"We had an older Moore APACS system with legacy technology and hardware that was at the point of failing and had to make a decision on whether to repair old technology or put in a new system. We decided to migrate to Honeywell’s Experion automation and control system and its powerful software packages to bring our Metropolis plant into the next generation of technology."

Jon Price, Process Engineer, Honeywell Specialty Materials

Honeywell Specialty Materials’ fluorine plant in Metropolis, Illinois needed to upgrade its failing Moore APACS system in order to improve business performance. After looking at the cost of upgrading this legacy technology, the plant installed Honeywell’s Experion® Process Knowledge System (PKS) and experienced the following benefits:

• Advanced application software tools enable Metropolis to make better use of their current infrastructure and equipment. 
• Experion alarm system identifies process conditions that the Moore system was too slow to capture. 
• Complete investment protection over life of the system, improving uptime and reducing costs. 
• Advanced control software provides quick payback and optimized valve movement. 
• Experion was installed and operating within a five-day window, minimizing downtime. 
• Operators now have ability to trend data such as temperature and pressure to make better decisions.

The Metropolis Works Plant is owned by Honeywell and operated by Honeywell Specialty Materials, a $3.5 billion strategic business group of Honeywell International and a global leader in the production of high-performance specialty chemicals and materials, including fluorocarbons, specialty films, advanced fibers, intermediates and customized research chemicals.

Honeywell Specialty Materials’ ISO-certified plant in Metropolis, Illinois is the world's largest SF6 facility. With research and development facilities around the world, including labs in Germany, New York, California and Shanghai, Honeywell Specialty Materials is on the cutting edge in several sectors of the chemical and high-performance materials industry.

In 2004, the Honeywell Metropolis plant realized it needed to repair or replace its fledgling Moore APACS system that it inherited when it took over the Allied Signal plant. Hardware was failing and the system could not keep up with certain process conditions.

"The decision came down to repair old technology or put in a new system," said Jon Price, Process Engineer, Honeywell Metropolis Plant. "Part of the decision factor rested on the robust software needed to provide quick payback and optimized valve movement, something we weren’t getting from our current solution."

The Metropolis plant selected Honeywell’s Experion PKS automation solution for its advanced technology, robust software packages, alarm and troubleshooting capabilities, and system modularity. Installed in 2004 in two phases, the plant will continue to consider various automation upgrades over the next several years with the help of Honeywell products.

“This was a simple decision based on the fact that Experion PKS allows us to better utilize our own equipment,” said Price. “Our install happened in a week with no major problems. The project went extremely well and because we don’t do this sort of migration for a living here at the plant, we really relied on Honeywell’s expertise for on-site help throughout the entire install and startup phases. Two years from now after we have all the add-on products, we anticipate some truly quantifiable results from our decision to install Experion. Now that we have the base system, we have the ability to just add on.”