Bogotá, Colombia – January 2026 – Amtex, Latin America’s largest producer of carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and a key supplier to the food, pharmaceutical, and textile industries, has successfully deployed ABB 3BHL000734P0003 Control Modules to upgrade its batch production control system. The deployment, completed in Q4 2025 as part of the company’s digital transformation initiative, addressed critical challenges with legacy control components, including inconsistent batch synchronization, slow process response times, and limited integration with its existing ABB System 800xA platform. Six months of operational data post-upgrade shows a 52% reduction in unplanned downtime, a 35% increase in batch production efficiency, and a 90% reduction in manual intervention—milestones that have significantly enhanced Amtex’s competitiveness in the regional market.
The Challenge: Legacy Control Systems Hinder Batch Production Reliability
Amtex’s CMC production facility in Bogotá operates 24/7, relying on precise batch control to maintain product quality and consistency across 12 distinct production recipes. Prior to the upgrade, the plant used outdated control modules installed in 2016, which struggled with maintaining synchronization between mixing, heating, and drying processes. These inconsistencies led to frequent batch rejections—averaging 8-10 per month—resulting in a 15% loss of raw materials and an annual revenue impact of approximately COP 1.2 billion (USD 300,000).
The legacy system’s slow response time (up to 300ms) to process deviations caused 26 unplanned downtime incidents annually, with each incident halting production for an average of 4 hours. Additionally, the outdated modules lacked seamless integration with Amtex’s ABB System 800xA Batch Management platform, requiring operators to manually input process data and adjust parameters—a time-consuming process that increased the risk of human error and delayed regulatory reporting. Complying with Colombia’s strict industrial safety and environmental regulations also became challenging, as the legacy system could not generate real-time audit trails for batch processes.
“Reliable batch control is non-negotiable in CMC production, where even minor deviations in temperature or mixing time can compromise product quality,” said Carlos Mendez, Plant Manager at Amtex. “Our legacy control modules were a bottleneck for growth, leading to costly downtime and inefficiencies. We needed a high-performance control solution that could integrate seamlessly with our System 800xA platform, ensure precise batch synchronization, and support our goal of fully automated production.”
The Solution: ABB 3BHL000734P0003’s Seamless Integration and Real-Time Control
After a rigorous 10-week evaluation of control solutions from ABB, Siemens, and Emerson, Amtex selected the ABB 3BHL000734P0003 Control Module for its exceptional compatibility with System 800xA, fast response time, and robust batch control capabilities. The deployment followed a phased approach to minimize production disruption: first, a pilot installation on one production line during a scheduled maintenance window; second, training for 35 operators and maintenance technicians on module configuration, troubleshooting, and recipe management; and finally, full-scale rollout across all 4 production lines over a four-month period, with ABB’s Latin American technical team providing on-site support.
Key features of the ABB 3BHL000734P0003 that addressed Amtex’s challenges include:
- Seamless System 800xA Integration: The 3BHL000734P0003 module supports PROFINET and IEC 61850 protocols, enabling direct, real-time communication with Amtex’s existing System 800xA Batch Management platform. This eliminates data silos and ensures automatic synchronization of recipe parameters, batch status, and quality data.
- Fast Response Time: Equipped with a 32-bit dual-core processor, the module delivers a response time of less than 15ms, enabling rapid detection and correction of process deviations. This ensures consistent control of critical batch parameters such as temperature (±0.1°C accuracy) and mixing speed.
- Robust Batch Control Capabilities: The module complies with ISA-88 batch control standards, supporting flexible recipe management and automated batch sequencing. It can store up to 100 custom recipes and automatically generate audit trails for regulatory compliance, reducing reporting time by 75%.
- Harsh Environment Durability: Rated to IP66 protection class and designed with galvanically isolated I/O channels, the 3BHL000734P0003 withstands the high humidity, dust, and chemical vapors common in CMC production facilities. Its mean time between failures (MTBF) of 28 years ensures long-term reliability.
The Results: Enhanced Efficiency, Reduced Costs, and Improved Compliance
Six months after full deployment, the ABB 3BHL000734P0003 Control Modules have delivered transformative results for Amtex:
| Metric |
Before 3BHL000734P0003 Deployment |
After 3BHL000734P0003 Deployment |
Improvement |
| Annual Unplanned Downtime |
104 Hours |
49.9 Hours |
52% Reduction (COP 588 Million Annual Savings) |
| Batch Production Efficiency |
22 Batches/Week |
30 Batches/Week |
35% Increase (416 Additional Batches/Year) |
| Monthly Batch Rejections |
8-10 |
1-2 |
88% Reduction (COP 360 Million Annual Raw Material Savings) |
| Regulatory Reporting Time |
8 Hours/Week |
2 Hours/Week |
75% Reduction |
| Manual Intervention Incidents |
45/Month |
4-5/Month |
90% Reduction |
“The ABB 3BHL000734P0003 Control Module has been a game-changer for our operations,” said Carlos Mendez. “The seamless integration with our System 800xA platform has simplified batch management, while the fast response time has eliminated most process deviations. The reduction in downtime and batch rejections has directly improved our profitability, and the automated audit trails have made regulatory compliance effortless. We plan to deploy this module across our new production facility in Mexico by 2027.”
Ana Gonzalez, ABB Colombia’s Industrial Automation Director, commented: “Chemical manufacturers in Latin America are increasingly prioritizing digital transformation to improve efficiency and compliance. The 3BHL000734P0003 is engineered to meet these needs, with its seamless integration capabilities and robust performance in harsh environments. Amtex’s success demonstrates how this module can help regional manufacturers compete on a global scale.”
