Case Study: Control System Upgrade Brings New Life to Maliban Biscuit
Process control specialists Promtek Ltd recently completed a comprehensive system upgrade for Maliban Biscuit – a long-standing client and part of the renowned Maliban Group in Sri Lanka.
With a partnership spanning approximately 15 years, Promtek was the natural choice when it came to modernising the manufacturer’s original StoraWeigh 9000 system. This had been running on the original RMX real-time operating platform, presenting a significant risk of operational failure due to the existing hardware and software becoming obsolete.
To address rising concerns, plans for a comprehensive system upgrade were made. This was organised into two core phases to ensure minimal disruption to manufacturing operations.
Phase one involved a collaborative approach with Maliban’s senior decision-maker. This focused on the development and testing of Promtek’s latest StoraWeigh 9000 process control technology and InTime operating system – which was being customised to meet Maliban’s specific technical requirements.
The StoraWeigh 9000 is Promtek’s advanced process control platform, engineered to optimise bulk material handling operations across a wide range of industries. Designed with flexibility and scalability in mind, it offers powerful, distributed control system (DCS)-level functionality, such as centralised user access, production scheduling, and integrated routing across machinery.
The platform also incorporates advanced SCADA-like capabilities, providing operators with real-time visibility and manual control through high-resolution graphical Human-Machine Interfaces (HMI’s). By combining high-level automation features with user-friendly interfaces and long-term supportability, the StoraWeigh 9000 enables manufacturers to enhance operational efficiency, increase production capacity and adapt swiftly to ever-evolving market demands.
This balance of technical sophistication and operator-centric design proved especially important during the Maliban system upgrade, which came with several intricate challenges. A critical requirement from the client was that the system’s visual interface be an exact replication of the original due to operators relying heavily on specific colour cues to manage production flows. This required Promtek to tailor the standard HMI graphics – adjusting display colours from cyan to magenta, to maintain employee workflow continuity.
Compatibility also presented a significant hurdle due to scripting language used in the legacy platform becoming obsolete. In response, Promtek engineered a set of automated scripts to translate the outdated codebase into a modern programming framework that was capable of preserving the existing functionality, while also aligning with the updated system.
Following a series of successful factory acceptance tests (FAT’s), the bespoke equipment was then shipped to Sri Lanka for on-site installation and commissioning.
Phase two of the project entailed upgrading all Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) at Maliban’s manufacturing facility. A Promtek engineer was assigned to supervise and implement these upgrades, ensuring seamless integration with the newly installed StoraWeigh 9000 system.
The successful completion of this second phase provided Maliban with a robust technical foundation that has not only brought the company’s control infrastructure up to date but also unlocked significant operational advantages – most notably, through enhanced remote access capabilities. With the new architecture in place, Promtek engineers are now able to connect to the system from anywhere in the world, enabling real-time diagnostics, software updates and remote troubleshooting.
Promtek’s agile project management and in-depth technical expertise ensured the seamless delivery of this complex, cross-continental installation. Despite the many challenges Maliban Biscuits now has a fully modernised process control system capable of supporting the company’s operational needs both now and in the future.
Reflecting on the project, Charles Williams, Managing Director of Promtek Ltd, commented: “It was a pleasure to work with Maliban once again. This upgrade was about more than just replacing old hardware – it was about future-proofing their operations while staying true to the way their team works on the ground. We’re proud to have delivered a solution that enhances their capability while ensuring long-term support and flexibility.”