The Industrialist: Trends & Innovations - Feb 2022
- 2. Know more about the latest announcements impacting industry, from green hydrogen technology to VR construction workspaces.
- 3. Industrial is a front runner in combining human ingenuity with technology and innovation. Thomas Rinn Managing Director, Global Industrial Sector Lead, Accenture
- 4. KKR invests in Körber supply chain tech Investment firm KKR has formed a strategic partnership with Körber to help scale the technology group’s supply chain software business. KKR’s stake in Körber comes at a time when companies are putting greater focus and investment into supply chain and logistics, and Körber is already one of the top three global providers of warehouse management software. Körber serves more than 4,200 customers across 70 countries, harnessing voice and robotics technology to give superior customer experiences. Investment from KKR will help Körber expand to more regions. Further acquisitions may also be made in the future to add functionality to Körber’s software. 01
- 5. Cummins and Sinopec lead on green energy Cummins and China Petrochemical Corporation have formed a joint venture aimed at developing technology to drive more affordable, widely accessible green hydrogen. Sinopec has already stated it wants to become the world’s leading clean energy chemical company, and this venture advances that pledge. The collaboration, named Cummins Enze, will involve an initial $47 million investment for a manufacturing plant in Guangdong that can produce proton exchange membrane electrolyzers (which uses electricity to break water into hydrogen and oxygen), with a capacity of 500 megawatts of electrolyzers per year by 2023. The aim is to raise that capacity to one gigawatt per year within five years. Cummins Enze will also focus on providing electrolyzers for small- and large-scale hydrogen production. 02
- 6. Wärtsilä and Microsoft accelerate IoT Wärtsilä Voyage is partnering with Microsoft to scale the Wärtsilä shipping platform securely using Microsoft Azure IoT Edge and Microsoft Security. The platform is designed to help deploy digital and autonomous solutions to the shipping industry faster. The collaboration strengthens Wärtsilä’s mission to accelerate the industry’s decarbonization targets through the use of technologies such as automation. Wärtsilä Voyage wants remote updates for digital ships to be as easy as updating today’s smartphones. In the future, the platform could increase standardization in the industry and be used for remote asset commissioning, diagnostics, and upgrades, to speed up maintenance and decrease downtime. 03
- 7. Sandvik acquires mine software Deswik Sandvik is set to acquire Deswik, a leading provider of mine planning software based in Australia. Sandvik plans to form a new Digital Mining Technologies division based around Deswik, Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions, and Newtrax telemetry and collision avoidance solutions. Deswik’s software digitalizes mine planning, while its consultancy services support clients through everything from scoping to software implementation. The software’s features include computer-aided 3D mine design, scheduling, operations planning, mining data management and geological mapping. Deswik already has a strong customer base and more than 10,000 existing licenses and, together with Sandvik, the companies hope to help customers optimize the entire mine planning value chain. 04
- 8. NXP and FII bring edge computing to cars NXP Semiconductors and Foxconn Industrial Internet (FII) have entered a strategic partnership to develop technology that transforms cars into edge computing devices. The two companies will kick-off with a program to develop a fully digital cockpit solution using NXP’s i.MX 8 QuadMax and featuring a head-up display for cutting-edge customer experiences. The cockpit solution is slated for a 2023 launch, while other projects will include ultra-wideband (UWB)-based secure car access and safety technology for autonomous driving, leveraging NXP’s radar solutions. 05
- 9. Samsung reveals first 5G chip for cars Samsung has unveiled three automotive chips—modem chip Exynos Auto T5123, infotainment processor chip Exynos Auto V7, and power management integrated circuit chip S2VPS01. Demand for chip technology for cars is booming as car manufacturers develop new, digitally led customer experiences. The Exynos Auto T5123 supports 5G communications and comes built with low power core and satellite navigation technology to enable real-time road traffic data, tracking, and remote diagnostics. The Exynos Auto V7 chip enables voice, motion, and facial recognition necessary to command virtual assistants, and will support all kinds of high quality in-car entertainment from games to music, with help from the S2VPS01 chip. 06
- 10. Continental AG invests in Apex.AI The German automotive supplier has acquired a minority stake in Apex.Ai, as part of a $56.5 million funding round led by Orillion. Apex.Ai supplies the open-source software framework for autonomous and robotics systems, and its Apex.OS software has already been approved for use in autonomous driving systems on the road. The two companies were already collaborating on the industrialization of vehicle operating systems, and this new investment will help Apex.Ai further scale its technology as well as expand into other markets, including agriculture, mining and industrial automation. 07
- 11. Kajima and RICOH harness VR workspace Japanese construction company Kajima has announced that it is already harnessing remote site management technology via its “Ricoh Virtual Workplace“. Multiple people can connect in the virtual reality space to work on projects. Kajima says its teams are using it for Phase II construction on a project in Nagaoka. The team were able to share the BIM/CIM model, point cloud data, and live video in the VR space across three different offices. The technology has proven indispensable during the pandemic, enabling teams to safely collaborate across districts using up to date, live data from the construction site. Kajima and Ricoh plan to incorporate data from 360- degree live video in further projects. 08
- 12. About The Industrialist The Industrialist is our monthly digital magazine that puts game-changing perspectives in the spotlight. It combines thought-provoking content and insights, to keep you on top of what’s new in the industrial industry. Featuring different CXOs and diverse leader views, you can be inspired by leading innovators, explore the latest trends, tools, technologies, and innovations, and ignite your industry interest with transformational thought leadership. Discover how to lead the way and Subscribe today. Visit us at www.accenture.com/theindustrialist Disclaimer This document makes reference to names, marks, and domains/websites owned by third parties. All such names, marks, and domains/websites are the property of their respective owners. No sponsorship, endorsement or approval of this content by the owners of such materials is intended, expressed or implied. Copyright © 2022 Accenture all rights reserved.