Konecranes has signed a three-year cooperation agreement with data operator Ukkoverkot and Nokia for a private LTE mobile network leveraging 5G concepts and a global digital automation platform for research and product development purposes.
“With this advanced network, Konecranes has the immediate possibility to utilize future technology and develop 5G capabilities. We believe that better communication capacity, reduced latency and computing power provided in the network infrastructure will enhance our current offering or create something completely new. The new mobile network technology has the potential to bring machine-to-machine communications, IIoT security and machine learning to the next level, which would benefit ports and large manufacturing operations.” says Juha Pankakoski, Executive Vice President, Technologies at Konecranes.
The private mobile broadband, to be built on Konecranes premises in Hyvinkää, will accelerate the research and product development in the field of Industrial Internet of Things and business-critical broadband connectivity.
“This cooperation agreement is very attractive for Ukkoverkot and supports our company’s strategy and technology-pioneering outlook as the provider of micro-operator networks,” says Jouko Tuppurainen, Vice President, Industry Sales at Ukkoverkot.
"Private broadband networks bring an entirely new level of advanced and robust wireless connectivity solutions into various enterprise segments and industries, and it’s an area where Nokia is aiming to expand," says Stephan Litjens, General Manager, Digital Automation, Nokia. "Our technology allows Konecranes to significantly increase the level of automation and analytics by adding more sensors, actuators, video cameras and other appliances into their already world-leading solution.”
Further information:
Juha Pankakoski, Executive Vice President, Technologies, Konecranes
[email protected] or tel. +358 (0)20 427 11
Konecranes is a world-leading group of Lifting Businesses™, serving a broad range of customers, including manufacturing and process industries, shipyards, ports and terminals. Konecranes provides productivity enhancing lifting solutions as well as services for lifting equipment of all makes. In 2016, Group (comparable combined company) sales totaled EUR 3,278 million. The Group has 16,600 employees at 600 locations in 50 countries. Konecranes class A shares are listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki (symbol: KCR).
