IFS to fuel ‘digital mine’ for Europe’s largest iron ore producer

IFS has been selected to deliver a state-of-the-art enterprise asset management solution to enable mining and minerals group, LKAB, to set a new world standard for data-driven mining.

LKAB has launched one of the largest industrial investment plans in Swedish history with the aim of achieving carbon dioxide-free production by 2045. As part of this, the company has embarked on a digital transformation journey to ensure business process transparency, consolidation and harmonisation of processes and data, as well as access to insights to drive improved decision-making.

IFS’s cloud-based solution was chosen based on its capabilities in key areas such as maintenance and logistics, in addition to its RESTful APIs and browser-based user interface. It will be used by around 4,000 LKAB employees working in Sweden, England and Norway.

Markus Petäjäniemi, LKAB senior vice president of market and technology, said: “The journey LKAB has embarked on will transform the global iron and steel industry and set new standards for how mines are digitised and managed. To lead the industry toward more responsible, resource-efficient mining practices, we need the very best technology to make sure our people and assets are working efficiently and safely. IFS is an open solution that will connect to our technological backbone and support our current and future needs.”

Elni Kullmer, IFS Nordics managing director, added: “This is a landmark agreement for IFS and we are honoured to have been chosen by LKAB to help usher in a new era of efficient mining. We have been supporting EAM processes in asset-intensive industries since the 1980s and we are thrilled to be able to bring our experience to bear on this exciting project. We look forward to a long and mutually beneficial partnership.”