SPEC · V.2026.Q2 [email protected] EU-WIDE · 24/7
- N° 04 / 05 · ServiceSCOPE EU-wideUPDATED 05.2026

Upgrades
without
disruption

Capacity expansion, controls modernisation and obsolescence remediation - installed inside live operations with disciplined sequencing, fall-back procedures and a return-to-throughput plan.

BROWNFIELD WORK
60%
Of upgrade engagements run inside live operations.
DOWNTIME REDUCTION
−40%
Versus comparable greenfield re-build path.
LIFE EXTENSION
+10YR
Typical asset-life extension via controls modernisation.
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Approach

Approach to delivery.

Upgrades succeed when the rollback plan is as well written as the cut-over plan. We sequence work inside the customer’s operating calendar, stage hardware ready for night-shift swap, and bring the line back up inside the agreed window.

WINDOWSNight-shift · weekend · shutdown
ROLLBACKWritten, rehearsed, signed
COVERAGEEU-wide brownfield specialists
PARTNERSHIPSOEM-certified for major platforms
01

Capacity & bottleneck audit

We measure the line as-built - throughput per cell, queue lengths, cycle-time variance - and propose where capacity additions actually move the bottleneck. No upgrades sold against a phantom problem.

  • As-built throughput audit
  • Bottleneck identification
  • Capacity scenario modelling
  • Business-case sizing
OUT
Audit · Recommendation
02

Cut-over engineering

Hardware staged, software branched, rollback rehearsed. Sequence written against the customer’s operating calendar so production windows shrink, not lengthen.

  • Sequencing & staging
  • Software branching
  • Rollback rehearsal
  • Customer ops alignment
OUT
Plan · Rollback
03

Live install & verification

Installation inside live operations, with end-of-shift hand-back and dawn-of-shift readiness checks. Verification under load before the change is signed off.

  • Live brownfield install
  • Hand-back ready every shift
  • Verification under load
  • Sign-off & as-built update
OUT
Live install · Sign-off
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Capabilities

Upgrades we install.

System
Scope of works
Typical tags
01
Controls modernisationPLC migration · WCS upgrade · OPC-UA
Migrate legacy controls to current revisions without disturbing mechanical layer. OPC-UA / IIoT bring-up alongside.
PLCWCSOPC-UA
02
Capacity expansionLane addition · cell extension · rack
Add lanes, cells or rack inside live operations. Sequenced installation so production stays inside agreed windows.
LANECELLRACK
03
Obsolescence remediationEOL parts · firmware · safety circuits
Replace end-of-life components and refresh safety circuits to current standards before the OEM stops supporting them.
EOLSAFETYFIRMWARE
04
Energy & sustainabilityVFD retrofit · idle-mode · regen brake
Variable-frequency-drive retrofits, idle-mode strategies and regenerative-brake installations to reduce energy draw.
VFDIDLEREGEN
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Why it matters

Why quality matters.

A good upgrade is the one nobody noticed - except in the operating cost a quarter later.
- Operations doctrine · MERIXA upgrades crew

Upgrades are not new installations. The line is already running, the operations team is already trained, and the customer is already counting on the throughput. Every disruption is real money. The discipline is to add capacity or modernise controls without spending the savings on lost production.

A bad upgrade is recognisable in the first month: throughput slips because a dependency was missed, an exception case wasn’t rehearsed, or a rollback plan was waved through without a real test. We rehearse rollbacks against a clock - not on paper.

Modernisation programmes also unlock years of additional life out of mechanical systems that are otherwise sound. Replacing the controls and instrumentation layer can keep an asset productive for another 8-10 years, at a fraction of the capital cost of a re-build.

For integrators with framework-customer relationships, upgrade engagements are also the trust transaction: doing this well is what gets the next greenfield programme.

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Common questions

Upgrades - questions.

Q.01
How are downtime windows agreed and managed?
Sequenced against the customer’s operating calendar at scope-freeze, then locked to the day. Each window has a written cut-over plan, a rehearsed rollback, and a hand-back gate before the line restarts.
Q.02
Do you upgrade systems we did not originally install?
Yes - vendor-agnostic upgrade work is core. We assess the as-built, propose the capacity or controls scope, and execute against a written method statement.
Q.03
What is the typical horizon for controls modernisation?
PLC platform refresh every 8-12 years; WCS major version upgrade every 4-6. We plan the next refresh into the maintenance contract so the customer is never surprised by an EOL announcement.
Q.04
Can you upgrade safety circuits to current standards?
Yes - EN ISO 13849 / IEC 62061 compliant retrofits are a routine deliverable. Documentation packaged for the customer’s safety officer’s sign-off.
Q.05
Do you measure post-upgrade throughput?
Yes - verification-under-load is part of every upgrade closeout. We measure against the pre-upgrade baseline and the upgrade business case, with a written report for the integrator.
- Engage

Modernise the line.
Keep operations live.

Capacity expansion, controls refresh and obsolescence remediation - sequenced to your operating calendar, rolled back if needed.