Horn & Bauer: Reducing energy costs through intelligent data consolidation
Date: 18.05.2026
The initial situation: lack of transparency in the energy-intensive sector
For Horn & Bauer, a leading specialist in plastic films, energy is not just an operating resource, but a key cost factor. The production of films by heating and extrusion requires immense amounts of electricity, the consumption of which varies greatly depending on the raw material and speed. Before the optimization, energy and machine data were isolated in two separate systems. A precise cost analysis per order or the identification of inefficient machine parameters was virtually impossible.
The solution: everything from a single source
The aim was to consolidate all data streams in one system. With the help of a standardized connection layer, 50 machines at three locations were networked. This middleware collects data directly from the machine controllers, correlates it with the energy consumption of the sensors and transfers the result to the SAP interfaces.
Sustainable benefits and ROI
The introduction enabled a completely new depth of process analysis:
* Energy cost optimization: By consolidating the data, it was possible to identify the optimum machine parameters for each product variant and reduce energy costs.
* Early detection of defects: Management recognized that unusually high current draw is an accurate indicator of an impending mechanical failure or maintenance requirement.
* Reduction of IT complexity: Where previously lengthy individual connections were necessary, the new standardization enables new systems to be networked quickly with minimal effort.
* Predictive maintenance: The machines send wear data via the data hub directly to the SAP maintenance module, which automatically creates tickets for service technicians.
