GA will integrate its existing digital use cases into the EX cells. (Image source: EGA)

Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) has commenced hot metal production at pilot reduction cells for its next-generation aluminium smelting technology, known as EX.

The pilot programme, taking place at EGA’s Al Taweelah site, marks a major step toward scaling up the EX technology for full industrial deployment.

It lays the groundwork for EGA’s future expansion in low-carbon primary aluminium production, while also reinforcing the company’s standing as a leading provider of smelting technology to the global aluminium sector.

In addition to testing the technology’s operational readiness, the pilot will serve as a proving ground for the most advanced Industry 4.0 applications in aluminium manufacturing.

Cutting emissions

EGA will integrate its existing digital use cases into the EX cells and is also developing cutting-edge capabilities that leverage artificial intelligence and advanced data analytics to enhance operational performance.

EGA has been developing its own aluminium smelting technologies in the UAE for over 35 years.

Since the 1990s, the company has used its proprietary technology for every smelter expansion and has successfully retrofitted all older production lines.

In 2016, EGA became the first UAE industrial company to license its core process technology internationally through a landmark agreement with Aluminium Bahrain, which used EGA’s technology for its Potline 6 expansion.

EX is the 10th generation of EGA’s in-house smelting technology, with pilot cell construction beginning in late 2024.

Designed to increase output while reducing energy consumption and emissions, EX offers improved productivity per sqm compared to the company’s DX+ Ultra platform.

Depending on the variant, EX is expected to cut greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 5% to 12% per tonne of aluminium produced.

EGA’s DX+ Ultra is already considered among the most energy-efficient smelting technologies in the global market.

The company launched its digital transformation in 2021 to improve cost-efficiency, responsiveness, safety, and sustainability.

Since then, EGA has implemented more than 80 Industry 4.0 applications, generating roughly US$100mn in value. In January 2025, EGA became the first aluminium company globally, and the first industrial firm in the UAE, to be named an Industry 4.0 Global Lighthouse by the World Economic Forum.

Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, chief executive officer of EGA, said, “First hot metal from these EX Technology reduction cells is a key milestone for both our technology leadership and future growth at EGA. Our goal is to expand our primary aluminium production with the most advanced and smart aluminium smelting technology, to build the smelter of the future and to create further value for EGA through smelting technology partnerships around the world."

Also read: EGA signs agreements to produce gallium in the UAE

Manufacturers can now use CONNECT with Databricks. (Image source: AVEVA)

AVEVA, a global leader in industrial software, has been named the 2025 Databricks Manufacturing ISV Partner of the Year. Announced at the annual Data + AI Summit, the recognition honours AVEVA’s outstanding contributions to data-driven innovation in the manufacturing sector.

Over the past year, AVEVA has partnered closely with Databricks to launch a pioneering integrative solution via its CONNECT industrial intelligence platform.

This collaboration redefines how industrial and enterprise data are unified, analysed, and actioned, solving a critical challenge in modern industry: converting fragmented OT and IT data into meaningful, trusted insights.

By combining the Databricks Data Intelligence Platform with CONNECT, users can securely integrate industrial and enterprise data in an open, scalable, and governed way, using Delta Sharing, Databricks’ open-source technology for cross-platform, cross-cloud live data sharing.

Smart solutions

This enables advanced capabilities such as AI, machine learning, and real-time analytics to be applied to previously siloed data sets.

As a result, manufacturers can now use CONNECT with Databricks to drive smarter decision-making, predictive maintenance, demand forecasting, sustainability tracking, safety improvements, and enhanced operational efficiency, while reducing development time and costs, and accelerating time-to-value.

“At AVEVA, we’re proud to have established Databricks and Delta Sharing as key foundation-stones of our strategy for our industrial intelligence platform, CONNECT,” said Bry Dillon, SVP of Partners and Commercial Strategy at AVEVA.

“Together, we’re enabling our joint customers to access real-time insights, accelerate AI, and deliver tangible outcomes across the industrial landscape. Our partnership with Databricks marks a pivotal moment in the advancement of industrial AI. This collaboration presents a powerful opportunity to accelerate the deployment of AI-driven solutions and drive greater industry wide collaboration — capabilities that are needed for companies across the industrial sector to stay relevant, remain competitive, and build efficient, sustainable businesses of the future.

"We are thrilled to name AVEVA the 2025 Databricks Manufacturing ISV Partner of the Year," said Shiv Trisal, Global Manufacturing, Transportation & Energy GTM Leader at Databricks. "As more enterprises leverage data intelligence to solve challenges across the manufacturing and energy industries, AVEVA's partnership with Databricks is essential to helping organisations everywhere harness the full potential of their data."

You may be also interested in reading AVEVA, ServiceNow Partner to transform industrial operations

Manufacturing is a prime industry for implementing DXP. (Image source: Liferay)

In a Q&A with Technical Review Middle East, Moussalam Dalati, General Manager MEA & France – Liferay, speaks on digitalisation in the manufacturing sector. Read on: 

How do Digital Experience Platforms (DXPs) drive digital transformation in the manufacturing sector?

Manufacturing is a prime industry for implementing Digital Experience Platforms (DXPs), given its complex B2B environment characterised by international operations, dynamic market demands, and intense competition. The manufacturing value chain involves numerous stakeholders from raw material suppliers to distributors and retailers, creating ample opportunities for technology to streamline operations and enforce process consistency.
For manufacturing companies, DXPs integrate a wide range of technologies to deliver streamlined digital interactions across the organisation. By unifying data from IoT sensors, ERP systems, and other enterprise platforms, DXPs enable seamless data access and analysis. This integration supports improved decision-making, cost optimisation, and greater operational efficiency throughout the manufacturing lifecycle.

What DXP solutions are most popular in manufacturing, and what drives their adoption?

In manufacturing, one of the most critical needs is robust B2B digital commerce that integrates seamlessly with broader self-service capabilities to deliver a unified digital customer experience. Liferay addresses this by combining native B2B commerce with powerful DXP features, enabling manufacturers to manage product catalogues, tutorials, knowledge bases, community forums, support tickets, and workflows on a single platform. Liferay DXP is especially well-suited for manufacturing scenarios, offering advanced features like Shop by Diagram (i.e., an interactive parts-diagram interface where technicians can click on components to order replacements), buyer approval workflows, contract pricing, and tiered discounts, all essential for complex B2B transactions. Manufacturers also face recurring challenges in reducing cost-to-serve, entering new markets, streamlining operations, and differentiating through customer experience.

How do DXPs support real-time analytics for predictive maintenance, quality control, and supply chain visibility?

DXPs consolidate structured and unstructured data from IoT devices, ERP systems, and production platforms into a single view. This single view provides clean, accessible data essential for powering AI-driven analytics. They also continuously collect sensor data. This enable early detection of equipment issues and support machine learning models that predict failures, reducing downtime and maximising asset performance.
Besides, real-time monitoring helps detect production deviations, while historical data analysis identifies patterns that may lead to defects. This proactive approach improves product quality and minimises waste. With easy-to-integrate AI capabilities, DXPs support predictive models for everything from energy efficiency to production optimisation, driving continuous improvement and competitive advantage.

How can DXPs integrate with existing ERP and manufacturing systems without disrupting operations?

As organisations scale, their existing investments in content, marketing, and customer management systems can become fragmented, resulting in siloed data and disjointed customer experiences. The high cost and complexity of replacing legacy systems often delay digital transformation initiatives that are critical to delivering seamless, connected experiences. Digital Experience Platforms (DXPs) like Liferay offer a strategic solution. Rather than replacing existing systems, Liferay DXP integrates and extends them, enabling companies to unify the customer journey across touchpoints.

With out-of-the-box capabilities for content management, personalisation, and customer engagement, DXPs provide a modern, cohesive experience layer while preserving legacy infrastructure in the background.
These platforms are built for flexibility, supporting both current business needs and future innovation. As a result, more companies each year are turning to DXPs to simplify the experience, modernize systems and break down silos to accelerate digital transformation at scale.

Middle East manufacturers are leading the way in AI adoption, according to the Rockwell Automation report.

According to Rockwell Automation’s newly-issued 10th annual State of Smart Manufacturing Report, 98% of manufacturing companies in the Middle East are using or planning to use generative AI, the highest rate globally, with 96% committed to broader AI/ML technologies

The study is based on feedback from more than 1,500 manufacturing leaders globally, including representation from the oil and gas (7%), renewables and energy transition (9%) and chemicals (4%) sectors.

The study highlights that Middle East companies are leading the way in deploying AI to improve operations and meet business goals, shifting from broad digital expansion to focused strategies, to achieve measurable outcomes in efficiency, cybersecurity and sustainability.

"Middle East manufacturers are not just experimenting with smart manufacturing technologies; they are applying them to address real operational challenges," said Ediz Eren, regional vice president, Middle East, Türkiye, and Africa, Rockwell Automation. "From cyber resilience to ESG performance and workforce engagement, the data shows a shift toward outcome-driven digitalisation."

Practical use cases

Manufacturers in the region are focusing on practical use cases for AI, with 68% planning to use AI for quality control, 61% for cybersecurity, and 46% for energy management over the next 12 months, significantly above European benchmarks, and 42% applying AI/ML to monitor sustainability targets.

This is paying off in terms of ROI, with 10% of manufacturers citing GenAI as their top-returning technology, and 15% saying the same of cybersecurity platforms.

Cybersecurity has risen up the agenda for manufacturing firms, with 98% of companies having either invested in or planning to invest in cybersecurity platforms, and 44% deploying countermeasures to mitigate rising threats, the highest rate globally. Thirty-six percent now view cyber risk as their top external concern, up from 27% last year.

Technology is also reshaping the workforce, with  43% of regional respondents now prioritising upskilling, up 14% year-on-year and significantly ahead of the European average.