Hywax: Digital transformation from „paper“ to „real-time control“
Date: 18.05.2026
The „card system“ as a risk to quality
Hywax, a leading global specialist in wax technologies, controlled its production using manual data entry for a long time. Order data was printed out in the ERP system, physically carried to the machine and entered there by hand. This process was not only time-consuming, but also carried an immense risk of transmission errors. An initial attempt at automation using individual programming failed due to the complexity: over 20,000 lines of code were difficult to maintain and unstable.
The switch to a modern middleware platform
Supported by a system integrator, Hywax replaced the unstable in-house programming with a graphically configurable industrial middleware. This platform now connects the SAP system directly to Siemens controllers and Yokogawa control systems. Thanks to the low-code approach, over 90 % of original programming was replaced with simple, graphical connections.
Benefits for global production management
Hywax has successfully made the leap into Industry 4.0:
* Zero error rate in data transmission: Transmission errors have been completely eliminated by eliminating manual entries.
* Real-time production control: Management now has instant production and efficiency control as all data (from scales to databases) is merged live.
* Enormous time and cost savings: Maintenance of the digital infrastructure has become significantly cheaper and more flexible thanks to the elimination of complex code.
