Boliden is taking the next step in creating a sustainable, long-term foundation for industrial digitalization. In collaboration with Sinetiq, work is currently underway to develop a common reference architecture that will support the interplay between IT, OT, data, and digital solutions. The objective is to increase reuse, improve system interoperability, and enable a more scalable development of future initiatives, such as AI.
Boliden operates mines, concentrators, smelters, and exploration environments across multiple global locations. For many years, digital solutions have been developed to meet local and operation-specific needs. The next step is to introduce a common reference architecture and way of working that make it easier to share information, reuse solutions, and develop digital capabilities like AI consistently across the entire Group.
To support this evolution, Boliden has entered into a partnership with Sinetiq to establish a reference architecture for industrial digitalization. The work focuses on how information, integrations, applications, and industrial systems interact, rather than on individual products or technical platforms.
This is a key project for future-proofing our IT and OT environments. The shared architectural principles provide us with the right conditions for long-term, secure, scalable, and value-creating digitalization across the entire Group. In Sinetiq, we gain a partner who possesses both a deep understanding of our specific challenges and the cutting-edge expertise required to solve them, says Markus Frank, IT Manager Mines at Boliden.
In the initial phase, we are focusing on creating a shared understanding of how operations, information, systems, and integrations connect. By establishing a reference architecture with clear principles and models, we are laying the foundation for a more uniform and scalable development throughout the organization, says Raggi Steinsen, System Architect at Sinetiq.
The reference architecture will serve as a guiding framework for future digital decisions and investments. With shared principles in place, it will be easier to integrate new solutions, reuse existing ones, and create a cohesive flow between operations, facilities, and systems.
A vital part of this work is creating an architecture that remains flexible over time and reduces dependency on individual technologies, products, and vendors. This gives Boliden greater freedom to develop and adapt its digital solutions in line with changing business needs.
The reference architecture is about creating long-term prerequisites for digitalization. When information, integrations, and digital capabilities are structured uniformly, it becomes easier to develop new services, automate processes, and leverage data within the operations. At the same time, we are building a stable foundation for future technological advancement, advanced analytics, and AI-driven solutions that deliver clear business value to Boliden, Raggi Steinsen concludes.
Share:
