Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) and Microsoft UAE today announced they are to collaborate on Industry 4.0 and broader digital transformation, aiming to set global best practice for the aluminium industry while improving the sustainability of EGA’s computing operations.

Both Microsoft and EGA are members of the UAE Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology’s Industry 4.0 Champions Network, which aims to accelerate Industry 4.0 adoption across the UAE industry.

Under the new agreement, the two companies will work together to progress EGA’s Digital Roadmap, which is already transforming EGA’s operations through digital capabilities such as artificial intelligence and big data.

EGA and Microsoft will leverage the power of cloud computing to accelerate and scale the development of new digital solutions, shifting a third of EGA’s server infrastructure and applications to Microsoft Azure Cloud.

Through digital transformation and by driving increased efficiencies, Microsoft’s cloud will empower EGA to make substantial energy savings. EGA is estimating to reduce the energy consumption of its overall computing operations by up to 65 percent and CO2 emissions by more than 80 percent.

EGA will also develop a private Microsoft Azure Cloud at its sites, shifting a further third of its computing to this system, unlocking opportunities to deploy data-heavy and time-sensitive artificial intelligence and automation solutions within the company’s industrial operations.

WAM