JR Simplot Company, one of the oldest agribusinesses in the U.S., operates a high-quality fertilizer plant in the central valley of CA. Built in the 1950s and run by J.R. Simplot Company since the 1990s, Enterprise Automation began servicing the facility as controls integrator in 2006. As an aging facility that has gone through multiple operators, EA has executed numerous control system retrofit and expansion projects on site.
At the heart of the Helm facility lies the Nitric Acid plant, where ammonia transforms into nitric acid, which then creates fertilizers. This process runs nearly non-stop with three dozen fans, pumps, and blowers supporting it. As part of plant improvements, the team upgraded the motor control centers (MCC). Due to the complexity of the MCC upgrades, the replacements broke into multiple phases to coincide with annual turnaround maintenance.
During each phase, EA assisted Simplot in migrating motors to the new MCC while re-evaluating control and implementing SCADA standards. Control changes included new VFDs for speed control and duty-standby motor roles. The team utilized existing PLC code and HMI graphic standards. After extensive internal testing, the program modifications deployed successfully, and the motors commissioned within the brief two-week turnaround window.
