Mitsui Chemicals Launches Nutanix Cloud Platform-Based “Next-Generation Factory DX Infrastructure” to Enable Data-Driven Business

Mitsui Chemicals (head office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President & CEO: Osamu Hashimoto) and Nutanix (NASDAQ: NTNX ), a leader in hybrid multicloud computing, today said Mitsui Chemicals will use the Nutanix Cloud Platform to build a private cloud that will enable Mitsui Chemicals to have next-generation, digitally enabled infrastructure in its factories and become a data-driven business.

Mitsui Chemicals will start using the Nutanix Cloud Platform at its Omuta Works located in Fukuoka in Sept 2021, and will deploy the same infrastructure in all its manufacturing sites by Dec 2021 to enable the aggregation and real-time analysis of vibration, gas, pressure gauge and other sensor data, and improve its business continuity plan (BCP).

The deployment of this solution is an important component of Mitsui Chemicals’ group digital transformation (DX) strategy for achieving its long-term business policy "VISION 2030^*1" goal. Mitsui Chemicals is pursuing DX on a group-wide basis to enhance its business model and operations in a way that enables it to help address the issues facing society and ensure it sustains growth in an increasingly uncertain business environment.

Deployment Background and Challenges

Mitsui Chemicals has already deployed a small number of sensors in each of its manufacturing sites on a trial basis to prepare for the enhancement of its operations. Once its full-scale sensor and IoT device deployment is completed, the devices will begin to generate huge volumes of data. If this data is sent directly to the cloud or data centers, network traffic between sites will increase drastically, adversely impacting communications and possibly destabilizing the entire IT system. From the BCP perspective, as well, keeping all the data in a single data center, which is the current practice, poses serious risks given the possibility of communications being impacted by data center damage or power outages from natural disasters.

Announcement Details

In order to enhance its operations by building networks of IoT sensor devices at its five main domestic factories and its Sodegaura Center, Mitsui Chemicals decided to equip all of its sites with edge computing capabilities in the form of DX infrastructure capable of processing huge volumes of data generated by the IoT device networks. To this end, it will begin using the private cloud based on the Nutanix Cloud Platform for the system to preprocess data at its Omuta Works in Sept 2021. It will deploy the same platform with edge computing capabilities at all of its other sites by the end of Dec 2021.

Benefits of Nutanix Deployment

• The Nutanix Cloud Platform is being used to build a private cloud and next-generation factory DX infrastructure that will enable Mitsui Chemicals to equip each of its sites with edge computing capabilities.
• Under this system, vibration, gas, pressure gauge and various other sensor data will be gathered into data lakes for real-time analysis.
• Building an edge computing environment at each site will also enable improved BCP in the event of communications disruption caused by a disaster or some other emergency.
• Nutanix, running on HPE ProLiant DX servers, will provide a highly secure, reliable, and high-performance infrastructure, which will enable stable operations.

Quotes from Each Company on Building the DX Infrastructure

Masao Sambe, executive officer, Digital Transformation Division, Mitsui Chemicals

“Adopting the Nutanix Cloud Platform and edge computing as our next-generation factory infrastructure will enable us to establish an advanced production system. We will deploy this infrastructure globally to enable a dynamic production system, optimize our operations, secure our information infrastructure, provide solid business continuity support, and standardize our DX extension procedures.”

Eisaku Machida, corporate vice president and president of Nutanix Japan G.K.

“We are delighted to be able to provide Mitsui Chemicals with the Nutanix Cloud Platform to aid in their pursuit of data-driven business operations. Nutanix will enable streamlined data management, real-time analytics, IT resource optimization, and better availability. Building an edge computing environment at each site will also support their business continuity in the event of communications disruption caused by a disaster or some other emergency. Using Nutanix for edge/private cloud integration will also help to stabilize their IT system operations when the system is subjected to large inflows of aggregated sensor data.”

Mitsui Chemicals group’s long-term business policy "VISION 2030"