Driving Plant Reliability in ASEAN's Sugar Hub: Azbil Thailand Showcases Valve Digitalization at Sugarex 2026

02 October, 2026
  • Event: Thailand Sugar Conference & Sugarex Thailand 2026
  • Date: 10–11 September, 2026
  • Location: KICE, Khon Kaen, Thailand
  • Operating Subsidiary: Azbil (Thailand) Co., Ltd.

1. WHY & STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE: THE SUGAR CRUSHING CHALLENGE

Thailand is one of the world’s foremost producers and exporters of sugar and bioethanol. For sugar mills across the country, the annual crushing season is an intensive, high-stakes operational window spanning only 4 to 5 months. During this peak period, milling lines, juice extraction, and steam boilers operate 24/7 without pause. An unplanned shutdown caused by control valve failure can halt milling lines completely, resulting in millions of Baht in lost throughput and degraded raw cane quality every single day.

Held at KICE in Khon Kaen—the epicenter of Thailand's sugar belt—Sugarex Thailand 2026 was the essential strategic venue for Azbil (Thailand) Co., Ltd., collaborating closely with channel partner M-Tech Industrial. The core objective was clear: address the industry's most critical pain point by demonstrating how transitioning from calendar-based Time-Based Maintenance (TBM) to predictive Condition-Based Maintenance (CBM) eliminates unplanned plant breakdowns while optimizing energy consumption.

  • Official Event: Sugarex Thailand 2026 at KICE, Khon Kaen, connecting ASEAN's sugar sector.

  • Exhibition Stage: Featuring "STOP PLANT BREAKDOWN", 6000 Series Valves, and DX telemetry.

  • One-Team Synergy: Azbil Thailand sales & engineering team with M-Tech Industrial leadership.

2. OUR ACTIVITIES: DEMONSTRATING THE POWER OF VALVE DATA ANALYSIS

Under the banner “STOP PLANT BREAKDOWN – The Power of Valve Data Analysis by azbil DX Valve,” Azbil Thailand combined live hardware displays with interactive software monitoring, providing visitors with tangible proof of how data safeguards production continuity:

  • Point 1 : Maintainability

    6000 Series Control Valve

    Designed for easy maintenance with a drop-in seat ring, compact valve construction, and smaller actuators, enabling faster servicing, easier handling, and reduced maintenance costs.

  • Point 2: Control Performance

    6000 Series Control Valve

    High turndown ratio and increased rated Cv provide precise control across a wider operating range. Combined with accurate sizing based on measured FL/xT data, the CV6000 Series delivers improved controllability, process stability, and operational performance.

  • Point 3 : Energy & Design Efficiency

    6000 Series Control Valve

    Elastic seat technology ensures reliable Class V shut-off performance, while low-emission gland packing minimizes fugitive emissions. When combined with the AVP positioner, optimized actuator operation helps reduce instrument air consumption and improve overall energy efficiency.

Live Diagnostic Demonstration: Engineers ran live demonstrations of Azbil’s valve diagnostic software (Valstaff), showcasing real-time detection of stem friction shifts, packing wear, and supply pressure drops before they trigger an unexpected line stoppage.

3. THOUGHT LEADERSHIP: TECHNICAL KEYNOTES ON BOTH MAJOR STAGES

Azbil Thailand spearheaded two authoritative sessions, delivering actionable technical strategies directly to plant owners, technical directors, and mill managers:

  • MAIN SUGAR CONFERENCE STAGE

    Stop Plant Breakdown: The Power of Valve Data Analysis by Azbil Dx Valve

    Speaker: Ms. Puangpetch U-Bang (Assistant General Manager)

    Addressed factory transformation through digital telemetry, showing how field instrumentation data translates directly into avoided plant trip costs and improved sustainability.

  • SUGAREX TECH TALK STAGE

    หมดปัญหาที่ต้องหยุดหีบ: การวิเคราะห์ข้อมูลการทํางานของวาลว์ด้วย Dx Valve

    Speaker: Mr. Ruangkiet Chaiyapluck (Senior Sales Specialist)

    Shared hands-on diagnostic methods to prevent crushing halts, demonstrating how inline telemetry eliminates unnecessary valve pullouts and pinpoints true wear points.

4. EVENT RESULTS & QUANTITATIVE ACHIEVEMENTS

  • 3,694

    TOTAL EVENT VISITORS

    Industry professionals across ASEAN

  • 163

    AZBIL BOOTH VISITORS

    Direct technical & commercial inquiries

  • 57

    COMPANIES ENGAGED

    Sugar mill groups, ethanol & EPC firms

Customer Engagement: Mill engineers studying live diagnostic analytics on Azbil’s demo terminal.

Voice of Customer & Strategic Gains

  • High-Value Pain Relief: Mill managers confirmed that assessing valve health online without line breaks solves their primary crushing season anxiety.
  • Pipeline Development: Engagements across 57 companies created concrete opportunities for valve retrofits and diagnostic service trials for the 2026/27 harvest.
  • TBM to CBM Acceleration: Validated Azbil's strategy to lead ASEAN process industries from reactive maintenance toward digital, predictive reliability.

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