Manufacturing Unwrapped: Hitachi's Ganesh Bukka
Welcome back to Manufacturing Unwrapped, where we 'present' some of the highlights of our coverage of the manufacturing sector in 2024.
This installment covers our interview with Ganesh Bukka, Vice President and Global Head of Industry 4.0 at Hitachi Digital Services, who provided compelling glimpse into how the company is driving transformative change in manufacturing.
This change emerges from Hitachi Digital Services's distinctive approach which merges its deep legacy in operational technologies with modern IT innovations, creating a seamless convergence of physical and digital systems.
This integration reflects a strategic focus on enhancing both operational efficiency and top-line growth.
By leveraging IoT not just for connectivity but as a driver of business value, Hitachi sets itself apart.
A standout feature of the company’s philosophy that Ganesh highlighted was its focus on servitisation, optimising enterprise value chains whilst transforming products into services.
This dual emphasis underpins its strategy for creating what he describes as a "digital thread," where IT and OT systems coalesce to offer actionable insights, improve asset utilisation, and advance sustainability.
Bringing these systems together is critical for the future of digitally enabled manufacturing, and fact that Ganesh expanded upon further in our interview.
Innovation and the Future of IT/OT Integration
Ganesh explained how Hitachi's recent advancements highlight the practical impact of its strategic approach.
He highlighted the development of its Greenfield rail manufacturing facility, which utilises machine learning, computer vision, and robotics.
This facility is a blueprint for autonomous manufacturing, significantly enhancing quality control and operational precision.
Beyond manufacturing, Ganesh explained how the company’s creation of industry cloud accelerators has driven efficiencies across sectors like energy and mobility by enabling seamless cloud transformation and advanced data management.
Central to Hitachi’s success is its innovative use of data analytics.
By integrating diverse data sources into unified models and data lakes, the company creates data products that drive informed decision-making and operational excellence.
Ganesh explored how the application of generative AI and industry-specific cloud solutions further enhances its ability to address complex challenges while promoting sustainability—a key trend shaping the future of IT/OT convergence.
Valuable insights for 2025
Ganesh provided a wealth of value insights at IT/OT convergence in his interview, insights which are valuable for any manufacturer to read up on going into 2025.
For example he highlighted the growing importance of AI and sustainability in driving innovation, giving actionable advice on strategies to best explore these areas.
He also highlighted Hitachi's preparation for these trends, which includes developing solutions that address carbon footprint reduction, resource circularity, and distributed resource management in energy and rail.
This mindset ensures that Hitachi Digital Services not only adapts to emerging demands but leads the industry in reshaping manufacturing for the digital era.
Through its commitment to data-driven innovation, sustainability, and advanced IoT solutions, Hitachi Digital Services exemplifies the transformative potential of Industry 4.0.
Ganesh's insights underline the importance of integrating traditional expertise with cutting-edge technology, positioning Hitachi as a pioneer in the evolution of manufacturing and industrial efficiency.
You can read the full interview here.
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