Unlocking Strategic Potential in Food & Beverage and CPG: Redeploying IT Resources After the Cloud Transition

Food & beverage (F&B) and consumer packaged goods (CPG) manufacturers operate in a high-stakes environment where operational efficiency, quality, and compliance are non-negotiable. With perishable inventory, complex supply chains, and strict regulatory oversight, even small disruptions can have outsized consequences.

As digital transformation accelerates, many organizations have taken a major step forward by moving from on-premises systems to cloud-based platforms, particularly SaaS Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES).

Once the cloud removes the burden of infrastructure management, IT teams are freed to focus on strategic initiatives, especially when combined with industrial IoT platforms like ThingWorx and connectivity solutions like Kepware. Together, these technologies create a powerful digital foundation that enables IT to shift from support to strategy. Afterall a digital transformation begins and ends with access to timely accurate data and the ability to use this data effectively.

Cloud-based MES platforms provide immediate, well-understood benefits:

Modern SaaS architectures dynamically scale resources to meet the computational demands of the organization and ensure high uptime, minimizing disruptions in production-critical environments.

However, cloud alone isn’t enough. F&B and CPG manufacturers often face a deeper challenge: data fragmentation across equipment, plants, and legacy systems.

This is where the combination of Kepware + ThingWorx + Proficy MES becomes transformative.

F&B and CPG plants typically run a mix of legacy PLCs, sensors, packaging lines, and control systems, often speaking different “languages.”

Kepware acts as the universal translator, enabling:

Instead of building custom integrations for every machine, Kepware creates a single data foundation, dramatically simplifying IT architecture.

Once data is connected, ThingWorx transforms it into actionable insights.

ThingWorx enables organizations to:

It provides a “single source of truth,” turning raw machine data into real-time intelligence that IT and operations can act on.

With built-in analytics, ThingWorx can deliver:

Proficy Smart Factory MES platform provides:

Combined with cloud scalability, security, and continuous updates, they ensure reliable, efficient manufacturing operations.

Together, these technologies create a closed-loop system:

Kepware → ThingWorx → Proficy MES SaaS → Analytics & Action

This integrated architecture is what unlocks the full potential of redeploying IT resources.

Once the cloud and connected architecture are in place, IT teams experience a dramatic shift:

Reduced Responsibilities:

These are handled through automated cloud services, including backup, monitoring, and updates.

Expanded Opportunities:

This shift allows IT to become a central driver of digital transformation.

With the right foundation, IT teams can focus on initiatives that directly impact business performance:

By combining Proficy MES data with ThingWorx analytics:

ThingWorx dashboards provide live visibility into machine health and production KPIs.

Unplanned downtime is especially costly when dealing with perishable goods.

ThingWorx enables:

This reduces scrap, improves uptime, and protects margins.

F&B and CPG companies must meet strict regulatory standards.

With connected systems:

This supports rapid recall response and compliance with global standards.

ThingWorx helps simplify complex workflows:

Connected workflows make frontline workers more agile and productive.

With access to unified, contextualized data, IT can drive:

Redeploying IT resources still requires careful execution:

Skills Gap

Cloud, IoT, and analytics demand new capabilities. Organizations must invest in training for:

Integration Complexity

Legacy systems can be difficult to integrate, but Kepware simplifies this by standardizing connectivity across protocols.

Security and Compliance

Cloud and IoT introduce new risks, but modern platforms mitigate these with:

Change Management

Cultural resistance can slow progress. Leadership must align IT and operations around shared goals.

In this new environment, IT roles evolve significantly:

New roles may include:

When fully deployed, the combined platform delivers significant advantages:

Connectivity (Kepware)

F&B and CPG manufacturers should track:

Real-time monitoring and analytics enable continuous measurement and optimization across all these KPIs.

The most successful organizations treat digital transformation as ongoing:

The ability to evolve quickly becomes a key competitive differentiator.

For food & beverage and CPG manufacturers, cloud migration is just the beginning. The real value comes from redeploying IT resources to drive intelligence, connectivity, and innovation.

By combining:

Proficy Cloud-based MES platforms for execution; Kepware for seamless industrial connectivity; ThingWorx for IoT, analytics, and real-time insights, organizations can create a fully connected, data-driven manufacturing environment.

The result is:

In this new model, IT is no longer a cost center, it becomes a strategic engine for growth, agility, and competitive advantage.

Velotic™ is a leading independent industrial software company providing data driven solutions that improve manufacturing efficiency, productivity, and operational insight. Serving customers across manufacturing, oil & gas, utilities, and infrastructure, the company generates more than $300 million in revenue. Velotic’s portfolio, anchored by Proficy®, Kepware®, and ThingWorx®, supports the growing data and performance requirements of industrial operators globally, with an emphasis on AI enabled manufacturing and industrial software. Learn more at www.velotic.com.