The Challenge
Graphyte is a carbon removal company that permanently sequesters carbon by converting agricultural waste into dense carbon blocks. At its facility outside Little Rock, Arkansas, the team transforms rice hulls and other biomass into long-term carbon storage by preventing carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere. As the company scales this innovative approach, reliable and efficient production is essential, not just for hitting daily targets, but for proving the economic model to investors and partners.
When Josh Mitts, Senior Project Automation Engineer, joined the team, he quickly saw an opportunity for greater efficiency. As part of that effort, Graphyte implemented Guidewheel to bring real-time visibility into production and help the team make data-informed decisions at every level.
The site runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with a rotating crew, including part-time workers. The team needed a simple, reliable way to measure uptime and pinpoint the root causes of downtime.
Josh first came across Guidewheel while researching equipment monitoring tools online. After evaluating several options, Graphyte selected Guidewheel for its fast deployment, IoT-friendly design, and hands-on support.
The Solution
The team deployed Guidewheel on 11 machines, including 9 across the densification and packaging line, and 2 monitoring incoming power to the building and the production line.
They focused first on the most critical parts of the process:
- Installed sensors on core production equipment
- Set up floor dashboards and shift-level views
- Trained team leads to tag events and monitor performance daily
“Our process is all about scaling fast, and Guidewheel delivered from day one. It gave us actionable insights and helped us zero in on the changes that would move the needle.” - Josh Mitts
Within days, they had clear insight into uptime and downtime events, with real-time dashboards on the floor and shift-level views for daily use. With Guidewheel in place, Graphyte has been able to:
- Surface opportunities for process improvement
- Empower shift leads with visibility into performance
- Guide weekly team discussions with clear, consistent information
- Monitor power usage and equipment behavior to support planning and optimization
What’s Next
As Graphyte prepares to expand production, the team plans to roll out Guidewheel on another 10 to 15 machines. The visibility and performance gains achieved in the pilot phase are now informing the design of future lines and facilities.
With real-time data at their fingertips, the Graphyte team is driving daily improvements with greater clarity. From frontline action to long-term planning, Guidewheel is helping them move faster and scale smarter.
“Guidewheel has made our daily operations more efficient and sharpens our long-term planning. It’s at the heart of our continuous improvement.” - Josh Mitts
