July 02, 2021
The Internet of Things (IoT) is growing rapidly. By the end of 2020, there will be more than 30 billion connected devices.
This increasing connectivity is giving business the opportunity to develop new ways to provide their customers with better, more efficient services.
At SGS, we strongly believe in using IoT to reshape how we do business – providing innovative services, improving operational efficiencies and increasing customer engagement and customer satisfaction. Through our IoT Competence Center, we are leveraging our accumulated knowledge and experience to develop new services that rely on IoT technology to create added value for our customers.
SGS IoT Competence Center
In May 2019, the IoT Competence Center was launched in Madrid, with the mission to lead and support the SGS digital transformation toward the next generation of inspection and monitoring services, and the vision of becoming the widely recognized point of reference for providing innovative, sustainable and cost efficient IoT solutions.Working with Microsoft, Swisscom and other companies, we are creating a dedicated, secure IoT network that enables us to capture data with smart devices and then transfer it to the Cloud. With this technology, we can deploy a wide range of testing, and inspection services, tailored to each of our customer’s specific needs.
Our partnership and common goal of delivering state-of-the-art IoT Solutions culminated with Swisscom being recognized as Microsoft’s “2020 Swiss Partner of the Year”.
Smart Warehouse
An IoT solution for the agriculture industry, SGS’s Smart Warehouse uses IoT technology and wireless sensor networks to detect fluctuations in temperature, moisture, relative humidity and carbon dioxide (CO2) levels inside grain stockpiles. Real-time monitoring of conditions allows us to identify degradation of grains, early germination, and the growth of insects and microorganisms at the earliest stages. The customer can respond quickly to any issue before it creates a severe threat to the quality and integrity of the commodity.Benefits
Efficiency and cost savings: Sensors track data 24/7, so customers can identify issues when they first occur and engage in preventive maintenance, avoiding downtime and costly repairs. By using smart devices to perform inspections, we free our inspectors from having to manually collect samples, saving the time and cost of multiple trips to and from sites. Inspectors can redirect their efforts to data analysis and interpretation.Customer engagement and customer insight: Digitalizing our services enables our customers to play a more active role in the inspection process. They have access to online service configuration, ordering and data platforms. Customers can also participate in online training modules and user forums. We can use the information provided by our customers to gain insights on their wants and needs, so we can provide them with better, more tailored services.
Innovative Services: We can take large quantities of collected information and apply advanced data analysis to create new value added services, such as preventive maintenance, and new business models.
IoT Solutions
Through our IoT Competence Center we are creating solutions to meet a diverse set of requirements for a wide range of industries and business functions: agriculture, industry, health, environment, consumer market, public sector and others:Aleksandar Mitrevski, SGS IoT Competence Center Director, said, “Our IoT solutions allow us to provide a better experience for our customers worldwide. 24/7 monitoring services, along with big data analysis and artificial intelligence (AI) for capturing data patterns, enable our customers to take a more proactive role in their businesses, so they can increase efficiencies, minimize costs and stay competitive in the market.”
Fred Herren, Senior Vice President, SGS Digital and Innovation, remarked, "We are proud to be applying the latest developments in digital technology to our extensive, longstanding experience in the fields of testing and inspection. By remaining future focused, we are confirming our position as a leading provider of solutions that improve quality, safety and productivity.”
