"Asset Optimization is part of our vision for delivering incremental improvements to help customers realize their potential," said John Berra, executive vice president of Emerson with responsibility for the process management business. "The vision extends beyond a plant's immediate maintenance and repair needs to a larger view that is focused on attaining maximum performance from a plant’s assets."

Emerson's comprehensive asset optimization offering has grown steadily from its pioneering developments in the PlantWeb^® architecture that links diagnostics and digital communications within field instruments like valves, transmitters, and analyzers with AMS asset management software that has been declared the standard of the industry for managing field devices.

The family's scope now includes equipment condition monitoring such as vibration analysis, oil analysis, and infrared thermography for rotating and mechanical assets such as motors and pumps. Emerson recently added the industry’s first web-based equipment performance monitoring, e-fficiency^® services for remote monitoring of compressors, pumps, turbines, heat exchangers, boilers, furnaces, and other process equipment.

"The access to accurate, model-based equipment performance data and costs of degradation over a secure Internet link is an exciting innovation for optimizing assets," continued Berra. "It means that on-site personnel can team with experts anywhere for guidance and planning specific to their equipment. Obviously, this opens up major performance gains."

Emerson's Asset Optimization solutions have been matched to customer needs by the experts in the industry and service centers of its Performance Solutions division. This skilled, global organization consults and helps customers gain the benefits of the new tools, assisting them in moving toward predictive maintenance programs that deliver continuous improvement. They help customers implement reliability applications that deliver operator guidance, and integrate Asset Optimization information with overall Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS).

Emerson plans continued growth of Asset Optimization capabilities, especially in fully leveraging the Internet and delivering of remote monitoring and diagnostics services for plant-wide assets.

In addition to the broad base of success of AMS asset management software, the following major customers are recent successes of the expanded Performance Solutions division and Asset Optimization solutions:

• BASF PETRONAS Chemicals Sdn Bhd (BPC) selected the Performance Solutions Division of Emerson Process Management to support maintenance of process controls and instrumentation in newly constructed chemical production facilities in Kuantan, Malaysia.  
   
• BP Exploration will utilize Emerson Process Management's Real-Time Optimization (RTO) solutions, which are part of a global alliance to provide real-time production optimization and production monitoring for BP's upstream oil and gas facilities. 

Additional information for editors

• Timeline:  Development of Emerson's Asset Optimization family
   
• Photos and other Asset Optimization images

About Emerson Process Management

Emerson Process Management, an Emerson business, is a leader in helping businesses automate their production, processing and distribution components in the chemical, oil and gas, pulp and paper, power, food and beverage, pharmaceutical, semiconductor, and other industries. The company combines superior products and technology with industry-specific engineering, consulting, project management and maintenance services. Its brands include Fisher, Rosemount, Intellution, Micro Motion, Performance Solutions, Westinghouse Process Control, PlantWeb, DeltaV™, AMS, MDC, and CSI.

About Emerson

St. Louis-based Emerson is a global leader in bringing technology and engineering together to provide innovative solutions to customers in process control; electronics and telecommunications; industrial automation; heating, ventilating and air conditioning; and appliances and tools. Sales in fiscal 2000 were $15.5 billion.

e-fficiency, PlantWeb and DeltaV are marks of one of the Emerson Process Management family of companies. Other marks are the property of their respective owners.