LAURA CASTRO
XYZ Specialist
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INTRODUCTION
Accelerating battery production and enabling Gigafactory development is a key priority for the UK in order to retain its strong automotive industry, as well as its overall economic and industrial health. Recognising this, Britishvolt has set its eye on the UK – Northumberland specifically – for its first full-scale Gigafactory. HSSMI has established a good partnership with Britishvolt and we are proud to have supported the company with its global ambitions.
THE CHALLENGE
A key project in our partnership has been the definition and deployment of the Digital and IT Strategy. As Britishvolt are looking to establish a brand new facility, this means starting from scratch, with a clean slate and no legacy systems. By embedding a robust digital strategy and infrastructure from the outset, businesses can tackle inefficiencies and develop systems that are smart by design. A digital ecosystem enables businesses to validate product, processes, and facility layouts and operations, which in turn helps secure investment, customers, suppliers, and manage internal business processes.
HSSMI, with its experience in digital and battery manufacturing, was able to provide Britishvolt with the support and knowledge necessary to develop the strategy. We also designed a roadmap, which advised on the selection and roll out of the digital systems and processes required to manage the product, process and Gigafactory overall.
THE APPROACH
The challenge facing HSSMI in this work was two-fold.
First, we were entrusted to design an IT infrastructure that would be fit to support the operations of a Gigafactory, that would be secure and allow both manufacturing and non-manufacturing systems to function at their optimal level.
We explored the best practices and lessons learnt from past projects in the industry with stakeholders from Britishvolt and HSSMI. Leading IT infrastructure projects were benchmarked in terms of scope, cost and delivery.
The second task was to develop an enterprise application architecture strategy which would enable a data rich environment and include systems and tools to manage the operations of the organisation.
This started by understanding the user requirements, i.e. the internal requirements of Britishvolt staff. HSSMI mapped these requirements in different systems and tools to avoid duplication and a seamless flow of data, all while keeping the user experience in mind.
Then, HSSMI performed a rigorous selection process which included requests for information (RFI), supplier demonstrations, visits to clients of suppliers, all accompanied by a robust scoring matrix. Performing the selection process this way allowed Britishvolt to continuously be close to the detail and satisfy any uncertainty that they may have had.
THE RESULTS
For the first task, HSSMI developed a comprehensive plan, including definition, preparation, concept design, and spatial coordination, to suit the process and facility, as a result
The enterprise application architecture strategy enabled Britishvolt to select major systems and tools like ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning System), MES (Manufacturing Execution System), and PLM (Product Lifecycle Management). Other systems have also been highlighted. The pilot roll out of the PLM system has been completed and pilots of other systems are due to be carried out in 2022.
A WORD FROM BRITISHVOLT
"When I joined Britishvolt in the summer of 2021, it was clear that to build an enterprise IT Architectural model that supports and enables the Britishvolt corporate growth and ESG plans, the engagement of the right business partner was key. HSSMI provided excellent resource, knowledge and experience to advise on which key IT components Britishvolt should be prioritising. From the design of modular data centres for the proposed UK Gigafactory to the provision of global security and support managed services and the selection of ERP, MES and PLM platforms, HSSMI continue to be an embedded IT business partner and a true extension of the Britishvolt IT function."
David Threlfall
Chief Executive Officer, Britishvolt
Contact us today for a short initial conversation on how HSSMI can help your organisation achieve its strategic goals.
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