Making APC Work: The Management Role

Sam Dhaliwal explains why APC success depends on management ownership, structured processes and clear accountability

ADVANCED PROCESS CONTROL (APC) has delivered measurable value to the process industries for more than three decades. Yet many APC applications quietly underperform — not because the technology is flawed but because the organisational discipline required to sustain benefits is missing.

The early rollout of APC was often transactional. Consultants implemented the technology and moved on, assuming the value would look after itself. In reality, sustained performance depends far less on algorithms than on management ownership, clarity of responsibility and ongoing support. So, what should management be doing to ensure APC applications continue delivering the benefits they were designed to achieve?

Evolution of the technology

In the mid-1980s APC, often referred to as Multivariable Predictive Control (MPC), was emerging in the US. By the early 1990s it slowly spread across Europe, the Middle East and beyond. This “autopilot” technology for process industries revolutionised fine control of key process parameters such as product quality, safety limits and energy consumption. Improved control led to optimisation of operations, delivering energy savings and yield increases. In high-volume process industries, even a 1–2% reduction in energy consumption or a 0.5% yield improvement translated into millions of dollars in benefit.

Regular training, structured management of change and consistent communication of benefits are essential

Another important, though less frequently highlighted, benefit is greater operational consistency and reduced stress for plant operators.

Over time, the technology evolved, with improved graphical user interfaces, easier deployment and better integration with different Distributed Control System (DCS) platforms.

APC adoption at a site often began with one unit and quickly expanded across multiple assets. Many companies added APC to the job description of process engineers, while others created dedicated APC teams.

The mindset challenge

Although APC responsibilities were added to job descriptions, the scope of the role was often unclear. Engineers were left to define their own priorities, sometimes guided informally by consultants who had developed the original applications. This is common with new technologies: if management does not fully understand the capability, it cannot clearly define expectations.

It is common to hear that an APC application “runs itself”. This is partly true, but APC engineers must take ownership to sustain benefits, not just keep the system running. Managers frequently introduce metrics to monitor application “health”, such as uptime or percentage of time in service. While uptime is useful, it does not guarantee value. An application can be online yet delivering little benefit. Focusing solely on operational metrics can unintentionally shift attention away from performance and optimisation.

When speaking to APC engineers at operating facilities, I often find they are responsible for alarm management, PID tuning, process troubleshooting and other tasks. APC activities account for 15–20% of their workload. During new implementations, involvement is high, but once deployed, attention declines. This reflects the belief that APC requires little ongoing effort.

Monitoring tools exist to assess APC performance, but they are only tools. Their output must be understood, reviewed regularly and acted upon. Reports should not be treated as “for information only”.

Where APC maintenance is weak, the technology can develop a poor reputation. I have frequently heard “APC does not work,” “operators can do a better job” or “APC is on but we do not see any benefits”. Once these perceptions embed in an organisation, they are hard to shake off. Managers begin to question the investment and operators see the system as a nuisance rather than an enabler.

Avoiding this requires a shift in mindset. APC maintenance must sit at the centre of the role, supported by management and embedded in routine practice.

Training and management of change

APC applications that provide sustainable benefits do so because of technical maintenance and more importantly, continuous training of users.

Training should be tailored to each stakeholder group. Plant operators should learn how to interact with the APC application in such a way that the APC is considered a tool to operate and optimise their plant. APC and process engineers need to understand the objectives of the controller and how it achieves optimisation so they can set correct limits and targets. Planning, scheduling and relevant managers also benefit from a foundational understanding so they can align decisions with APC objectives.

Management of Change (MOC) processes are designed to support the introduction of new technologies and workflows. In the case of APC, formal MOC procedures are sometimes overlooked, leading to inconsistent adoption and limited engagement. MOC for APC does not need to be complex, but it should exist and focus on structured adoption, clarity of responsibility and sustained use.

Communication

Bad news travels fast but good news takes time to filter through the organisation.

APC engineers should communicate benefits regularly to stakeholders and management. This should not be limited to a post-implementation audit, but include structured, perhaps quarterly, reviews of application status and sustained performance.

Regular communication helps prevent negative sentiment such as “APC is off” or “we see no benefit” from taking hold. It also encourages discipline around maintenance and review activities, reinforcing the expectation that APC applications operate at optimum performance.

Conclusions

The role of management in sustaining APC benefits is pivotal in ensuring APC investments keep delivering the benefits for which they were designed.

Managers must allocate appropriate resources relative to the number and complexity of APC applications and provide clear objectives focused on benefit realisation rather than simple uptime. A collaborative approach across operations, engineering and planning ensures that APC design and targets remain aligned with asset requirements.

Regular training, structured management of change and consistent communication of benefits are essential. When supported in this way, APC investments can continue delivering the improvements in reliability, safety and profitability for which they were originally justified.

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Sam Dhaliwal is managing director and consultant at Chempute