Industrial software multinational AVEVA sees its role as key to driving the responsible use of world resources and it wants to help clients ensure they are able to run complex industrial assets in the most efficient and effective ways, AVEVA Europe, Middle East and Africa senior VP Evgeny Fedotov has said.

He was speaking during the X-Change user conference for South Africa-based industrial software company Industrial Software Solutions and Support (IS3) and AVEVA clients and partners on May 9, at the Champagne Sports Resort, in the Drakensberg.

"The biggest names in industries are trusting us to help them to drive their digitalisation agendas. We are keen on understanding the specificities of each industry because, only by understanding the market dynamics in each industry, can we help them drive their businesses forward," he said.

In terms of environmental, social and governance regulations and demands, no industry will be unaffected and more focus is being placed on sustainability as an aspect of these demands and regulations, Fedotov highlighted.

For example, continuing supply chain disruptions have become significant problems for industrial companies and AVEVA must ensure its solutions help them to address some of these supply chain issues, he said.

Similarly, price fluctuations and inflation demand that companies become more agile in the way they define and manage their procurement processes. Technology can help companies make decisions faster in these contexts and is very useful for how some industries operate, Fedotov said.

"Consumers are driving green [environmentally sustainable] goals and technology can help companies and industries provide what consumers are looking for. Many consumer products are strongly affected by inflation and industries must become agile in the way they adapt the manufacturing processes of their goods," he noted.

Digital technology can allow companies to quickly change what they are planning to produce and what price they can charge, based on the combination of requirements and outcomes.

"This is where sustainability plays a role. Many consumers are ready to pay a premium if a company can prove its products have been produced more sustainably than others," he noted.

Further, in terms of infrastructure, industrial software companies, like AVEVA, can help governments by integrating infrastructure and related services to enable monitoring of the performance of cities and regions.

Ageing infrastructure can also benefit from digital technology and allow existing infrastructure to be used according to new standards of operations, highlighted Fedotov.

"This is happening across the globe, regardless of territory, and we have supported and worked with governments, especially in the Asia-Pacific region, for several years. The complexity of managing cities is rapidly increasing and we can help governments of cities and provinces to deliver on their promises to, and fulfil the needs of, citizens," he said.

Further, what drives innovation from AVEVA's side is data. Data has become the new currency in the industrial world and is a true differentiator. Many organisations are aiming to go beyond only providing access to data for their own organisations, with many starting to think about making it available for use by communities in the industry and supply chains, Fedotov said.

Companies that are more open with their data have a better chance to build an ecosystem of partners.

"This is also what we do at AVEVA – we drive digital transformation by breaking down silos and making data available to all stakeholders, whether engineers, operations personnel or for those aiming to optimise operations.

"Using the latest technologies, such as artificial intelligence and cloud, we can achieve the goal of democratising data and giving all workers all the information and capabilities they need through the use of technology to perform their jobs, which we call connected work," he said.

Once data is available, companies can benefit from using the data to optimise their operations.

"This is a reality for industries across the world. In Africa, it is important to ensure that the same approach to digitalising industries is taken by supporting industrial companies to dream big and take ambitious approaches to improving their operations.

"But AVEVA cannot do this alone, which is why we are delivering this dream through our partner network to help us build this vision together," said Fedotov.

AFRICAN INDUSTRIES
Local industrial software company IS3 has been appointed the select partner to grow AVEVA's presence in East and West African markets, said Fedotov.

Digital Industries CEO and IS3 MD Dion Govender welcomed the trust placed in the IS3 team to help AVEVA expand its territories and said that, apart from helping to create digital champions through its work with its Southern African clients, it will aim to create value together with industrial clients in East and West Africa according to its CCC philosophy of competence, community and customers creating value together.

"Our customers and partners will still have the backing and support of our teams, whom they know well, and we will have a role in equipping new partners in West and East Africa. We look forward to the journey and the opportunity to dream big and take people along on the journey.

"We have set our sights on transforming industry in South Africa; now, we aim to bring our colleagues and our new colleagues, clients and partners in East and West Africa along on this journey," said Govender.