Marubeni Corporation : - Launch of IoT System that Automatically Monitors the Status of Temporary Structures Built at Construction Sites
July 01, 2020 at 11:09 am EDT
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Marubeni Corporation (hereinafter, 'Marubeni'), CACH Inc. (a Japanese IoT startup, hereinafter, 'CACH'), and Marubeni Construction Material Lease Co., Ltd. (hereinafter, 'MCML') hereby announce the release of a trial version of a new IoT solution for temporary construction structures developed by CACH.
This IoT device is attached to steel support structures (also called, 'struts', one type of temporary construction structure used by MCML), and monitors their axial force, automatically sending an alert message should any irregularities be detected.
The construction industry is seeking solutions for safe management, accident prevention and productivity improvement against lack of human resources such as skilled workers or supervisors at construction sites. Convention dictates that, after assembling temporary structures at construction site, supervisors of the site manually check hydraulic pressure jacks or sensors and measurement instruments are attached by professionals to the structures to monitor the axial force in strut structures. Such methods are subject to human error caused by decreasing the number of supervisors and risks are also associated with the complex nature of instrument wiring, as well as the accident risk associated with working at significant heights.
The IoT devices have already been attached to the temporary structures prior to their arrival at the construction site, so no on-site measurement preparation is required, saving time and contributing to safe management. In addition, strut axial force data collected by the devices is sent automatically to the cloud in real time, and is available to be checked from anywhere at any time. Furthermore, the devices send push alert messages via phone, tablet or PC as soon as they detect any irregularity in the temporary structures so that quick action may be taken.
Feedback from users during this trial will be utilized for further product improvements at CACH and for the creation of new added value for MCML's temporary structures. Moving forward, the goal of the trial is to strive for market developments using Marubeni's network in Japan and overseas.
Marubeni Corporation is a diversified group organized primarily around 12 business segments:
- sale of agricultural products and related services (47% of net sales): sale of agricultural inputs (crop protection products, fertilizers, seeds, etc.), precision farming services, formulation of crop protection products, export of cereals and oilseeds, etc.;
- sale of food products (17.6%);
- production and distribution of oil, gas, alternative energy and electricity (10.4%);
- production of chemicals and petrochemicals (6.4%);
- production of metals and mineral resources (4.9%);
- sale and financing of industrial and construction machinery and equipment (4.6%). The group also develops car sales and tire distribution activities;
- sales of consumer electronics (4.3%). In addition, the group develops real estate development and management activities;
- sale of forest products (2.3%): wood chips and biomass fuel, pulp and waste paper, paper, paperboard, hygiene products, building & construction materials and wood products;
- sale of apparel, accessories, textile and lifestyle products (1.1%);
- management and operation of aircraft and ships (1%);
- development of energy production units and industrial installations (0.3%);
- finance and leasing (0.1%): auto finance, aircraft leasing, aircraft engine leasing, leasing and renting of refrigerated trailers, commercial vehicles and commercial freight railcars, etc.
Net sales are distributed geographically as follows: Japan (37.2%), the United States (42.5%)