PGT Industries

PGT Industries selected GENESIS Productivity Analytics visual OEE/KPI/analysis software as its manufacturing intelligence system, along with the GENESIS™ HMI/SCADA suite to integrate all automation equipment.

The GENESIS suite deployment includes:

• AlarmWorX™ Multimedia – alarm management
• WebHMI™ – web-based real-time automation
• ScriptWorX™ 2010 – creation and management of Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) scripts

In addition, PGT Industries implemented:

• BridgeWorX™ – real-time workflow and data bridging
• ReportWorX™ – enterprise reporting, charting, and analysis
• BACnet Connector
• OPC Data Mining
• Unified Data Manager
• Unified Web Interface technologies

PGT Industries operates its glass manufacturing facility in North Venice, Florida. A few years ago, the company projected that demand would soon exceed production capacity and constrain revenue growth. In response, leadership developed a capital plan to expand operations.

However, before executing the expansion, the Vice President of Operations chose to test the assumptions about current capacity by applying a productivity analysis tool.

Implementation and Findings

Mitsubishi Electric Iconics Digital Solutions’ Productivity Analytics software was applied to the plant’s 12 most critical production assets to measure Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE). Using drilldown and correlation capabilities, the software identified key sources of OEE loss across three factors:

• Availability
• Quality
• Performance

Before installation, most inefficiencies had been reported as equipment capacity problems. Once Productivity Analytics was online, the data revealed numerous immediate issues visible at all organizational levels, including:

• Production start-up meetings exceeding allocated time
• Sporadic cart-loading availability
• Improper material layouts causing conveyor gaps leading to furnaces
• Unplanned idle time

Actions and Results

After uncovering these issues, PGT created work teams to quickly address downtime and production gaps. Productivity Analytics continues to provide real-time, accurate data to both plant operators and management. Any deviation from ideal production rates is flagged immediately, and any downtime exceeding a set threshold is broadcast company-wide so all available resources can be redirected to resolve the issue.

Decision Process

PGT evaluated competing solutions but ultimately chose GENESIS, citing its complete toolset and ease of configuration. The company’s manufacturing technology team quickly learned, configured, and deployed the system—an effort made possible because competitor products were deemed overly complex.

A critical need of the system was the ability to integrate data from many existing equipment systems, so that all interrelated issues could be seen and analyzed. The GENESIS system, including Productivity Analytics, integrates with the following equipment and data:

• Think and Do Live PC Control – On Glass Tempering Ovens
• Allen-Bradley MicroLogiX – Glass Laminating System
• ASCII Text Files, Read On Schedule – Eastman Laminate Cutters
• Rockwell RSView32 – Insulated Glass Assembly
• Bechoff Twincat – Insulated Glass Assembly
• Microsoft SQL (Many Databases) – Glass Cutters

With the launch of its OEE program and the implementation of Productivity Analytics across all processes, PGT now receives continuous, real-time data reporting at every management level.

Within the first year, the company identified and implemented improvements that increased production output using existing assets. As a result, the planned plant expansion was canceled, delivering major cost savings.

Operational Gains

Following improvement programs guided by Productivity Analytics, the plant achieved higher production rates while running only five days a week instead of seven to meet demand. This shift resulted in an approximate 20 percent reduction in labor and energy costs.

Cultural Transformation

Beyond operational efficiency, Productivity Analytics has driven a cultural change within PGT.

• OEE and downtime charts are now reviewed daily by line supervisors and all levels of management.
• OEE has become a standard discussion point in nearly all operations meetings and is embedded in company objectives.

Long-Term Expansion

The success of the system exceeded expectations. With productivity capacity discovered in existing plants, PGT has expanded the scope of Productivity Analytics from the initial 12 assets to approximately 80 assets over three years.

Productivity Analytics revealed previously hidden losses in production capacity, giving PGT the transparency it needed to take corrective action. Today, the system serves as the foundation for benchmarking and performance measurement, embedding a culture of continuous improvement centered on Overall Operational Effectiveness.

By leveraging GENESIS, PGT has transformed its operations—achieving measurable efficiency gains, fostering accountability at every level, and ensuring long-term competitiveness. With these advancements, PGT’s manufacturing now runs as smoothly and reliably as the glass it produces.