GE Digital and NEC collaborate to drive the digital industrial era forward in Japan

Deploying PREDIX for NEC’s Supply-Chain Management and Industrial Solutions

TOKYO—October 26, 2016 – GE Digital (NYSE: GE) and NEC Corporation (TYO: 6701) announced that NEC Corporation is deploying GE’s Predix, the world’s first cloud-based operating system for the Industrial Internet, as part of the company’s global supply chain improvement project. Through its use of the Predix platform, NEC will optimize its supply chain and factory operations, with the intent to achieve a substantial reduction in operational costs.

Predix powers the modern digital industrial businesses that drive the global economy. Predix-based applications connect industrial assets, collect and analyze data and deliver real-time insights for optimizing industrial infrastructure and operations, for both GE and non-GE assets.

“GE is driving the Industrial Internet globally powered with Predix, while leveraging NEC’s vast business experience in IT systems development and its advanced technology capabilities in Japan,” said Takaaki Shimizu, Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), and Member of the Board, NEC Corp. said. “NEC is providing IoT solutions for multiple industries. In September 2016, we launched an IoT platform named ‘NEC the WISE IoT Platform’ that is integrated with AI, big data analytics, Cloud, cybersecurity and software-defined networking (SDN) etc. We are convinced that NEC can accelerate our IoT business globally by providing an array of IoT solutions to a broader customer-base under this alliance,” Shimizu added.

“As every industrial asset would be operated as a SaaS model, GE’s Predix will become a critical platform for our customers’ transformation,” said Bill Ruh, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GE Digital. He said GE and NEC have a rich history, dating back to both companies’ founders. “This partnership with NEC demonstrates how two very diverse companies have collaborated to identify a viable solution to implement a unified platform that will improve supply chain operational efficiencies. Through this innovative cross-collaboration with NEC, we expect to drive efficiencies, optimize operations, and reduce millions in savings for Japanese industry over the next five years.”

In addition to the joint collaboration, NEC has also joined GE Digital’s Alliance Program, the first of its kind program, designed to grow the digital industrial ecosystem. Together, GE Digital and NEC are exploring ways to achieve the following:

Build an Industrial IoT Ecosystem

• NEC will deploy Predix for its global supply-chain improvement project. NEC is deploying Predix for its large-scale overseas project to pursue substantial cost reduction through supply-chain optimization. Based on NEC’s knowledge and GE’s global experience for Predix, both companies will explore joint go-to-market initiatives.

Create New Value in the Industrial IoT Space by Integrating Technologies of Both Companies

• NEC and GE Digital are exploring opportunities to develop and launch new applications on Predix.io, the Predix developer portal site by leveraging NEC’s technology such as NEC the WISE AI technologies, including microservice. NEC and GE intend to develop applications on Predix.

Leverage the Support and Training Capability for Predix

• GE and NEC are exploring the possibility of providing education and training services for Predix users. Both companies are exploring the possibility of enabling NEC to provide post-sales support for Predix solutions in Japan.

Develop the Cyber Security Solution in the Operational Technology (OT) and Information Technology (IT) space.

• NEC and GE are exploring a joint go-to-market strategy for cyber security solutions, integrating OT security technologies by GE Digital’s Wurldtech with NEC’s IT security solutions.