Partnership initially focuses on European markets including Germany and Austria
Orange Business Services and Siemens have teamed up to foster the adoption of internet of things (IoT) solutions in the industrial sector.
The partners said that their initial plans are to develop asset tracking and asset-monitoring solutions with the aim of optimizing the supply chain and improving efficiencies, as well as to develop digitally enhanced products to increase customer satisfaction and create new business models.
The partnership will begin with a focus on Europe, starting with IoT-based solutions to be rolled out in Germany and Austria.
The two firms also said that this new partnership will help businesses connect their machines and physical infrastructure to the digital world, while advanced analytics and digital services will help them increase productivity and efficiency across their business.
Under the partnership, Orange Business Services will provide its global cellular connectivity, consulting, system integration and application development skills. The alliance is built around Siemens’ cloud-based open IoT operating solutions, MindSphere and Datavenue, with Orange Business Services’ IoT and data analytics modular offering.
Orange Business Services said it will connect systems and objects via MindSphere. Customers have the option of pre-packaged offerings such as asset tracking, or customized solutions and applications. Orange Business Services will initially provide connectivity components from Datavenue, including cellular and Low Power Wide Area networks, the French company said.
“We are delighted to partner with Siemens in the MindSphere ecosystem in the industrial sector. By combining our strengths we are providing industrial enterprises with new opportunities to exploit their data and unleash the power of IoT to drive significant competitive advantage,” said Olivier Ondet, SVP for IoT and Analytics at Orange Business Services.
“The global IoT connectivity offering from Orange supports requirements where digital products and digital processes can be integrated in our MindSphere platform. Our customers will now benefit from worldwide coverage, which supports new business models and scalability,” said Kai Brasche, VP of MindSphere Partner Management EMEA at Siemens.
Last year, Orange Business Services announced a partnership with Microsoft to deliver end-to-end IoT solutions to boost the digital processes of companies in the manufacturing sector.
Through this collaboration, enterprises can use Datavenue in conjunction with Microsoft’s Azure IoT Suite.
Use cases that can take advantage of that collaboration range from supply chain and smart inventory management to digital operations, such as predictive maintenance, employee safety and facility and equipment management.
One of the firms that has already implemented this new offering is e.l.m. leblanc, for which Orange delivered a customized IoT platform on Microsoft Azure, which provides a tailored solution for remote monitoring, along with predictive maintenance. A subsidiary of the Bosch Group, e.l.m. leblanc manufactures gas boilers and water-heaters.
