EGA, Microsoft UAE to join forces on Industry 4.0 and broader digital transformation

With the aim of setting global best practices for the aluminium industry while enhancing the sustainability of EGA's computing operations, Microsoft UAE and Emirates Global Aluminium, the world's largest 'premium aluminium' producer, announced their intention to work together on Industry 4.0 and broader digital transformation.

"We are proud to partner with EGA, the largest 'premium aluminium' producer in the world, to accelerate their Industry 4.0 transformation while also pioneering further improvements in Microsoft's own cloud for manufacturing services. I look forward to further collaborations between EGA and Microsoft in the future, both locally and globally," stated Naim Yazbeck, General Manager at Microsoft UAE.

The new agreement calls for the two businesses to collaborate to advance EGA's Digital Roadmap, which is already revolutionizing the organization's operations using digital tools like artificial intelligence and big data. Microsoft's cloud will enable EGA to achieve significant energy savings by accelerating enhanced efficiency and enabling digital transformation. EGA anticipates reducing CO2 emissions by more than 80 per cent and energy usage of its entire computer activities by up to 65 per cent.

EGA will advise Microsoft on new developments and enhancements to the computer giant's goods and services. Microsoft will assist EGA in upskilling workers on pertinent Microsoft technologies to hasten adoption inside the operations of the world's largest aluminium producer.

Additionally, EGA will create a private Microsoft Azure Cloud at its locations, moving a further third of its computing workloads there. This will open up opportunities for the company's industrial operations to deploy data-intensive and time-sensitive automation and artificial intelligence solutions. To give employees a more effective, adaptable and secure office computing environment, EGA will adopt virtual desktop cloud PCs.

"We are already transforming EGA's operations, business and employee experience through Industry 4.0 and our broader digital transformation. Our collaboration with Microsoft will enable us to further accelerate, scale and sustain this work as a digital lighthouse for the region and our industry," said Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Global Aluminium.

The UAE Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology's Industry 4.0 Champions Network, which seeks to hasten Industry 4.0 adoption throughout the UAE industry, includes both Microsoft and EGA as members. By moving a third of EGA's server infrastructure and apps to Microsoft Azure Cloud, EGA and Microsoft will use the power of cloud computing to scale and expedite the creation of new digital solutions.