What just years ago seemed like a far-out concept now plays a central role in Louisiana’s manufacturing space. The gathering, manipulation and extrapolation of data via smart facilities, digitization and the Internet of Things (IoT)—aka Industry 4.0—is rapidly gaining a foothold among petrochemical owners.
Some plants are taking a leadership role. Last summer, Cornerstone Chemical in Waggaman kickstarted its efforts by appointing process technology engineer Aubyn Chavez as its first digitization leader. It stemmed from a desire to turn Cornerstone’s Industry 4.0 goals into a sustainable reality.
“Like the old adage, if everybody’s responsible, then nobody’s responsible,” says Tom Yura, chief operating officer. “It became clear that we needed someone with a passion for digitization and a willingness to learn, read and ask questions.”
