INEOS Aromatics, formerly part of BP, is a world leader in PTA (purified terephthalic acid) and PX (paraxylene) technology. INEOS Aromatics produces the chemicals used to make many of the things people use every day, from soft drink bottles to packaging trays, from clothing to carpets. It's a division of INEOS, which comprises 36 individual companies operating from 194 sites in 29 countries around the world. For INEOS, safety, reliability and excellence in its operations are fundamental to its success.
“We've worked with PS: Radiocom for a number of years as a rental company for contractors during our industrial turnarounds at the Geel site. We're delighted to be working with them again for our new, permanent DIMETRA Express system.
We like the trunking capability of TETRA and their knowledge, proactivity, honest, tailored advice and ongoing support and after-sales service have made for a wonderful relationship. As for the DIMETRA Express system, the installation was exceptionally easy and quick, the system is really reliable, flexible and easy to manage, and the radios are robust and deliver much improved audio quality. And it's the little design touches that sometimes make all the difference, such as the top screen on the radios that gives a quick view of the channel and volume, and the programmed shortcut keys that allow users to easily switch between user groups. Overall, this is a long-term solution for us that will adapt and grow with our needs.”
Challenge
INEOS Aromatics relies on radio communications to maximise efficiency and worker safety at its site in Geel. The ageing TETRA system needed to be upgraded to a more flexible, future-proof system with improved audio clarity and network coverage to eliminate the
coverage to eliminate existing black spots. For site security reasons, INEOS Aromatics wanted to retain a Local Area Network (LAN) and also liked the trunking capability of TETRA. Having previously used MTP850Ex TETRA ATEX radios, the company discussed its requirements with Motorola Solutions, who recommended a DIMETRA Express system and several local partners who could deploy and service such a system. However, the INEOS Aromatics management team was concerned about loss of service during the migration.
Solution
But there was no need for these concerns as INEOS Aromatics chose to work with PS: Radiocom, who carried out the migration seamlessly in four steps to remove all risk. PS: Radiocom began by creating a fleet map, copying and uploading the database to the new system and running a test system for two weeks before conducting a final on-site test. It then migrated the previous system to the new DIMETRA Express system, using the existing antennas and MTP850Ex radios, without the need for re-programming. The PS: Radiocom team, all DIMETRA Express certified, then replaced the antennas and installed new cabling.
The total downtime was less than 90 minutes, and the radios were used in direct mode or in local trunking during the short installation period (made possible by the design of the Motorola Solutions trunking system, with the site controller in the base station), so users experienced no loss of service.
Every user in every department, such as security, crisis, transport, PP (polypropylene) 2 and PTA3, now has a Motorola Solutions TETRA radio for voice communications. Thousands of radio calls are made every day. INEOS Aromatics has 65 talk groups, trunked over 4 frequencies (15 channels and 1 control channel), all allocated on a fleet map according to the unique operational requirements of each department. This allows INEOS Aromatics to easily keep track of where the radios are being used. For example, some departments, such as Transport, which uses heavy machinery and large cranes, operate in full-duplex mode so that operators can communicate freely without PTT.
For example, some departments, such as Transport, which uses heavy machinery and large cranes, operate in full duplex mode, allowing operators to communicate freely without PTT. Meanwhile, 16 radios have man-down licences to increase the safety of lone workers, others have emergency all-call functionality, and most have pre-configured access to scan groups and scan alarm groups and use hotkeys to display only the contacts relevant to that particular user. Each radio has a Motorola Solutions RF Power Toggle licence, which increases output power to 1.8 W. This, together with new antennas and cabling, and the harmony of using Motorola Solutions radios on a Motorola Solutions system, has significantly improved radio reception and audio clarity without the need to install additional infrastructure.
Four base stations have been deployed to prepare the system for future redundancy and expansion, with capacity for up to 1,000 users. And - for security reasons, like most companies in the sector - INEOS Aromatics uses authentication licences, so only registered users can log on to the system, and has a closed network with no remote access. This makes remote management difficult. However, PS: Radiocom has helped INEOS Aromatics to perform effective first line monitoring itself on site via the easy to use web-based Network Manager and Radio Control Manager software, which gives INEOS Aromatics access to all information relating to the network, radios, talk groups and system usage, as well as enabling or disabling radios and registering user presence, for example. Although currently using a bridge radio to send SDS (Short Data Services) to the radios, INEOS Aromatics will soon also be using the Over-The-Air-Programming (OTAP) functionality to send updates and programme radio parameters, features and contact lists, for example. The system has a secondary site controller and power supplies for redundancy purposes, and the trunking provides the ability to work peer-to-peer in direct mode up to 500m in emergency situations should the system fail completely. The components are supported by a 10-year service contract with PS: Radiocom and Motorola Solutions, which includes 24/7 service (as the system is in use 24 hours a day), hardware repair and advanced replacement to ensure uninterrupted uptime for these critical communications.
Benefits
But there is more. In the near future, INEOS Aromatics is looking to integrate the DIMETRA Express network with LTE for interconnectivity with its existing telephone systems, as well as the option to install Motorola Solutions' WAVE PTX broadband push-to-talk technology (for example, to allow remote managers to communicate on the network). Meanwhile, the accurate GPS positioning provided by both the radios and the indoor GPS antenna will be used to locate users in the event of an emergency, and to send an SMS alert pinpointing any power or component failures. And INEOS Aromatics can add other components, such as web-based dispatch software, by simply purchasing licences to minimise the cost of ownership.
Mark Van Gestel: "Our end users have been resistant to change in the past. But this time we haven't had any complaints. DIMETRA Express really is what it's supposed to be. It's so easy to use and manage. I really appreciate the flexibility and the vast possibilities we have with this system. We have a complex fleet map, but that's no problem. What's more, we know we have a secure, redundant system that provides optimum coverage and audio clarity across our site. And perhaps most importantly, we have built a very strong relationship with PS: Radiocom and Motorola Solutions during this project, which will help us work together on future projects.
