Ryan Williams, Stone Technologies, Wildwood MO, U.S.A.
Automation
Friday, October 13
10:00–11:15 a.m.
M103–M105
Whether you are brewing in a brewpub producing 1,000 BBLs per year or in a larger brewery producing hundreds of thousands of BBLs per year, there are always ways to increase capacity and efficiency, and to improve quality and traceability, using automation. Automation comes in many shapes and sizes from simple feedback control loops, to skid-based control systems, to enterprise automation systems and management execution systems (MES) with ultra-powerful reporting capabilities. By understanding the options and capabilities of automation, a brewery can plan for the future while maintaining the art of brewing. No matter a brewery’s size, yearly production, distribution model, or current efficiency, there is room for improvement with automation.
Ryan Williams is a project manager at Stone Technologies and the lead project manager for craft beer, distilled spirits, and wine. He has a successful background in architecting and implementing challenging engineering projects with many diverse customers and environments. His expertise includes project management, R&D engineering and leadership, project and services sales, plant floor automation, process safety systems, data acquisition, reporting systems including overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), manufacturing execution systems (MES), manufacturing operation management (MOM), and batching solutions. He is responsible for all phases of the project lifecycle including quoting, budgeting, scheduling, and managing/execution. Industry expertise include silicon/semiconductor, automotive, food and beverage, chemical, hydroelectric power generation, beer and wine, and consumer goods industries. His experience in diverse industries, B.S. degree in mechanical engineering, and MBA provide a unique perspective into process solutions and their effect on business. Non-brewing customers include GT Advanced Technologies, Daimler Chrysler, Ford, Volvo, Nestle Waters, Unilever, Kellogg's, Robert Mondovi, Diageo, Wild Turkey, Jim Beam, and Treasury Wine Estates. Brewing customers include ABI, MillerCoors, Polar, Green Flash, Mother Earth, Kettle House, O'Fallon, Lewis and Clark, and Springfield Brewing Company with vendors like Paul Mueller Company, Statco-DSI, JVNW, Providence Process Solutions, and Quality Tank Solutions.
