B & B Electronics
Applying an Innovative Connectivity Strategy to the IoT Sector

As companies explore the possibilities of the “Internet of Things”, they are discovering an ever-increasing range of applications, across a variety of industries. Although much of the publicity has surrounded consumer uses, research indicates more the 50% of the market potential exists in traditional machine to machine (M2M) applications. These applications surround the business desire to increase productivity and realize the best value from their equipment assets.

To realize this value, newer solutions must be enabled with a broader viewpoint. Not just the technological implications, but the financial and commercial opportunities it presents. The Internet of Things (IoT) is actually the opportunity to transform data into information that can transform a business. Although it sounds simple, just connect the equipment to the software analytics service; it can be a complex process.

B&B Electronics offers a unique approach to making that complex process easier. With a long history in M2M connectivity hardware for rugged and demanding environments, they have designed and developed a unique technology platform to enable the connected intelligence required for IoT.

As B&B goes beyond the traditional factory automation or industrial environment, their focus has grown globally and now includes mission critical applications in a wider variety of vertical markets.

It was under the leadership of Jerry O’ Gorman, its CEO that B&B started exploring the present and future opportunities in IoT. For many years, B&B has been building connectivity products that work at the edge of the network, including both wired and wireless networks. The edge of the network can often include remote locations, a combination of network technologies, and the integration of operational networks; which use a variety of protocols, and traditional IT or enterprise network

infrastructure. Connectivity between all these elements was a significant challenge for companies looking to implement IoT solutions. With significant investments in research and development, today, several years into the process, B&B is a highly efficacious IoT connectivity hardware provider, with the expertise to enable secure, intelligent network connectivity.

The B & B Approach
According to Jerry, “The requisite for deep SME is facilitated through partnerships, as it enables highly capable and strong platforms. Our partners provide the application and analytics expertise. We place significant emphasis on providing hardware platforms with flexibility and the capability to host multiple applications, which, further makes us highly successful to integrators in a wide variety of vertical markets.”

B&B has a history of facilitating more than three million machine-to-machine connections in the industry. This experience is unusual among companies offering products in the IoT industry, and it speaks to a depth of expertise and technical resource support.

Mr. O’Gorman also points out B&B’s focus on intelligence at the edge of the networks. Their new product, Wzzard Sensing Platform for IoT has won multiple awards since its introduction in July 2014. Wzzard connects with almost any sensor and converts the sensor data into a standards based, information stream accepted by analytics providers. It allows business logic to be applied at the edge of the network, and reduces the total cost of ownership. This gives companies the agility to adapt to a rapidly changing environment.

B&B products are flexible, secure and scalable. They are supported by an eco-system of partners offering applications technologies and vertical knowledge along the whole solutions continuum.
Jerry closed his comments with, “IoT brings value to all aspects of remote monitoring, intelligent transport systems, parking systems, machine condition monitoring, smart cities and environmental management. The most exciting aspect of working with partners and customers is helping them visualize the value this technology brings to them and then working within our partner community to deliver a comprehensive solution. There is nothing more satisfying than a client success.”