How Kubota is changing the status quo in agriculture and sustainability through technology

Kubota, a Japan-based service and technology provider for the agricultural, water and environmental industries, focuses on innovation and sustainability. A few years ago, Kubota aimed to solve the operational efficiency issues, water and wastewater system maintenance issues, and staff shortages faced by many local businesses. At the same time, it attempted to commit to a zero-carbon city declaration, aiming to virtually eliminate carbon dioxide emissions by 2050. Kubota engaged IBM® to create a system that uses AI and IoT in operations and maintenance to successfully handle Kubota’s business. challenge.

result? IBM has deployed the IBM® Maximo® Application Suite running on Microsoft Cloud. The deployment aimed to support the development of Kubota Smart Infrastructure System (KSIS) BLUE FRONT, a new system that improves operational efficiency and maintenance of water and wastewater facilities. This comprehensive platform connects Kubota’s KSIS, an IoT system, with IBM’s facilities maintenance and asset management platform.

Microsoft Cloud allows Kubota Environmental Engineering Corporation to flexibly scale its platform to accommodate the approximately 100 facilities it operates and to handle future growth.

“Through KSIS BLUE FRONT, we contribute to solving our customers’ problems by centrally managing data on the operation and maintenance of water and wastewater facilities, improving operational efficiency through information visualization, and reducing quality risks and life cycle costs. “I want to,” says Junichi Tanabe. He is from Kubota’s Environmental Business Planning and Sales Department.

IBM Consulting® helped Kubota build the system and provide full implementation steps. Since deployment, we have already seen a significant reduction in time spent on administrative tasks in the field.

Kubota plans to reduce not only the amount of electricity, but also the use of various chemicals and consumables used in factory operation. This improves data efficiency and reduces costs. Kubota is also exploring ways to reduce the budgets of municipalities with water utilities by using IoT data to analyze equipment breakdowns, trends, and past repairs and maintenance.

“It’s no exaggeration to say that this initiative is just getting started, and with IBM’s cooperation, we hope to develop it into a de facto standard not only in Japan but around the world,” says Tanabe.

Kubota will continue to use a dynamic combination of IBM Maximo Application Suite and Red Hat® OpenShift® on Microsoft Azure to support its digital transformation journey. They are working towards their CO regulatory goals.₂ Redefining our approach to the agricultural industry by achieving emissions and carbon neutrality.

For more information about IBM Maximo Suite applications, check out Microsoft Marketplace. Or, to learn more about our partnership with Microsoft and Maximo, check out our “Better Together” blog.

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