Jermi Käsewerk GmbH is one of the first companies in the cheese production industry to digitize entire production lines with the help of Tomorrow Things and Hilscher—revolutionizing operations and workflows, aiming to minimize downtimes and to boost efficiency.

    Success Story: Optimized Cheese Production with Digital Twins at Jermi Käsewerk GmbH

    Securing a competitive advantage by leveraging real-time data

    Jermi Käsewerk is a respected name in the cheese industry, with a proud history dating back to 1889. What began as a small family-run business has grown into a global leader known for its exceptional and distinctive cheese specialties. To maintain its competitive edge, Jermi Käsewerk continuously embraces cutting-edge technologies and innovations.
    When the company identified a gap in the digital integration of certain machinery and production lines, it proactively partnered with Tomorrow Things to address the challenge.

    This strategic move marked a key step in Jermi Käsewerk’s broader commitment to digital transformation. The goal was clear: enhance operational efficiency and streamline production processes. In particular, the company saw the need for a robust, plug-and-produce digital twin solution that would provide access to live, real-time data.
    This solution delivers valuable insights and optimization potential, which is key to driving innovation and securing a long-term competitive edge.

    Prior to implementing a comprehensive digitalization solution, Jermi Käsewerk faced several key challenges:

    Monitoring of entire production lines

    Jermi Käsewerk required a scalable solution to monitor entire production lines in real time, ensuring smooth operations and enabling proactive and preventive maintenance.

    An icon of two puzzle pieces.
    OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness)

    Equipment Effectiveness over entire lines needed to be enhanced by reducing unplanned downtime and preventing breakdowns.

    Cost-effective solution

    Jermi Käsewerk aimed to optimize resource usage with a solution that offered low integration costs while delivering long-term profitability through improved operational efficiency.

    Access to data

    Production data needed to be fully accessible and easy to retrieve for analysis and optimization.

    Implementing the Things Twin with Things OS and Hilscher Edge Gateways

    To successfully implement the Things Twin solution at Jermi Käsewerk, it was essential to account for the diverse technological landscape across the company’s production facilities. The machine environment includes a heterogeneous mix of cutting-edge, highly automated systems with modern OPC UA interfaces, as well as older production areas that rely heavily on manual processes and lack standardized data interfaces.

    Tomorrow Things began by preparing and configuring Hilscher’s netFIELD Compact X8M edge gateways for each machine, ensuring the flexibility required to collect data across different systems. Each gateway was configured for Ethernet connectivity, allowing them to communicate reliably with the machines. Thanks to adherence to widely recognized industrial standards, the collected data is securely transmitted to the Tomorrow Things platform, Things OS.

    About Things Twins and the Things OS by Tomorrow Things

    Things OS, developed by Tomorrow Things—a Bonn-based AI startup—is ushering in a new era of digital manufacturing. The platform enables OEMs to offer AI-enabled machines with seamless cloud connectivity. 
    Things OS enables remote control, AI-driven process optimization, and instant MES (Manufacturing Execution System) integration. 
    OEMs gain a unique digital selling point, enhance machine value, and unlock new revenue sources. For operators, the benefits include reduced downtime, optimized production, and simplified machine management. Things OS delivers a secure, scalable, and future-ready foundation for smart manufacturing. 
     

    What is a Things Twin?

    • Digital twin as the foundation
      Physical machines are mirrored in Things OS as data-driven digital twins.
       
    • Virtual machine interface
      At the same time, the Things Twin offers virtually unlimited virtual access to any machine interface.
       

    About Hilscher’s netFIELD Compact X8M Edge Gateway

    The netFIELD Compact X8M from Hilscher is a high-performance, ARM-based computing platform designed for containerized applications. As an edge gateway, it collects, processes, and transmits data between the operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT) layers of automated systems. The device operates independently and in parallel with existing production processes.
    In addition, Hilscher offers a centralized edge management platform and IIoT apps for device management and data acquisition in industrial manufacturing environments.

    Scope and Timeline

    Normally, the setup of a Things Twin takes only 15 minutes. However, as a pioneer in this area, Jermi Käsewerk encountered a unique situation that required additional support. Specifically, further information had to be obtained from various manufacturers related to accessing OPC UA-based machine interfaces (OPC UA standard).

    Despite the added complexity, the process remained remarkably smooth and efficient—even for non-technical personnel. In total, the digitalization process with Tomorrow Things took just about three months.

    Future Expansion of Things Twins at Jermi Käsewerk

    Jermi Käsewerk plans to expand the integration of Things Twins in the future. This decision is driven by the clear benefits the company has already experienced through comprehensive digitalization:

    • Easy integration
      The process was fast and user-friendly—even for employees without a technical background.
       
    • Cost savings
      Jermi Käsewerk anticipates saving approximately € 50,000 in maintenance costs through the implementation of Things Twins.
       
    • Interoperability
      Seamless interoperability across multiple vendors through a single platform.
       
    • Instant data insights
      The platform provided immediate relevant data points for improved operational decision making and eliminated the need for an experienced integrator.
    Leon Jerg

    “Things OS from Tomorrow Things has transformed our operations at Jermi Käsewerk. The real-time insights provided by their platform empower us to make fast, informed decisions aiming to boost our operational efficiency. We’re excited to continue driving improvements with their solutions.”

    Leon Jerg
    Head of Solution Engineering
    Jermi Käsewerk GmbH

    About the Author:

    Sophia Binder is the Digital Marketing Manager at Tomorrow Things GmbH.

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