Over the past few years, EMSTEEL has rolled out more than 30 AI-powered solutions. (Image source: EMSTEEL)

As the UAE’s largest steel and building materials manufacturer, EMSTEEL is making waves in the global industrial sector by weaving artificial intelligence, advanced connectivity, and blockchain into the very fabric of its operations. In an exclusive interview with Technical Review Middle East, Vladimir Arshinov, group chief technology officer at EMSTEEL, shared how the company’s transformative technology strategy is setting new benchmarks for efficiency, safety, and sustainability.

Arshinov emphasised that the company is “pushing the boundaries of technological parameters to enhance operations beyond manufacturing, including commercial, customer experience, health and safety, sustainability, data utility, research and development and other areas.”

AI for industrial transformation

Over the past few years, EMSTEEL has rolled out more than 30 AI-powered solutions. Among these, the company’s flagship innovation is the world’s first AI-led Green Steel Monitoring & Certification System, a cloud-based platform that calculates emissions at the heat level, ensures blockchain-enabled traceability, and offers a digital wallet for carbon credits. This system also monitors decarbonisation initiatives such as carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) and renewable energy integration in real time, enabling the company to offer steel products with reduced carbon emissions.

^{Vladimir Arshinov, group chief technology officer for EMSTEEL}

Beyond sustainability, EMSTEEL is applying AI to optimise energy-intensive industrial processes. Predictive AI tools now manage operations in electric arc furnaces, direct reduction plants, and rolling mills, optimising parameters to boost both environmental and financial performance. “The rapid adoption by our teams reinforces our confidence in this strategic direction,” said Arshinov.

Safety is another area where AI is delivering impact. EMSTEEL has introduced an AI-driven computer vision system that uses safety cameras to detect missing personal protective equipment (PPE) and unsafe behaviour on factory floors, significantly raising its health, safety, and environmental standards.

5G connectivity for real-time decision-making

EMSTEEL has also pioneered one of the UAE’s first private 5G networks built for Industry 4.0. This dedicated infrastructure connects smart devices like sensors, drones, barcode scanners, and AI-enabled safety cameras to a centralised data centre for instantaneous data exchange.

“This hybrid connectivity enables seamless real-time data transmission and system integration, empowering EMSTEEL with rapid decision-making capabilities, advanced analytics, and continuous operational monitoring,” Arshinov explained. By enabling predictive maintenance and reducing downtime, the 5G network enhances both efficiency and safety.

On the safety front, the network’s high-speed, secure channels connect smart helmets and AI safety cameras to provide live monitoring of working conditions. The system can detect hazards in real time, sending immediate alerts to safety managers for faster intervention. “We are creating a safer, smarter, and more efficient manufacturing environment,” said Arshinov.

The AI-led Green Steel Certification System is underpinned by blockchain, which ensures emissions data is transparent, traceable, and immutable. By recording energy usage, raw material inputs, and production process metrics at the heat level, EMSTEEL can provide a verified account of a product’s carbon footprint from production to delivery.

“Blockchain’s core function is to create an unchangeable record of transactions, ensuring that emissions data cannot be tampered with,” Arshinov noted.

Overcoming the challenges of scaling advanced tech

Rolling out these innovations at scale was not without hurdles. “One of the primary hurdles was data readiness,” Arshinov admitted. Historical data was often fragmented, unstructured, or siloed across departments. To solve this, EMSTEEL launched a company-wide data governance initiative to standardise formats, clean legacy data, and build centralised data lakes.

Another challenge was cultural. “While we’re experts in steel manufacturing, AI introduced a whole new way of doing things,” he said. To bridge the gap, EMSTEEL partnered with institutions such as Khalifa University, Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, and the Jožef Stefan Institute in Slovenia to deliver hands-on training, fostering trust and accelerating adoption.

Robotics, drones and smart factories

Looking to the future, EMSTEEL’s “Sprint AI Program” will accelerate AI adoption and data-driven transformation, identifying high-impact use cases and driving a full data platform overhaul.

Strategic partnerships will play a key role. A memorandum of understanding with e& UAE will explore robotics, AI, and “Drones as a Service” (DaaS) to enhance automation, remote monitoring, and industrial safety. Meanwhile, collaboration with Micropolis Robotics will bring autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) equipped with AI-powered visual recognition systems to scrap yard operations, improving safety and precision.

Additionally, EMSTEEL’s work with the Jožef Stefan Institute will apply AI and machine learning to predictive maintenance, quality control, and smart supply chain management, supporting its vision of becoming a fully-fledged smart manufacturing leader.

Rolls-Royce and INERATEC to integrate climate-neutral e-fuels into backup power systems for data centre sustainability

Rolls-Royce and INERATEC, a leading manufacturer of power-to-X systems and climate-friendly e-fuels, have announced a strategic partnership aimed at introducing INERATEC's climate-neutral e-fuels into emergency power systems for data centres.

This initiative seeks to redefine the role of e-fuels in the digital era.

A new future for e-fuels in data centres

With the rapid expansion of data centres, especially driven by the surge in artificial intelligence, energy consumption in this sector is on the rise. Simultaneously, these centres, many part of critical infrastructure, require robust protection from power disruptions.

This is where the collaboration between Rolls-Royce Power Systems and INERATEC comes into play. The companies intend to replace fossil diesel with INERATEC’s synthetic e-diesel, produced from green hydrogen and CO₂, in emergency generators. The first stage of the rollout will focus on data centres in Germany.

Rolls-Royce Power Systems is supporting the integration of sustainable fuels in its data centre emergency power solutions. This offers a reliable, cost-effective, and carbon-neutral approach to one of the key challenges in digital infrastructure.

“Rolls-Royce mtu emergency generators have already been approved for operation with sustainable fuels. Our critical infrastructure customers, such as data centers, who want to improve their carbon footprint, will soon also use e-fuels. Together with INERATEC, we are committed to the use of e-fuels in data centers," said Tobias Ostermaier, president stationary power solutions at Rolls-Royce Power Systems.

“Secure power supply to AI data centers is one of the major challenges of our time. Our e-fuels can offer a climate-neutral solution - reliable, scalable and immediately applicable. Together with Rolls-Royce, we are taking them where they are already urgently needed today," added Maximilian Backhaus, chief commercial officer at INERATEC.

The initial phase of the partnership includes a targeted market introduction in Germany. With short delivery routes from INERATEC's production site "ERA ONE" in Frankfurt, rapid deployment is feasible. INERATEC's e-fuels are derived from renewable energy sources and CO₂, complying with internationally recognised environmental certifications such as ISCC. Over time, both companies plan to expand their collaboration globally.

Also read: Modular solutions for a future-ready Middle East: UTEC leads the charge in sustainable data centre innovation

Nasri Nassereddine, regional vice president, Cumulocity. (Image source: Cumulocity)

Businesses often hesitate to invest in new technology, especially with new iterations of artificial intelligence. 

Technical Review spoke to Nasri Nassereddine, regional vice president, Cumulocity, to find out how AI can bring real change. Read on: 

What are some of the most pressing challenges when adopting automation technologies?

One of the biggest challenges is legacy infrastructure as many organisations lack the digital maturity required to process real-time data at scale. Data silos, fragmented architectures, and cybersecurity risks also hinder progress. More importantly, the talent gap in AI and IoT engineering makes it difficult to execute and accelerate this change. But above all, decision-makers are grappling with how to balance short-term ROI with long-term transformation. The shift to autonomy is not just a technological upgrade, but it is an organisational shift in mindset, operations and an overall approach to business.

What opportunities are emerging as a result?

We're seeing breakthroughs in predictive maintenance, real-time optimisation, and AI-driven decision-making which directly impact cost, uptime, and sustainable objectives of organisations . In smart cities and various sectors, autonomy is enabling safer and more resilient operations. What’s unique in the Middle East is the scale and ambition of innovation from sovereign entities. With projects like smart cities and digital twin initiatives, the region isn’t just adopting autonomy, it is shaping the future of autonomous ecosystems with localised innovation, AIoT platforms, and national digital infrastructure.

How important is government and regulatory support?

The government and regulators support and contribution is foundational to its adoption and growth. In the Middle East, leadership  vision from leadership and top-down execution are driving real change. Governments in Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Qatar are not only investing in national AI strategies, but they are consciously building regulatory sandboxes, launching sovereign cloud initiatives, and integrating autonomy into giga-projects. This clarity and commitment pave the path for private sector players. When regulation aligns with innovation, it supports fast-track adoption and encourages public-private collaboration at scale.

How can remote condition monitoring transform fleet and device management?

In Saudi Arabia, we are currently working on a semi-government project and deploying a system to manage over 100,000 vehicles. This system will track health diagnostics, fuel consumption, and driver behavior in real time of thousands of vehicles simultaneously. The business impact is manifold and measurable: fewer breakdowns, optimised routes, and safer operations. In industrial IoT, Cumulocity can monitor thousands of distributed assets, from water pumps to energy meters remotely and detect faults before they disrupt service. Cumulocity fosters operational resilience through continuous visibility and insight. 

What does a smooth, scalable deployment of autonomous systems look like?

The key is to start small, validate early, and scale fast. A successful journey begins with a defined use case; for instance  predictive maintenance on HVAC systems or real-time tracking of utility meters. Cumulocity then layers in intelligence and remote control gradually, guided by performance data. For instance, with one regional utility provider, Cumulocity piloted to evolve their system from manual readings to full AI-based leak detection. The transformation showed that it is not just technical, it brought about new processes, new KPIs, and a cultural shift toward data-driven operations. The key for autonomy to provide optimum impact is when it is embedded into daily workflows, and not treated as an isolated project.

MENA companies and organisations have big ambitions for international expansion and investment

MENA companies and organisations have the biggest ambitions for international expansion and investment, according to Bloomberg Media’s latest Global Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Outlook

90% of senior business decision-makers in MENA surveyed for the Outlook are looking to expand their operations internationally, well above the global average of 76%, with an average investment plan of US$239mn, compared to the global average of US$194mn.

The MENA region also leads in terms of innovation, with 53% of respondents looking to invest in advanced technologies such as AI within the next one to three years, with an eye to long-term growth.

The region stands out in integrating ESG into FDI strategies, with 69% of senior business decision-makers currently doing so, compared to the global average of 56%, and 29% planning to do so in the future. While commitment to ESG varies by region, MENA businesses tend to take a pragmatic approach, with many already integrating sustainability into their investment strategies.

The escalation of conflict in the Middle East, cybersecurity threats, and increased trade barriers are the top three investment concerns for MENA senior business decision-makers, according to the report titled, “Rebalancing in Real Time: How Shocks Are Shaping the Global Investment Landscape”, which surveyed 2,600 senior business decision-makers in 31 key markets across six regions.

While FDI priorities remained broadly consistent globally, emerging regions tended to focus more on cost and productivity. Additionally, political instability and security risks are having an increasing impact in shaping FDI decision-making.

While growing concerns were reported about trade policy and its widespread global impacts, the easing of U.S.–China trade barriers is the leading driver of economic optimism in the MENA region, with 76% of respondents expressing strong positivity, the highest global rating for this scenario.