Johnson Matthey has selected Infor MES (manufacturing execution system) for its hydrogen fuel cell manufacturing facility in Swindon, UK. The announcement comes as a slight surprise, with Johnson Matthey having invested in its SAP Unify Programme, rolling out Sap ERP. One might have expected the global leader in sustainable technologies to have extended its SAP footprint with the SAP MES solution.
However, the company went through an extensive market assessment and a competitive bid process to find the right solution for its new manufacturing site. It is looking for the Infor solution to digitise manufacturing operations, boost efficiency and traceability, and underpin ambitious growth plans for its hydrogen technologies business unit.
Investment in Hydrogen technology is soaring and may provide the answer for longer distance journeys, energy and heating. Hydrogen has the potential to significantly contribute to the fight to tackle the climate crisis by decarbonising industries that are difficult to electrify, such as heavy industry, heavy mobility, aviation and shipping. Johnson Matthey has invested in the technology for more than two decades. Its Swindon plant already produces high-performance fuel cell components, including membrane electrode assemblies, catalyst-coated membranes, and fuel processor catalysts.
Infor MES will enable the firm to have real-time visibility and control over its production operations and support operators with every task they perform through the production process. Simon Jones, Johnson Matthey operations director of hydrogen technologies, commented, “We recognised the need to invest in functionally-rich systems to keep pace with the increasing demand for hydrogen fuel cells and electrolysers. Infor MES will allow us to ramp up production to meet customer demand and fulfil our ambitious growth plans.”
Enterprise Times: What does this mean
This is one of the first announced wins of the new Infor MES solution that Infor obtained when it acquired Lighthouse Systems last year. Importantly it was a competitive situation within a company that has rolled out SAP across most of the organisation.
Andrew Kinder, Infor SVP of industry and solution strategy, commented, “We’re delighted to be working with Johnson Matthey in such an innovative and exciting industry. The decarbonisation sector is fast moving, with innovation at its very heart, so it requires solutions that can deliver real value quickly. Infor MES is perfectly placed to deliver this value, underpinning crucial digital transformation for our customers’ manufacturing operations.”
What is also important is the experience that Infor will gain from this deployment in a potentially huge and relatively new industry. The knowledge gained in Swindon could help Infor win further bids across the globe as hydrogen fuel cell grows. Vision Research Reports expects the global hydrogen fuel cells market size to reach around USD 68.06 billion by 2030 and grow at a CAGR of 69.5% from 2022 to 2030.
