South32 and GE in partnership

The partnership, GE’s first with an Australian mining company in the digital space, is a step towards playing a much bigger role in the global mining sector.

This partnership marks the beginning of an exciting journey. South32, with its diverse mining portfolio spanning 10 operations and five countries, sees a real opportunity for technology and innovation to drive safety and productivity improvements.

Through this partnership South32 will use GE’s Predix TM platform, which is designed for industry and connects industrial equipment, data analysis and instant insights. The system will enable South32 to make informed decisions, and provides the opportunity to optimise entire operations, rather than individualised assets and equipment.

“Bringing the world of operational technology and information technology together to monitor equipment and systems remotely and predict future behaviour is a game changer,” Graham Kerr, Chief Executive Officer, South32 said. “It has the potential to identify and solve a problem before it affects operations.”

“By partnering with GE, we have an opportunity to transform the way we work,” added Ricus Grimbeek, Chief Technology Officer, South32. “If we get this right, the result won’t just be an incremental improvement but a new level of efficiency and performance.”

“The future of mining is digital. With data and analytics, we can achieve greater levels of productivity, operational efficiencies, and improve safety,” GE Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, Jeff Immelt said. “We look forward to working with South32 to help them optimise their operations and accelerate the digital transformation of the mining industry at large.”

GE Australia, Chief Executive Officer Geoff Culbert commented: “Successfully transforming the mining sector for the digital age poses an enormous opportunity for Australia. This is innovation at industrial scale in an area where Australia can lead the world and I applaud South32 on their vision. We look forward to partnering with them and discovering what's possible."

Read the article online at: https://www.globalminingreview.com/finance-business/10042017/south32-and-ge-in-partnership/