Heavy industrial sectors around the world have more in common than meets the eye: They’re all being impacted by digital transformation. Specifically, the industrial businesses that build the backbone of society are grappling with how to best implement and use new technology to survive in rapidly evolving markets.
In the case of the mining sector, it’s a centuries-old industry that’s in the process of reinventing itself — turning to digital technology to extract value from data and redefine what a successful business looks like.
Let’s take a look at some of the lessons that’ve been learned.
How are top mining executives approaching digital transformation?
I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Theuns Roux — the Transformation Director at Nutrien — to discuss how his company is using new technology to reinvent its approach to maintenance.
Nutrien produces and distributes more than 27 million tons of potash, nitrogen and phosphate products for agricultural, industrial and feed customers. Theuns leads digital transformation and operational excellence for Nutrien’s potash division. Previously, he led Nutrien’s borer automation program across its global network of potash mines. Prior to joining Nutrien, Theuns led strategy and transformation at BHP and Veon.
My conversation with Theuns was very enlightening. Here are the top three takeaways from our chat. Be sure to check out the video below to hear our talk in full.
1) In today’s environment, you must adapt to change very quickly.
As a mining business, now is the time to shape your perspective on adapting to (and dealing with) change. Time is of the essence as more and more industry incumbents are being leapfrogged by nimbler upstarts that are quick to see and interpret change, adopt new technology that can help them accelerate, and minimize disruption to their business.
2) You’ve got to focus on delivering business value to your organization.
It’s critical to know what executives and key decision-makers are looking for. It’s one thing to talk about digital transformation, operations or IT. It’s another to truly understand how you’ll use new technology to extract value to the business. You must be able to articulate both parts of the story.
3) Being more productive is extremely important, but safety is paramount.
It takes more than just knowing the right technology. You’ve also got to understand the right environment and use case for increasing productivity and improving safety. What role can and should technology play? It starts with driving adoption for the technology in a way that adapts to operations. If it’s forced or foreign, success will be limited. It must be easy to understand, it must guide you and it must help you make better decisions.
