Rail company Hitachi finalizes purchase of Omnicom solution from Balfour Beatty's infrastructure services division
The railway industry is set for a significant leap forward with Hitachi Rail's acquisition of Omnicom, a digital rail monitoring business. This strategic move aims to enhance Hitachi Rail’s HMAX digital asset management platform with Omnicom’s proprietary sensor technology and AI-enabled edge computing solutions [1][2].
The integration of Omnicom's solutions into HMAX's platform will deliver more value to Hitachi Rail's global customers. Omnicom's software and hardware for infrastructure surveying and monitoring are designed for digital rail monitoring, allowing the collection of trillions of bytes of images per day [1]. This data will aid in optimizing trackside maintenance planning and the asset lifecycle.
HMAX, launched by Hitachi Rail at InnoTrans in September 2024, was designed to be integrated with Omnicom's solutions. The combined platform uses AI and machine learning to process large volumes of data at the edge (on trains or infrastructure), enabling faster identification of infrastructure anomalies and operational inefficiencies [1][2].
The acquisition will allow Omnicom to benefit from the digital capabilities of the wider Hitachi Group, enabling further innovation and AI-enabled systems for railway infrastructure management. Sanjay Razdan, Omnicom Managing Director, stated that the technology will complement Hitachi Rail's existing digital asset management solutions [2].
Key impacts of this acquisition include enhanced asset management. The integration of Omnicom’s solutions into HMAX creates a unified platform that aggregates vast live data from trains and track assets, enabling customers to optimize maintenance schedules and reduce downtime through predictive, condition-based maintenance [1][2].
Improved trackside maintenance planning is another significant advantage. Real-time anomaly detection facilitated by the edge computing technology optimizes maintenance interventions, shifting from reactive to predictive approaches. This leads to more efficient maintenance resource deployment and longer asset lifecycles, supporting higher safety and reliability standards [1][2].
By leveraging Hitachi Group’s Lumada 3.0 digital capabilities that combine IT, operational technology (OT), and product integration, the acquisition supports wider operational enhancements including traffic optimization and energy consumption reductions [2].
In summary, the acquisition enables Hitachi Rail to offer a more comprehensive, AI-powered digital asset management system that supports smarter, faster, and more predictive railway infrastructure management worldwide [1][2][3][4][5]. The digital power of the Hitachi Group backs Hitachi Rail's proprietary technology, driving the digital transformation of rail.
- The acquisition of Omnicom by Hitachi Rail will enable the integration of Omnicom's proprietary sensor technology and AI-enabled edge computing solutions into Hitachi Rail's HMAX digital asset management platform, offering a more comprehensive, AI-powered system for digital rail monitoring.
- The combination of HMAX and Omnicom's solutions will deliver valuable data to Hitachi Rail's global customers, aiding in optimizing trackside maintenance planning and the asset lifecycle.
- The integration of Omnicom's software and hardware for infrastructure surveying and monitoring will allow for the collection of trillions of bytes of images per day, facilitating real-time anomaly detection and optimizing maintenance interventions.
- By leveraging the digital capabilities of the wider Hitachi Group, Omnicom will benefit from further innovation and AI-enabled systems, supporting the digital transformation of rail industry infrastructure management.
