existing investments. The IMS Evolve Machine Integration Engine has been developed over two decades, and through our work with some of the world’s best-known food retailers, is completely control agnostic and has the capability to leverage existing infrastructure and auto-discover hundreds of device classes, giving retailers access to data that has been previously unattainable. Or, to put it another way, it enables complete digital transformation without the requirements for costly capital investment, infrastructure overhaul or unnecessary downtime. 

Through accessing the existing data at several large retailers, the IMS accessing that existing data at several large retailers, the IMS solution has already delivered tangible results across thousands of sites. From a 49% reduction in stock loss due to machine failure to a 99.98% consistent availability of critical assets through improved maintenance, IMS software is delivering immediate value without a costly and lengthy implementation.

Being able to deploy software at scale and at speed allows IMS Evolve’s solution to release immediate value and additional return on investment year after year, directly benefitting bottom line by improving operational efficiency and productivity. The solution averages return on investment within 5 months of implementation, and continues to deliver value release from constant innovations and initiatives. 

By eliminating costly capital investment required for replacing legacy infrastructure, IMS Evolve is proving that you can indeed teach an old fridge new tricks.