Daiwa Steel Tube’s lesson in Internet of Things adoption

Until recently, the cost of implementing a new data solution outweighed the clear return on investment, so solutions were mainly adopted by Fortune 100 and larger companies. As of 2020, 90 percent of small manufacturers in the U.S. didn’t even have an IoT implementation plan. Without such a strategy, sufficiently trained personnel or infrastructure for data collection, manufacturers can’t make use of technologies. Consequently, it’s challenging to see the full picture of potential margin improvements even on tight budgets. It’s been a year and a half since we started working with Daiwa Steel Tube Industries, in Tochigi, Japan. It is already the largest galvanized steel tube producer in Japan, but its president, Shin Nakamura, saw opportunities to improve efficiency and an immediate need to make up for capability lost due to impending worker retirements.