This week, as part of Nokia’s Global Analyst Forum, I had the honor of speaking with two business leaders from our growing roster of more than 700 enterprise customers: Utku Barış Pazar, Chief Strategy & Digital Officer for Arcelik, and Mikko Uusitalo, Global Director for Mission Critical and Private Networks for Cellnex Telecom. We talked about their industries and the power of networks to digitalize processes, improve worker safety, increase productivity, reduce operational costs, and address broader societal needs.

As we enter the Fourth Industrial Revolution our customers are fundamentally changing how they think about their businesses. From manufacturing and mining, to education, transportation, and beyond, the opportunities are limitless to use digitalization to build a more agile, resilient, and sustainable future. This shift is also changing how we work with our customers, as we rely on an ever-growing ecosystem of partners. We can’t drive change alone; but by working together, we can start making very futuristic concepts a reality today.

With limitless opportunity often come many questions; this is where we serve to help. As we cross borders and industries, we provide customers with insights and innovations from around the world. In many customer meetings, I’m asked about use cases for 5G and/or private wireless networks. Our work with Cellnex and Arcelik are two examples of enterprises that are pushing the boundaries of innovation to drive their businesses forward.

Cellnex Telecom is a Spanish wireless telecommunications infrastructure and services company with sites all over Europe. Nokia, in partnership with Cellnex, helped stand up the first private network based on 5G technology in Spain for BASF; and the first such deployment in the chemical industry. During our chat, Mikko shared many examples of how this network is transforming their operations.  

As a leader in the chemical industry, BASF is using 5G to improve job site safety. By enabling tracking devices installed on workers helmets, in case of an accident, help can be dispatched to the precise location. This technology also allows managers to ensure safety protocols are being followed without having to be present in a specific on the factory floor. Also, the low network latency enables the safe operation of automated vehicles across the 1 km² facility for logistics optimization.

Augmented reality allows repair crews to photograph and scan an issue, such as a broken pipe, and instantly access detailed instructions for how to fix the problem. And above all else, in the future BASF is planning to take advantage of additional 5G capabilities as they become available, maximizing their investment.

Arcelik, based in Turkey, is a large, multinational household appliances manufacturer that has been working with Nokia since 2019 to digitize their operations. Together, we implemented the first private LTE network trial, which led to the deployment of several use cases, such as video analytics to deliver increased efficiency, flexibility, safety, quality, and productivity to their factory floor, with many more ambitious projects in the pipeline.

Nokia, and its partners create technology that transforms our customers businesses, bringing innovation to their industries, and building towards a more sustainable future.  We will continue listening to best understand their near and long-term goals, learning from setbacks and successes. Helping them overcome new challenges as they arise and realize new opportunities. Working together there are no boundaries to what our customers can achieve!