Operating companies are continuous process industries (CPI) from the sectors of biotechnology, specialty chemicals, food & beverage, metallurgy, mining, nanotechnology, pharmaceutical, polymers, power, pulp & paper, environment etc.

They buy technology from licensors , engineering from E&C , machinery and packages from equipment manufacturers , and finally automation HW and SW and system integration services . Once they have the plant built and assembled, they operate it for several decades - maintaining, revamping and de-bottlenecking it as required.

It is within the operating companies that the benefits of process and financial simulation turn into added value. But without cooperation and interaction from the other value chain participants this cannot happen !