How Argos Slashed Costs and Emissions in Cement Production with Splunk Operational Technology Intelligence

Argos, one of the largest cement and ready-mix producers in the Americas, runs AI at the edge with Splunk Operational Technology Intelligence (OT Intelligence) and Splunk Edge Hub to substantially reduce carbon emissions and costs while improving product quality. 

“Splunk gives us best-in-class analytical capabilities for operational monitoring so we can run our AI-driven workloads in our factories using Splunk EdgeHub.”— Estefan Wolff, Digital Transformation Leader at Argos

Cement: The Backbone of Modern Infrastructure — and a Major Environmental Challenge

Cement is everywhere, shaping skylines and supporting infrastructure. But behind every slab and beam lies a staggering environmental cost: cement production is responsible for 8% of global CO₂ emissions. Most of this comes from the calcination process, where limestone is heated to create lime—essential for cement, but energy-hungry and carbon-intensive.¹

Argos: Leading the Way in Sustainability and Innovation

Headquartered in Medellin, Colombia, Argos is one of the largest cement and ready-mix producers in the Americas, with an annual capacity of 14.4 million tons. But it’s not just a heavy industry giant: Argos is a recognized leader for its commitment to innovation and sustainability—earning first place in the Dow Jones Best in Class Index for the Integrated Latin American Market.

The Challenge: Cutting Costs and Emissions in a Complex Process

For Argos, the key to progress lay in the heart of their operation: the calciner, a critical part of cement production. Optimizing this process means balancing dozens of variables including temperature, pressure, and more—to maintain product quality while reducing energy use and emissions. It's a delicate, dynamic puzzle.

Splunk OT Intelligence: Real-Time Insights at the Edge

To solve this, Argos turned to Splunk OT Intelligence and its Splunk Edge Hub industrial compute device. Their requirements:

• Advanced AI capabilities to analyze complex process data
• Reliable operation on-site—even with limited internet connectivity
• Rugged hardware ready for demanding industrial environments

The solution delivered:

• Edge Hub for real-time data ingestion from factory sensors
• Splunk Machine Learning Toolkit for AI model training
• Splunk OT Intelligence for real-time data visualization and AI Model management
• Local deployment of AI models to enable split-second decisions at the edge

Partnering for Success: Summan Drives Industrial AI Innovation

Technology alone isn’t enough. Argos partnered with Summan, a Splunk OT Intelligence technology partner, to bridge the gap between cutting-edge analytics and plant operations. With deep expertise in complex industrial processes, analytics, and AI, Summan’s team worked side-by-side with Argos engineers and operators during the development and testing process. 

Real Results: Faster Response, Lower Costs, Greener Operations

With Splunk OT Intelligence, Argos achieved remarkable outcomes:

• Electricity consumption dropped by 0.5 kWh/ton of cement
• Annual savings exceeded $1.5 million in energy costs
• CO₂ emissions significantly reduced
• AI-driven calciner adjustments now happen in under 15 seconds, down from 90 seconds—enabling real-time operational commands and enhanced product quality

“With Splunk Edge Hub, we reduced response time for calciner-adjustments AI model to less than 15 seconds, down from 90 seconds. We are saving $1.5M/year for the company's energy-intensive calciner-adjustment process.” — Estefan Wolff, Digital Transformation Leader at Argos

How It Works: AI at the Industrial Edge

Cement production is highly automated, generating vast streams of telemetry. Here’s how Argos leverages Splunk:

• Edge Hub captures real-time sensor data on-site
• Custom AI models process and analyze data locally, without relying on constant internet access
• Edge Hub communicates directly with the plant’s industrial SCADA system, instantly adjusting production parameters for maximum efficiency
• Splunk Cloud provides business analytics, automation, and remote insights

This seamless edge-to-cloud approach slashes latency, improves consistency, and empowers Argos to meet both economic and environmental goals.

The Takeaway: Industrial AI for a Sustainable Future

Argos’s story showcases what’s possible when visionary leadership, expert partners, and cutting-edge technology unite. With Splunk OT Intelligence, Argos has unlocked new levels of efficiency, cost savings, and sustainability—setting the standard for the future of industrial operations.

Interested in the technical details of OT Intelligence? Learn more and download the app on Splunkbase.

¹Stanford Energy Research Consortium