Sumitomo Heavy Industries Group DX
SHI Group has declared its DX Vision to be "leverage the digital capabilities to make workplaces around the world more comfortable and bring happiness to everyone involved", and will conduct corporate activities based on the DX Activity Policy.
DX Grand Design
Based on "Sumitomo's Business Philosophy" together with the Group's "Business Principle", in January 2023, SHI Group formulated and released the "DX Grand Design (a concept that serves as the base for creating strategies)" as a long-term concept for promoting digital transformation.
DX Activity Policy
We formulated the DX Activity Policy in February 2025 based on the "DX Grand Design (a concept that serves as the base for creating strategies.y)" and the "Medium-Term Management Plan 2026" to strive to enhance business profitability and address social challenges leveraging the digital capabilities.
We will follow the DX Activity Policy to "Sophisticating and simplifying operational processes" and "create excellent products and services" while also accomplishing "corporate social responsibility". More specifically, we will promote DX based on the following activity guidelines.
1. Transforming the value chain
By proceeding to advance operations across the value chain, including the engineering chain, supply chain and service chain, we will deliver value to ourselves and to all stakeholders.
2. Promoting the use of digital tools and data by individual employee
We will increase operational productivity by improving the literacy of each employee and increase operational quality through the use of data.
3. Improving customer service through IoT-enabled operational machinery
We will promote the creation of customer value, primarily in the area of after-sales service, by collecting and using operational data from our products (for example, error detection, preventive maintenance, and optimal operation support).
4. Enhancing environmental perception and machine control using data and AI
We will promote the creation of customer value by leveraging real-time data from operational sites for environmental perception and machine control (for example, operation and machine handling assistance, advanced yet simple operation and machine handling (automated, autonomous, optimal, unmanned, labor-saving, safe, and coordinated)).
5. Environmental and safety measures
We will work on environmental issues such as visualizing our carbon footprint and safety issues such as security measures (product and plant security, building various SIRT systems). *SIRT: Security Incident Response Team.
DX Strategy
We have formulated DX strategy for the "Medium-Term Management Plan 2026" by combining the "DX Activity Policy" together with the "Key DX promotion activities" that promote the policy.
Key DX promotion activities
Group IT governance
In January 2025, SHI Group formulated and released "SHI Group IT Governance Principles". Based on the principles, the Corporate ICT Group, which oversees digital transformation (DX), has taken the lead in promoting DX in collaboration with each department of the business segments. The Management Strategy Committee (as part of the corporate governance system) regularly deliberates on DX strategies and the progress of related initiatives, striving to enhance business profitability and address social challenges leveraging the digital capabilities.
DX human resources development and mindset cultivation
To promote DX, SHI Group has been facilitating a comprehensive process of "learning", "project implementation" and "sharing the results and outcome (for mutual learning)" to develop DX human resources and cultivate a mindset. This approach aims to develop DX human resources and cultivate a mindset that encourages each employee to proactively engage with broader challenges as their own.
(1) DX and digital education
We are conducting in-house DX training programs focused on three key skill areas (i) business skills for envisioning the services, products and processes to be realized, (ii) data utilization skills and (iii) IT utilization skills to adapt to new digital technologies and drive global technological innovation.
(2) Enhancing Internal DX Engagement
To promote DX within the organization, we have launched "Connecting DX", a portal site for the SHI Group. This platform effectively consolidates knowledge and insights from various DX initiatives, making them accessible across the entire Group.
Additionally, we have established communities and user groups for business intelligence (BI) tools and generative AI, providing opportunities for cross-departmental learning and collaboration. We also leverage corporate social media to facilitate casual information exchange throughout the entire Group.
Establishment of digital platforms and environments
To drive digital innovation throughout the entire Group, we are establishing digital platforms and their usage environments that supports both our customers and employees.
(1)SHICuTe
We have built a common platform, "SHICuTe," which enables cross-functional development across the SHI Group's products, to promote value creation based on data and IoT.
* "SHICuTe" is a registered trademark of Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd.
(2)SHI DataLink
The SHI Group is building a shared platform that enables real-time, data-driven decision-making. We also operate an internal community, the "SHI DataLink Office," to support users through events and help desks related to BI tools and data warehouses.
(3) Microsoft 365 (information sharing platform)
The SHI Group adopts s Microsoft 365 as the information-sharing platform , branded internally as "365NOW!!" to encourage active information use. To empower employees to solve problems independently, we provide comprehensive educational content and foster a knowledge-sharing community.
DX project promotion activities
The Corporate ICT Group and related departments actively participates in and promotes DX initiatives to both launch and accelerate digital transformation projects.
(1) DX Project Support
We provide support for DX-related planning and proof-of-concept activities, ranging from service development for business segments and departments to workplace improvements. Our goal is to enable these segments and departments to acquire DX expertise and ultimately become self-sufficient in driving DX initiatives on their own.
(2) IoT Promotion
To enhance IoT-enabled after-sales services, ,we collaborate with each business segment and department to move forward on planning, design and development. We are promoting IoT by leveraging the Group's common platform, "SHICuTe."
Indicators to measure the progress of DX initiatives
As part of our DX strategy, we have established key performance indicators (KPIs) and target values to assess progress on both our "DX Activity Policy" and "Key DX Promotion Initiatives."
Example of achievement measurement indicators include:
- " Transforming the value chain": the number of completed projects.
- " Improving customer service through IoT-enabled operational machinery": the number of products and services that create customer value.
