PlantQuest’s asset mapping system provided the Puurs facility with a suite of advanced tracking and visualisation tools, purpose-built for its high-output environment:

• Comprehensive Asset Visualization: Real-time mapping of over 800 assets, from critical pieces of equipment (isolators, pumps, diluent systems) to a broad range of mobile instruments used on site. This included lab equipment, calibration standards, particle counters, multimeters, test kits, scanners, lux meters, mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs), flow testers, density testers, and cameras – all visible through a unified digital interface.
• Dynamic Features: Interactive heat maps of asset locations, live status alerts (for example, notifying when a piece of equipment nears a maintenance due date or enters a restricted area), and historical movement analytics. These features enabled full transparency of asset utilisation and movement trends over time.
• Customizable Interface: Configurable dashboards and views tailored to each department’s needs. For instance, EHS teams could view safety equipment locations and compliance status at a glance, while calibration teams tracked calibration tools and schedules. Production managers, on the other hand, saw real-time locations and statuses of production-critical assets. This flexibility ensured every team had at-a-glance information relevant to their operations.

The results at Puurs mirrored the successes of PlantQuest deployments at the company’s other sites in Europe and the US, delivering several key benefits:

• Operational Excellence: Real-time asset tracking eliminated delays in locating critical equipment, which in turn streamlined production workflows and minimized downtime.
• Enhanced User Experience: An intuitive, map-based interface allowed employees to navigate the vast facility and locate assets quickly, making asset management tasks more efficient and user-friendly.
• Custom-Fit Solutions: The highly configurable system met diverse departmental needs – from safety inspections to calibration scheduling – breaking down silos and supporting each team’s processes without one-size-fits-all compromises.
• Streamlined Infrastructure: By replacing multiple ad-hoc tracking tools, the unified PlantQuest platform simplified the IT landscape. This reduction in system complexity has cut maintenance effort and costs, all while providing a scalable foundation for future expansion.
• Sustainability Alignment: The digital tracking reduced waste (like unnecessary device purchases or redundant backups) and supported the facility’s sustainability initiatives. Notably, the Puurs site is a leader in renewable energy use within the company’s network (featuring on-site wind turbine power), and the PlantQuest system complements this ethos by optimizing energy and resource usage (for example, by highlighting underutilised assets that can be decommissioned to save power).

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For the Puurs site, the introduction of PlantQuest has not only improved day-to-day efficiency but also delivered measurable financial benefits. By tracking roughly 800 high-value mobile assets in real time, the facility has significantly cut down the hours spent searching for equipment and reduced idle time for mission-critical tools. This translates to an estimated annual productivity gain valued in the millions of euros annualy. As one of four initial sites in the global rollout of this asset-mapping technology, the Puurs facility is helping set the standard for asset management excellence across the organisation’s network – demonstrating how real-time visual context can transform workflows at scale in the pharmaceutical industry.