Why we are digitizing

The Internet of Things and the digitization of our industry is having a huge impact on ASSA ABLOY. The need for employees with new knowledge and experience has risen sharply within the company. But this transformation also calls for new ways of working and being open to working with new partners. These times emphasize the need for clear goals and remembering why we are digitizing.

Lars Elsmark, Director Pre-Product Innovation and IP rights

Digitization has had a huge impact on both internal and external operations at ASSA ABLOY and created many opportunities. The extent of the impact is summed up by Lars Elsmark, Director Pre-Product Innovation and Intellectual Property rights at ASSA ABLOY Shared Technologies. “Digitization has changed the way we work completely,” he says.

Digitization has resulted in internal operations at ASSA ABLOY becoming significantly more efficient. The implementation of systems such as open source (which allows users to share, distribute and modify information without using multiple software licenses) frees up time from administrative tasks.

For external operations, digitization has enabled ASSA ABLOY to go from delivering one single component to delivering full solutions.

Gone are the days when you got a lock and a set of keys.

“Nowadays you can find out who has been walking through your door, when you aren’t even home.”

Growing need for engineers

As well as improving efficiency, making cost savings and enabling ASSA ABLOY to better meet customer needs, digitization has brought challenges, such as the need to recruit people with new kinds of skills. The number of development engineers, for example, with electronics expertise has risen sharply within the company.

ASSA ABLOY is hiring! Development engineers with electronics expertise is just one example of employees where demand has risen sharply within ASSA ABLOY.
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“We need another type of competence,” says Lars.

People who come from solution-oriented industries, such as IT and telecom. By bringing in new knowledge we add value to our business and can stay ahead.

It has not been straightforward, though. “Changes are difficult and scary,” he says. “But we should look at it as a process – take one step at a time. After all, this is just the beginning.”

Why we are digitizing

Digitization also brings with it new ways of working, which put demands on management, and communication becomes essential. “We must recruit the right people and educate staff, but we also need clear goals,” Lars says. “Our management is working hard to get everyone on board and lead us in the same direction. We mustn’t lose track of why we’re digitizing.”

The biggest digitization impact on internal operations began when ASSA ABLOY launched the Seamless Flow program in 2010. This has helped make the organization more efficient by streamlining information flows within sales, production, purchasing, R&D and other support functions, through the use of digital technology and automation.

Our customers are digitizing their homes, with entry controls and mobile and remote security solutions

Working with partners

“To be able to meet our customer’s needs, we must cooperate with other companies. We do work with home suppliers today, like Google and other big players, but we can do better.”

He believes that in order to be successful in the future and stand out from the competition, the key will be to actually work with the competition.

“We can’t develop everything ourselves,” Lars says. “We need to meet new partners – and in other industries such as IT and telecom. We need to be more open to working with others.”

ASSA ABLOY Shared Technologies

Shared Technologies is a central function within ASSA ABLOY, responsible for the development of common group products, platforms and interfaces.

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