ARCHIVE FOR THE ‘smart-automation’ CATEGORY

Berg Insight release new findings about the market for connected public spaces Including smart street lighting, smart parking, smart waste collection and smart city surveillance.

Ericsson’s first fully-automated smart factory in the world will be operational in early 2020.

Ericsson have announced plans to build its first fully-automated smart factory in the US. The state-of-the-art factory will produce Advanced Antenna System* radios to boost network capacity and coverage, including rural coverage, as well as 5G radios for urban areas, both necessary for rapid 5G deployments in North America.

The new smart factory complements Ericsson’s global supply chain, which ensures the company is working close to customers through its European, Asian and American operations, securing fast and agile deliveries to meet customer requirements. This builds on Ericsson’s previously announced strategic initiative is the U.S. market. Ericsson is also fast-tracking the launch of the next-generation smart manufacturing through a modular and flexible production setup in its existing own factories in Estonia, China and Brazil.

Fredrik Jejdling, Executive Vice President and Head of Networks at Ericsson, says: “We continue to focus on working closely with our customers and supporting them in the buildout of 5G globally and in North America. With today’s announcement, we conclude months of preparations and can move into execution also in the U.S. In addition, we are digitalizing our entire global production landscape, including establishing this factory in the U.S. With 5G connectivity we’re accelerating Industry 4.0, enabling automated factories for the future.”

Location will be announced upon concluding discussions with state and local authorities. The company is committed to the factory being operational in early 2020. The smart factory will be powered by Ericsson 5G solutions tailored for the industrial environment and will also advance Ericsson’s commitment to sustainability, including registration to pursue LEED Gold Certification.

Fast and secure 5G connectivity will enable agile operations and flexible production. This will be achieved through automated warehouses, connected logistics and automated assembly, packing and product handling, and the use of autonomous carts.

The latest technology products created in the 5G factory will enable a faster rollout of commercial 5G across the region. To ensure the high quality of products, Ericsson runs its new product introduction** and early production in-house. Over time, activities to support new product introduction will also be added to the new factory operations as local competence and knowledge of 5G is built.
Ericsson plans to initially employ approximately 100 people at the facility, which will have highly automated operations, as well as a modular and flexible production setup to enable quick ramp up and rollout.

Ericsson began operations via a production partner for the first radios for the U.S. market produced at the end of 2018. The company also established a new R&D site – a software development center – in Austin, Texas. It is located close to the Austin ASIC Design Center, which opened in late 2017 and focuses on core microelectronics of 5G radio base stations.

Former Google Enterprise sales leader, Nathan Radar, will drive client acquisition strategy to the next level, connected worker platform firms says.

Rader said: "Industrial companies are facing pressure to address high-priority operational challenges and improve execution of key frontline business processes. I've been in technology for 20 years, and it's rare to find a robust platform like Parsable that can be deployed quickly and show quick time to value. The flexibility of the platform is a game-changer in the industrial world, and I'm excited to be a part of the digital transformation taking place inside industrial workforces."

Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) who use vehicles are aware of digitisation benefits but many still rely on manual processes.

New research from TomTom Telematics shows fleet-based SMEs are turning to digitisation to improve productivity, communication and cost.

The study, which canvassed over a thousand companies across the EU and USA, revealed 81% of those decision makers surveyed said they could get more jobs done if they could digitise more of their workflow.

However, the majority of those questioned admitted taking a manual-paper heavy approach to every day tasks such as expense management, customer updates and quoting and invoicing.

Beverly Wise, TomTom Telematics' UK Sales Director said the survey highlighted two key areas. "First, SMEs are frustrated by the costliness, time ineffectiveness and potential for error explained when handling essential tasks manually," she explained. "And two, managers want digital solutions to take care of these jobs."

You can download the full here.

 

Firm's supply chain business, Final Mile, is set to expand its network of smart-delivery lockers across the UK.

BT have announced its supply-chain business, Final Mile, will now be available in 1000 locations in the UK. The expansion follows a series of contract wins and an increase in its sales force.

The storage facilities uses the Internet of Things (IoT) to connects its network of secure lockers and boxes, enabling engineers to collect equipment and spare parts.

The number of sites have doubled since the service was launched in 2016 and Steve Maddison, Final Mile's General Manager says testing the solution on its own fleet of technicians was important. "We know from our own experiences with our own field service engineers, as well as our external customers, the fast, reliable delivery of parts and equipment is critical to customer service," he said. "We know Final Mile works because we've tested it with one of the largest field engineering workforces in the UK - our own."

 

Ericsson has signed an agreement with the Swedish company Transtema Group AB to divest Ericsson Local Services AB (LSS), a subsidiary of Ericsson supplying field service operations and maintenance of fixed and mobile networks in Sweden.

Ericsson Local Services AB is a market leader in field services in Sweden. LSS builds and maintains network infrastructure and delivers services in all areas of Sweden's field service operations market.

Under the agreement, all operations and assets of LSS will be transferred to Transtema ownership. LSS will continue as a legal entity in Transtema Group. As a result of the transaction, Ericsson becomes a minority shareholder and will be represented on the Board of Directors of Transtema Group.

This divestment is in line with Ericsson’s business strategy, a key part of which is Managed Services and operating networks on behalf of our customers. The divestment of LSS is part of executing on that strategy as Ericsson will no longer sell new standalone field services projects.

Ericsson Local Services is a market leader in field service operations in Sweden with a skilled workforce of approximately 700 employees across the countryPer Narvinger, Head of Customer Unit Northern & Central Europe, Market Area Europe & Latin America, Ericsson, says: “Ericsson Local Services is a market leader in field service operations in Sweden with a skilled workforce of approximately 700 employees across the country. They deliver very good support to our customers, and we believe Transtema has an excellent opportunity to continue to develop the field service operations while also executing on existing customer commitments. Together we will ensure a quick and smooth transition and a good relationship.”

Magnus Johansson, CEO Transtema Group says “We intend to operate LSS as a separate legal entity within Transtema Group. With LSS experience, competence and customer relations in Sweden, they will become the backbone of our field service operations business. Our goal is to continue to grow the service business for telecom networks. This is in line with our ambition to develop our operations in Sweden and internationally. We look forward to welcoming and onboarding all LSS employees as soon as the deal is closed.”

The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of the calendar year 2018 and is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals.

Ericsson manages the Network and IT operations and Network Design and Optimization for customers in over 100 countries, providing long-lasting cost-efficient performance through smart automation, analytics and business practice.

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