Leading contract manufacturer, Dixon Technologies, has picked Tech Mahindra to deliver an AI-powered Industry 4.0 transformation across 24 manufacturing plants and six R&D centres in India.
In sum – what to know
Prime partner – Tech Mahindra to lead digital change across 24 production plants in India for contract manufacturing giant Dixon Technologies
Initial phase – covers consultancy and design to eliminate data silos, integrate tech, update legacy gear, and create a smarter digital environment.
Final vision – aims to set benchmark for AI-driven manufacturing; future integration of private 5G and edge computing may be on the cards.
India-based system integrator Tech Mahindra has been appointed by Indian contract manufacturing company Dixon Technologies to set it on a road to “AI-powered Industry 4.0 automation” across all of its manufacturing plants and research and development (R&D) centres in India. The firm has 24 manufacturing facilities and six R&D sites. It also claims to have 35,000 staff, $4.5 billion in operating revenue, and an OEM client list stretching to 100-odd “global brands”. So says its website; a press note called it “one of India’s largest contract manufacturers”.
Dixon Technologies ranks (itself?) top in its home country for EMS, or ‘electronic manufacturing services’ (EMS) – another term for contract manufacturing, producing products on behalf of design houses at original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). It rates itself thirteenth on a global level for the same. It makes or assembles televisions, washing machines, laptops, smartphones, medical devices, lighting systems, and surveillance equipment, plus other items. It is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and National Stock Exchange (NSE) of India.
Tech Mahindra will be its ‘prime’ supplier for digital transformation, covering consultancy, design, procurement, deployment, and management. The marketing focus is invariably about AI. The integrator firm said it will help it to “drive the next wave of industrial innovation through its deep expertise in AI-enabled Industry 4.0 solutions and smart factory services”, before going on to describe a more prosaical journey around the task to “streamline and unify” with a view to “smarter operations, faster decision-making, and sustainable outcomes”.
The initial phase of the project appears to be a consultancy and design exercise, around “end-to-end integration, consolidated investments, and a transformation roadmap focused on achieving cost savings, productivity improvements, and other outcomes”, said Tech Mahindra. It went on: “Additionally, the initiative is designed to eliminate data silos, enable proactive decision-making, and create intelligent manufacturing environments.” All of which sounds like a good basis for AI, rather than a clear vision of AI solutions and applications, as yet.
There is no word on networking as part of the new deal with Dixon Technologies. But a separate conversation with the firm about the state of the private 5G market in India revealed, again, quite how seriously it considers edge-based cellular for industrial setups. “Private 5G is a key driver of Industry 4.0 transformation, enabling seamless integration of IoT, automation, AR/VR, and AI at scale – while giving enterprises full control over their networks,” said Amol Phadke, chief transformation officer Tech Mahindra, in conversation with RCR Wireless.
He added: “With edge computing, it unlocks new value chains by enabling reliable and mission-critical applications that Wi-Fi or public 5G cannot achieve.” Tech Mahindra is delivering private 5G networks globally through “strategic partnerships” with hyperscalers, operators, and vendors, he said, and cited its work with Airtel to deploy private 5G in automotive manufacturing plants in India, and with others in other fields in India and globally. (More next week.) But the project with Dixon Technologies sounds like it will incorporate a more fundamental change programme.
The firm linked to its smart factory services (SFS) page on its website, which discusses “critical challenges for both brownfield and greenfield operations” such as “upgrading legacy systems for Industry 4.0 readiness”. Its work with Dixon Technologies incorporates a wider digital review and reorganisation. But its vision of industrial AI is clear, too. Collaboration will “establish a standard for how manufacturers can leverage AI, automation, and digital tech to achieve quicker innovation cycles, enhanced efficiency, effective change management”, and all the rest, it said
Atul Soneja, chief operating officer at Tech Mahindra, commented: “As India enters a manufacturing revolution, operational resilience and adaptability are essential. Manufacturers who embrace these changes will thrive and bolster economic growth. In line with this, we are delighted to partner with Dixon Technologies to shape the future of smart manufacturing in India. Our AI-enabled Industry 4.0 automation solutions are designed to provide integrated intelligence throughout the production lifecycle.”
Atul Lall, vice chairman and managing director at Dixon Technologies in India, said: “We are committed to staying at the forefront of technological innovation in manufacturing. Our partnership with Tech Mahindra marks a significant step forward in our digital transformation, Industry 4.0 Automation and creating smart factories. With their proven track record in delivering next- generation digital manufacturing solutions, we aim to build future-ready, agile and smart factories that align with global best practices and are driven by innovation.”
