Digital transformation is emerging as a game-changing transition for heavy industry. For the steel sector, which is often associated with higher emissions and traditional production methods, smart technologies offer an opportunity to achieve sustainability and an unprecedented level of competitiveness. Keeping up with the market trends, steel manufacturers are already addressing the evolving global regulatory environment by integrating digital systems into their operations to meet the standards and become more transparent.
Digitization Trends
What do the data show? According to the World Economic Forum (2023), Industry 4.0 technologies including robotics, industrial IoT, and cloud-based analytics bring new levels of visibility, efficiency, and responsiveness to manufacturing spaces and processes.
At the same time, the International Energy Agency (IEA, 2024) reports that digital technologies are central to the decarbonisation of industrial sectors and enable energy efficiency and process control, waste reduction, and sustainability.
A 2024 Deloitte survey indicated that 36% of companies manufacturing globally chose to invest in digital infrastructure across their operations while more than a third of manufacturers planned to invest in factory automation, IoT, and advanced analytics signaling a global shift towards intelligent production, supported by infrastructures like 5G and cloud computing (Roland Berger, 2023; McKinsey & Company, 2023).
These trends demonstrate how digitization is already transforming factories from analog setups to smart connected systems, with digitization not only improving operational efficiency but also becoming a cornerstone of environmental and regulatory performance.
Global Traceability
Within that shaping framework of an ever-more connected global economy, traceability has become important for transparency, quality assurance, and compliance. Governments and industries are increasingly developing approaches for knowing where materials and products come from and how they have been used. For example, in the European Union, the Digital Product Passport is part of the Circular Economy Action Plan and imposes a responsibility on manufacturers to digitally document the composition, provenance, and environmental impact of products (European Commission, 2023).
Digital Compliance
International trends suggest a strong consensus around regulating the development of frameworks and policies to support traceability to achieve sustainability and compliance objectives.
To be more specific, digital traceability has emerged as an important aspect of transparency of the lifecycle of a product, and legislative requirements of regulations and policies, such as UAE Cabinet Resolution No. 121 of 2023, require the use of Digital Product Passports (DPP) to enable digital traceability and data availability in supply chains.
At the same time, the UAE has established regulations supporting digital traceability in industrial sectors, marking a significant transition at the national level, including Cabinet Resolution No. 121 of 2023 for standardising digital information management for products.
The CARES certification, which is recognised and endorsed by the UAE Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT), provides a significant framework, particularly for the steel sector.
AGSI’s Pledge
AGSI has aquired the CARES certification through the Upstream Cloud system, evidence of compliance with the UAE’s national compliance framework, and readiness to meet regulatory requirements in digitally regulated environments.
AGSI’s pledge to modernisation is further illustrated by its plans to expand production and to implement automation and technological upgrades (AGSI, 2024), aligning with steelmakers around the world.
By investing in automation and readying itself for digitised workflows, AGSI is establishing itself as a progressive, forward-looking steelmaker, prepared to address anticipated industry and regulatory framework requirements, as modernisation and digital infrastructure are increasingly emerging as key elements that directly impact operational efficiency and compliance with environmental regulations.
Conclusion
As the reshaping of global manufacturing with digital technologies continues and key markets are increasingly demanding data transparency, automation, and compliance-fueled transformation, steel has the potential to remain a relevant and efficient material. AGSI is showing how steelmakers can respond to this change with their investments and regulatory preparedness. It is evident- now more than ever before – that in the pursuit of smarter steel, operational foresight and digital alignment are no longer optional; they are foundational to staying competitive and driving the industry’s future growth.
References
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UAE Cabinet Resolution No. 121 of 2023. Concerning Product Digital Passports in the Industrial Sector.
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Commenda (2024). ECAS Certification: What You Need to Know. Available at: https://www.commenda.io/blog/ecas-certification [Accessed July 2025].
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Deloitte (2024). Global Advanced Manufacturing Trends. Deloitte Insights.
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International Energy Agency (IEA) (2024). Industrial Decarbonisation and Digitalisation.
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McKinsey & Company (2023). Smart Manufacturing: The Next Step for the Industrial Internet of Things. Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com [Accessed July 2025].