Yara unveils effortless registration system for visitors

Simplyfied and secure access. A new visitor app, developed by Yara and Bouvet, is being implemented in Yara Porsgrunn's plants at Herøya.

two men hold out their mobiles and show the visitor app. They wear yellow jackets and white helmets, office environment, user manual for app displayed on the wall behind.

"It doesn't get any easier than this," says, from the right, Dag Frode Heiland, IT expert at Yara, and Sivert Heisholt, IT consultant at Bouvet. Photo: Siri Krohn-Fagervoll/Herøya Industripark AS.

The new visitor registration system being implemented at Yara's plants in Porsgrunn has been developed to enhance security.

"Now, it's much simpler and safer for visitors, as well as our own employees, entering and exiting our factory buildings," says the beaming digital developers from Yara and Bouvet: Sivert Heisholt, Bouvet, Dag Frode Heiland, Yara, Jens Petter Grini, Yara, Hanne Falstad, Bouvet, and Merete Østby, Yara. They are gathered by the digital visitor log with a visible QR code prominently attached to the wall at the entrance to the packaging area.

Simplyfied and secure access

"It doesn't get any easier than this," they say as they check themselves in with a few taps on their mobile phones using the QR code on the visitor log displayed on the wall in the packaging area.

"The visitor app enhances our security," says Jens Petter Grini, Packaging and terminal Manager. "If an alarm goes off, we have a complete overview of who is inside and around the building, and we can quickly gather everyone at the designated assembly point. It's fantastic!"

portrait of a smiling man wearing yellow jacket and white helmet, in a meeting room with blue wall — Super brilliant. - The super brilliant thing about the app is the overview you get of everyone who has logged in if the alarm goes off. That's a big advantage, says Jens Petter Grini, packaging and terminal manager. Photo: Siri Krohn-Fagervoll/Herøya Industripark AS.

Dag Frode Heiland was involved in developing the visitor app from the start together with Yara colleagues Merete Østby, Karoline Skuggen Kristoffersen, and Preben Young.

"It actually startet with us being annoyed by the visitor books lying around in the buildings here," reminisces the IT expert.

portrait of man, wearing yellow jacket and white helmet, in a meeting room. — "Wow, a digital solution that works." Dag Frode Heiland, IT expert at Yara, says: "The best comment I've heard came from someone in the nitric acid plant when we showcased the visitor app, 'Wow, a digital solution that works.'" Photo: Siri Krohn-Fagervoll/Herøya Industripark AS.

Won Yara competition

The abbreviated version behind the new visitor app is that the Yara team in Porsgrunn won Yara's Hackathon idea competition in the autumn of 2022. Yara Power Platform Hackathon invites employees in the company to find new solutions that enhance competence in digitising processes in Yara.

They then partnered with the IT company Bouvet to make the visitor app usable for all visitors. Now, just over six months later, Yara Porsgrunn is rolling out the digital visitor app in all its plants at Herøya.

The Yara team programmed the first version of the visitor app and made a film within three days, winning the Hackathon prize in competition with others last autumn.

Click to see Yara International LinkedIn-post announcing winner.

Connected with Bouvet

The first app could only be used internally, so the need to expand the visitor app for external visitors quickly became relevant.

portrait of smiling young woman and young man with glasses, yellow jackets, white helmets, standing — Made the visitor app for everyone: Bouvet's Hanne Falstad, design consultant, and Sivert Heisholt, IT consultant, started programming and designing the new visitor app in January. "We conducted some simple tests here in the packaging department first, then at Bouvet, and a larger test in the nitric acid factory with visitors. We received positive feedback from users," say the Bouvet duo Falstad and Heisholt. Photo: Siri Krohn-Fagervoll/Herøya Industripark AS.

"We needed a different type of technology, so we approached the IT experts at Bouvet because they can create things that others can use and have knowledge that we don't have," explains Heiland.

"It's very good for us that Bouvet is located in the industrial park, familiar with the industry, and has technical expertise," praises Merete Østby, Digital manager at Yara.

Rolled out in Yara's plants at Herøya

The new visitor app has been rolled out in the packaging department, the nitric acid plant, and the terminal, and will be further rolled out throughout Yara's area.

portrait of young woman with long blond hair, wearing white helmet and dark glasses, standing in a meeting room. — Merete Østby, Digital Manager at Yara. Photo: Siri Krohn-Fagervoll/Herøya Industripark AS.

"This is our new visitor system at the Yara Porsgrunn site, and the most important thing is safety," emphasises Digital Manager Merete Østby. "The reason for registering is solely for safety. We don't use the data in this list unless it's an emergency situation. The list is hidden until an alarm goes off, and then we use it to see who's here."

"Do you see any other possible uses?"

"Yes, we can see that the visitor app can be developed for even more possibilities, but for now, we're rolling out this version first."

Text/photoes: Siri Krohn-Fagervoll siri@krohnfagervoll.no

21. June 2023