Process industry & regulated industries

IT solutions for the process industry and regulated sectors

IT solutions for the process industry are integrated systems comprising ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), maintenance, Industrial IoT, data analytics and generative AI, which comprehensively control, document and ensure the traceability of batch- and recipe-based production in regulated sectors such as chemicals, pharmaceuticals, life sciences and medtech. collana provides these building blocks from a single source: based on Microsoft technology, with its own maintenance software and with generative AI within a proven framework. The promises made on this page are backed up by published projects, including those at REMONDIS BURCU and Bucher Municipal. Here you will find an overview of the six solution components; the linked product and solution pages provide more detailed information.

What regulated sectors expect from their IT systems

In the process industry, regulatory requirements determine the IT architecture. Manufacturers in the pharmaceutical, life sciences, chemical or medtech sectors must map out complex quality processes and document and verify every step of the process. Requirements such as those set by the FDA or REACH therefore dictate how systems collect, store and verify data. In practical terms, this means:

  • Traceability of batches, quality data and supply chain processes

  • Data integrity with electronic audit trails

  • Validation of the systems in use in accordance with CSV and GAMP 5

  • Audit-ready processes that require documentation to be carried out during day-to-day operations, rather than documentation being produced retrospectively

It is precisely on these points that siloed solutions fail in many organisations: when ERP, maintenance, laboratory and production data are stored in separate systems, every audit becomes a manual search. An integrated architecture makes compliance requirements a built-in feature of the system, rather than an afterthought. For IT management and the CFO, this means that the question is not whether a single tool meets a requirement, but whether the system landscape as a whole is consistently documented.

To put this into context: this page deals with IT and software solutions for process manufacturing, i.e. production based on recipes and in batches. For discrete manufacturing involving bills of materials and individual parts, there is a Dedicated overview for production & discrete manufacturing.

Employees inspect packaging in a hygienic production environment in the process industry.

Six key components of the solution: From ERP to generative AI

collana covers IT for the process industry with six components: Microsoft Dynamics 365 F&SCM, bespoke software development, collana maintool, Industrial IoT Architecture, Data Analytics & Business Intelligence, and generative AI in business. All six run on Microsoft technology and are seamlessly integrated. This saves you the hassle of integrating multiple providers and keeps process and quality data within a single, end-to-end system landscape.

E-commerce sector – ERP system – collana

Getting started: A workshop instead of a specification document

You don’t need to start with a finished set of specifications. The low-risk first step is a structured workshop: In the Digitalisation Readiness Assessment We assess your system landscape and processes and prioritise areas for action. If the question of ERP arises, the ERP Orientation and Selection Workshop From the requirements of your process manufacturing to a robust system decision. Both formats produce a concrete outcome document that you can use for further internal work, regardless of whether you subsequently implement it using collana.

ERP that keeps pace with your business. In every sector.

Our products

Whether you are a pharmaceutical company, chemical manufacturer or MedTech business, our solutions are tailored to your regulatory and operational requirements.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain Management

Microsoft Dynamics 365 F&SCM connects financial processes with the entire supply chain, increases process reliability and provides insights into inventories, capacities and production costs.

Customised software development

From apps to enterprise solutions: we develop software that fits your processes exactly. Customised, scalable and secure - instead of standard off-the-shelf solutions.

collana maintool

With collana maintool, you can digitalise your maintenance from maintenance planning to documentation - automated, transparent and integrated in MS Dynamics 365 BC

Industrial IoT Architecture

With our industrial IoT architectures, we create the technical basis for networked production, smart maintenance and data-driven decisions. 

Data Analytics & Business Intelligence

collana offers holistic data & analytics solutions that create transparency, optimise processes and enable strategic foresight.

Generative AI in companies

Experience Generative AI at enterprise level: Secure, scalable solutions for chatbots, knowledge agents and automation based on the Microsoft Azure platform.

Case Studies

How companies in the process industry and regulated sectors use collana to automate processes, stabilise supply chains and reliably meet regulatory requirements.

  • All Posts
  • Business Administration & Finance
  • ERP & Digitalisation
  • Artificial intelligence
  • Logistics & Inventory Management
  • Processes & Automation
  • Company information

Frequently asked questions about IT solutions for the process industry

What sets IT solutions for the process industry apart?

IT solutions for the process industry provide end-to-end tracking of batch and serial numbers, quality checks and validatability, ensuring that every step in the process can be documented, verified and traced. They integrate ERP, maintenance, IoT, analytics and AI in such a way that regulatory requirements – such as FDA or REACH compliance – are met directly within the operational system.

How does IT for process manufacturing differ from that for discrete manufacturing?

Process manufacturing operates according to recipes and in batches, whilst discrete manufacturing operates according to bills of materials in countable units. IT for the process industry must therefore have batch traceability, recipe management and comprehensive quality documentation at its core, rather than as an add-on module. For discrete manufacturing, collana offers a Our own overview of solutions for discrete manufacturing.

How does collana help with GxP, FDA and REACH requirements?

collana implements systems that support the documentation and compliance requirements of regulated industries: 360° batch traceability, electronic audit trails, and CSV- and GAMP-5-compliant validation in Microsoft Dynamics 365 F&SCM. The systems provide the basis for FDA, EMA or REACH/CLP compliance documentation; the regulatory assessment itself remains the responsibility of your specialist staff.

What role does digitalisation play in the process industry?

Digitalisation in the process industry integrates production, quality and maintenance data into a single, end-to-end database. This offers companies a twofold benefit: compliance requirements are met directly through the system rather than being processed manually, and the same data provides transparency regarding plant operations, processes and energy consumption, as demonstrated by the IoT analytics platform launched by Bühler AG. In this way, digital transformation moves from being a buzzword to a verifiable system characteristic.

Let’s talk about your system landscape

Are you planning an ERP project, looking to document your maintenance in a way that meets audit requirements, or wanting to finally make your asset data usable? Then book a no-obligation initial consultation or request a demo. We show companies in the chemical, pharmaceutical, life sciences and medtech sectors how the different components interact within your environment.

Best Choice for companies in the process industry