Tata Steel Goes Digital: Eyes 72-Hour Steel Delivery, Inspired by Zomato and Blinkit

Tata Steel is reimagining its delivery model with a digital-first approach, drawing inspiration from fast-paced platforms like Zepto, Zomato, and Blinkit. “I will not be able to deliver steel to you in 10 minutes, but I can deliver it in 72 hours,” said Jayanta Banerjee, Chief Information Officer at Tata Steel, in an interview with EnterpriseStory.

With a global capacity of 35 million tonnes per annum and operations spanning India, the UK, the Netherlands, and Thailand, Tata Steel is now making serious strides in digital transformation. The steel major has built a robust tech backbone over the past eight years, developing around 600 AI models and collecting 11.2 petabytes of data.

Currently, steel deliveries typically take between three to seven days. But Banerjee asserts that thanks to AI-enabled systems monitoring raw materials, production, logistics, and delivery, they can now commit to fulfilling orders within 72 hours. “Today we are in a position to confirm that the product will be available within 72 hours instead of seven days,” he said.

An Advanced Decision AI application is aiding efficient production, the safety of workers, and quality control in around 80% of Tata Steel. An AI imaging tool, for example, identifies defects in the manufacturing process, to enable greater speed in response and improved quality assurance.

Banerjee pointed out that Tata Steel even has its own set of measures to invest in technology, namely, returns on investments for every dollar spent on value generation. “Tata Steel has been a leader in steel but an early adopter of technology,” he said.

With the help of digitalization and AI, Tata Steel is not only streamlining internal operations but also changing customers’ perception in an otherwise slow steel industry-where heavy industries become fast-paced digital enterprises.