Today, our world is being increasingly defined by oceans of data and the harnessing of technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT).
With these advancements come great opportunities for societies and businesses to create real value for people across the globe. Here, the digital innovations offered by Hitachi’s Lumada digital solutions are helping to enable this seismic paradigm shift in the region.
Lumada refers to Hitachi’s co-creation ecosystem that blends our expertise in operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT) to create new digital transformation value with our partners. Through three interoperating pillars, namely the Lumada Innovation Hub, the Lumada Solution Hub and the Lumada Alliance Program, Hitachi and its partners are working together to collect knowledge and create innovation.
Across Southeast Asia, Hitachi is scaling this approach via the Lumada Center. Established in 2018, it is a cutting edge IoT centre where Hitachi works with our partners to understand the needs of businesses and societies to facilitate the creation of customised digital solutions.
The COVID-19 pandemic has rocked Southeast Asia’s supply chains. Industries, ranging from those dealing with natural commodities to consumer goods, have all been adversely impacted by delays in the production and transportation of goods. These delays have led to increased costs that are often passed on to end consumers.
Through our Lumada solutions, Hitachi is able to step in and help supply chain businesses in Southeast Asia increase their workforce productivity and operational efficiency, mitigating the adverse impacts of the pandemic.
This includes Hitachi’s Digital Supply Chain tool, which is able to aid in the analysis of data collected from manufacturing sites for the easier visualisation and analysis of production processes. With this tool, businesses can glean clear insights on how to optimise factory operations and increase productivity.
For the logistics sector, our Hitachi Digital Solution for Logistics/ Delivery Optimisation Service can analyse traffic congestion, storage locations, and delivery locations to enable smart routing. This saves on miles and speeds up deliveries, increasing operational efficiency while reducing costs.
Despite the digital transformation gains made in Southeast Asia, there remain significant service gaps in the region. Two such sectors are the finance and healthcare sectors, where inclusiveness has lagged behind the region’s broader economic growth. However, on both fronts, digitalisation can help overcome the barriers that have perennially made it difficult for people to access these services.
With Lumada, Hitachi is able to help modernise finance sector infrastructure to grow e-payment usage. This is to help more people in the country reduce their reliance on physical cash and engage with internet economy sectors such as e-commerce, both of which have become essential in light of the risks posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. In the realm of healthcare, Hitachi’s digital capabilities in artificial intelligence (AI) and big data analysis allow for the in-depth analysis of medical information. By providing useful insights on individuals’ health risks, such technology paves the way for greater health awareness and early intervention, reducing the financial burden of healthcare on both individuals and society.
Southeast Asia is a leading region in manufacturing, with countries such as Thailand providing a regional manufacturing base for a host of international companies producing a diverse range of goods. As such, disruptions to the manufacturing sector in the region could have adverse consequences on a global scale. To address this, the implementation of solutions that can keep production going throughout these disruptions is key.
For years, Hitachi has been helping to advance manufacturing operations that can improve the sector’s resilience and its ability to tap into opportunities presented by the next age of industry (dubbed Industry 4.0).
One challenge exacerbated by the ongoing pandemic is the need to implement remote work solutions, which can be particularly difficult in a factory setting where personnel need to interact with machine resources to keep production lines going. This need can only be addressed with advanced digital solutions that allow remote operations to be conducted in real time via a smart factory concept, which Hitachi already introduced in Thailand several years before the pandemic even began. As the future of work continues to evolve, such solutions are set to play a crucial role, with more factories in the country now looking to accelerate their digital transformation.
The issues facing Southeast Asia’s societies and businesses are becoming increasingly complex. This makes it more difficult for one segment to address them, showing the fundamental importance of applying the right digital solutions. Alongside partners across a wide range of societal and business areas, Hitachi’s Lumada solutions are continuously working to bring forth various lasting improvements to societies and businesses with digital technologies.
Southeast Asia is expected to accelerate its digital push to improve the livelihoods of its inhabitants. Hitachi, as we have been doing for decades in Southeast Asia, remains driven to help the region’s countries manage and sustain its digital transformation.
Date of Release: April 2022
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