Holcim ramps up use of AI

Holcim is scaling up its use of artificial intelligence (AI) in manufacturing across more than 100 plants worldwide over the next four years, improving efficiency and reinforcing capacity for customers. With AI already deployed at 45 plants to predict and prevent failures before they occur, Holcim will deepen and broaden this application to boost operational resilience. This will entail Holcim further rolling out a state-of-the-art predictive maintenance solution from leading AI platform software provider C3 AI, as well as piloting generative AI to enhance its capabilities.

Miljan Gutovic, CEO of Holcim, said, “AI is a transformative technology that will revolutionise our industry. Already widely embedded across Holcim, AI catalyses operational efficiency and enhances customer service. We will ultimately scale up our use of AI to hundreds of sites worldwide.”

As part of the rollout, Holcim’s maintenance teams are being equipped with best-in-class predictive technology for real-time asset management and optimisation. Holcim’s AI initiatives in manufacturing span several other areas, from cement quality and process optimisation to autonomous vehicles and computer vision.

This application of AI is part of Holcim’s Plants of Tomorrow programme to modernise a global network of over 140 integrated cement plants and grinding stations across more than 40 countries. According to the company, by using digital and AI solutions, Holcim is creating connected, smart and energy-efficient sites that complement other decarbonisation levers. The initiative also includes the use of unmanned drones for enhanced inspection and safety practices, and smart control systems for efficient energy consumption.