AW is a US-based manufacturer of automatic transmissions. Its factory in Durham, North Carolina, stretches over 1.3 million square feet and employs more than 2,000 workers. With over 3,000 vehicle transmissions coming off its assembly line every day, the Durham plant can’t afford to be out of action for long. To reduce downtime, increase security, and deploy a reliable digital infrastructure, the manufacturer turned to Cisco.
AW disposed of all its outdated communications and networking equipment, replacing it with Cisco solutions. Cisco Business Edition 6000, a unified communications system, allows for flexible, efficient communication among employees. ASA firewall technology has increased traffic routing effectiveness and security in the plant. A seamless and secure wireless network across the entire factory allows AW’s managers to collect and analyze data from machinery, for smarter decision making and process optimization.
With faster speeds, lower power consumption, and unprecedented data processing abilities, AW has achieved near-zero network downtime and $1 million in savings on technology costs, 40% of which will be ongoing. “This transformation has exceeded our expectations on every level,” says Ayako Wilson, Senior General Manager. “In the year since it’s been in place, the Cisco network has optimized factory productivity and improved the bottom line of the Durham plant so much that we’ve already recouped our initial financial investment.”