MITSUBISHI CORPORATION TOKYO - June 30, 2021 - Mitsubishi Corporation (MC), Japan's largest trading company, NTT DATA, a leading digital business and IT services provider, and NTT DATA subsidiary everis Brasil Consultoria de Negocios E Tecnologia Da Informacao Ltda (everis Brazil), are pleased to announce the start of their collaboration in global robotic process automation (RPA). In May 2020, the three companies began joint work in digital transformation (DX) in Central and South America. In addition to furthering this work for the MC Group's global operations, they now intend to leverage the customer bases of both the MC and NTT DATA groups to market the latter's WinActor® robotic process automation (RPA) solution1. With the MC Group's support, NTT DATA plans to distribute 5,000 WinActor licenses to companies and governmental institutions outside Japan by the end of 2024.
In December 2019, MC and NTT Corporation (NTT) announced a business partnership to pursue industrial DX. Among their early initiatives were a joint investment in HERE Technologies, a mapping and location-data service provider based in the Netherlands, and the establishment of a joint venture called Industry One, Inc. in the food distribution industry, an area in which MC specializes and has accumulated extensive knowledge.
During this business tie-up, the companies have pursued a framework to achieve a transformation from MC's business locations utilizing NTT DATA's digital technologies. Recently, along with the utilization of blockchain technology for trade procedures through the TradeWaltz® platform, the companies are pursuing utilization of the WinActor® robotic process automation (RPA) solution developed by NTT, and currently in use at MC Group companies Mitsubishi Shokuhin Co., Ltd. and Metal One Corporation.
Start of cooperation in the DX field in Central and South America
In October 2020, MC Group company Metal One do Brasil Industria, Comercio e Representacao Comercial Ltda ('Metal One Brazil'), together with NTT DATA Group company everis Brazil, became the first company in the MC Group in the Central and South American region to introduce WinActor®. In January 2021, Mitsubishi Corporation do Brasil S.A. ('MC Brazil') held a robot contest (business operations contest for improvement of operational efficiency) in which robots created by entry teams competed to test their performance. Robots are currently used in a wide range of fields, such as reporting on economic and market conditions, as well as for accounting and legal affairs. They contribute to labor savings, greater efficiency, and enhanced precision for such business processes, and through continual revising and improvement in methods and processes for business tasks, optimize processes for individual firms and between group companies.
MC Brazil and everis Brazil concluded a framework contract in March 2021 to promote and implement DX in various business fields, and in May that year concluded a cooperation contract that includes introducing WinActor® in the Central and South American region. Going forward, the companies will further accelerate cooperation in the DX business. Through these contracts, MC and NTT DATA Group aim to distribute the solution in ten Central and South American countries, including Brazil, Chile, and Colombia. Also, the companies will combine the industry knowledge of MC with the digital knowledge of NTT DATA Group to work together for industrial DX in the region, focusing on a wide range of fields and industries including telecommunications infrastructure and industrial solutions.
Start of a business alliance for global RPA utilization
Along with introducing RPA within MC Group, MC and NTT DATA will work together to offer WinActor® on a global basis to the MC customer base. MC aims to strengthen its solutions offering to customers in the digital field, while NTT DATA seeks to accelerate the spread of its digital offerings globally, support digitization for a wide range of industries, and provide solutions to social problems.
NTT DATA has been providing support for automation at the MC head office and 67 group companies since 2017, mainly for overseas offices in the Asia-Pacific region. Going forward, WinActor® and technical assistance to MC Group will be handled together with the companies of NTT DATA Group, centered everis Brazil, on an ongoing basis in countries around the world. NTT DATA has a sales structure for WinActor® and global support centers in 76 countries around the world, providing a solid framework for sales and implementation support for RPA utilization both within and outside MC Group.
NTT DATA plans to distribute 5,000 licenses for WinActor® to companies and government institutions outside Japan by the end of 2024, accelerating this effort through collaboration with MC Group.
Masaki Katou, President of Metal One Brazil, which is pursuing this activity in the Central and South American region, following the introduction of WinActor® by the Metal One head office in 2017 has stated: 'The Metal One group in Japan was early adopter of the Japanese-made RPA tool for its operational processes in 2017. Currently, 123 processes for WinActor® are utilized each day. There are many Japanese manufacturers operating in Central and South America, and we have introduced WinActor® at Metal One Brazil and began using it quickly, in order strengthen our information service function. Going forward, we hope to encourage Metal One Brazil customers to adopt RPA, and work with NTT DATA Group to support Japanese manufacturers in the region.'
From his part, Shuhei Watanabe, former Chief Financial Officer of MC Brazil＊, which held the robot contest event, and is furthering the DX business alliance in the Central and South American region has explained that: 'In the robot contest there was a clear benefit in terms of operational improvements and utilization for business, and we were able to train employees with IT skills. The fact that we were ability to secure a bridgehead for future expansion in the industrial DX field to the region is highly significant. In addition, MC and NTT have similar corporate cultures, and its collaboration provides advantages and benefits. While combining the industry knowledge of MC with the digital knowledge of NTT DATA, we will work closely in a wide range of areas for industrial DX including providing service to HERE Technologies, and collaboration in the telecommunications infrastructure field.'
＊He was appointed CFO until the end of May 2021, after that he was transferred to MC group in Japan.
About MC
MC engages in a wide range of businesses spanning multiple industries and overseen by its 10 Business Groups: Natural Gas, Industrial Materials, Petroleum & Chemicals Solution, Mineral Resources, Industrial Infrastructure, Automotive & Mobility, Food Industry, Consumer Industry, Power Solution, and Urban Development.
About NTT DATA
About everis
everis, part of NTT DATA Group, is a multinational consultancy firm dedicated to helping organizations enhance and strengthen their processes and core businesses through business consulting, strategy, digital transformation, and IT development.
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Mitsubishi Corporation published this content on 30 June 2021 and is solely responsible for the information contained therein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 09 July 2021 15:07:04 UTC.
