ArcelorMittal’s 5G Steel network will cater to the needs for industrial network performance and operations in a production environment on complex industrial sites

Steelmaker ArcelorMittal France, in partnership with Orange Business Services and Ericsson, has launched 5G Steel, a network to test new industrial use cases at its industrial sites in France over the next three years.

The deployment will cater to the needs for industrial network performance and connected workers and operations in a production environment on complex industrial sites.

In production, maintenance, logistics and development, digital technologies have already begun to transform our processes, increase the reliability of our operations and improve the comfort and safety of our teams. The opening of our two Digital Labs in Dunkirk and soon in Florange is another illustration of ArcelorMittal’s desire to create an ecosystem at the crossroads of industry and digital, said David Glijer, Director of Digital Transformation at Arcelor Mittal France.

Based on Ericsson’s technology leadership within 4G/5G private networks suited for advanced industrial use cases and high-risk sites and Orange Business Services’ integration and support expertise, 5G Steel will allow the steelmaker to deploy use cases requiring high-speed cellular connectivity – from better worker flexibility and mobility in different situations to autonomous rail/road vehicles and safety devices.

With EasyMile, a leader in driverless technology and smart mobility solutions, ArcelorMittal will launch the first autonomous train on an internal private network, which will be put into service in 2023.

The project also aims to enable the digital transformation of the French value chain ecosystem for industrial use cases. 5G Steel will cover the Grand Port Maritime de Dunkerque and ArcelorMittal’s Digital Labs in Dunkerque and Florange, and tests are being conducted to extend the network to the Hauts-de-France and Grand Est regions.