Tridium(tm) Inc. Announces Compatibility with National Association of Food Equipment Manufacturer's Data Protocol version 1.2
The NAFEM standard, initially released in 2000, defines a means for different equipment, controls and information technology providers to work together seamlessly when exchanging information about production, food safety, and equipment maintenance. By enhancing the Niagara Framework to include support for the NAFEM Data Protocol, connectivity and interoperability between legacy kitchen equipment, new NAFEM protocol enabled equipment, and non-kitchen equipment like HVAC, lighting, and security devices can be achieved. The Niagara powered kitchen can now seamlessly integrate with the operation's total infrastructure, providing real-time information and control over all aspects of restaurant performance, leading to operational improvements in inventory management, labor management, food quality and safety, asset management, and energy consumption.
"Consumers are demanding ever higher levels of service, product quality, and comfort. Exploiting the communications capabilities of Food Service equipment so that it becomes a fully integrated part of an automated enterprise management system is a key competitive advantage," says Brant Huddleston, Tridium's Vice President of Strategic Solutions. Mr. Huddleston sees advanced energy management and asset management applications as major opportunities made possible by the new development. "While the kitchen is energy intensive, HVAC and lighting also consumes its fair share of energy. To have enterprise wide control of energy costs, you must have an enterprise wide application infrastructure," says Huddleston.
Tridium offers an extensive Niagara based facility and energy management application, and is currently working with developers of Asset Management applications that can detect equipment performance degradation, provide early warning of failures, offer preliminary diagnostics, schedule preventative maintenance, and provide dynamic, real time replenishment data.
About Tridium
Tridium Inc. develops and markets a universal software platform - known as the Niagara Framework - that allows companies to build software applications for accessing, automating and controlling smart devices in real-time over the Internet. This open, Java-based framework integrates diverse systems, devices and communications standards into an interoperable, Web-enabled application environment. In addition, Tridium offers the Niagara-powered Vykon suite, which is specifically designed for building automation and energy services applications.
Tridium is a privately held software company headquartered in Richmond, Va., with subsidiaries based in London and Singapore. The company has established key strategic alliances with leading corporations in the energy services, building control, home automation and industrial control industries. Tridium markets its products to value-added resellers, original equipment manufacturers, a network of Vykon Energy Resellers and Tridium Systems Integrators. Additional information about Tridium is available at www.tridium.com.
About NAFEM
The National Association of Food Equipment Manufacturer's is comprised of more than 700 North American foodservice equipment and supplies manufacturers providing products for food preparation, cooking, storage and table service. For more information, contact NAFEM at +1.312.821.0201 or send an e-mail to info@nafem.org.