New capability aims to reduce time between product ideation and market launch from three years to less than eight months

HANNOVER, Germany & PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Schneider Electric and Accenture (NYSE:ACN) have completed the development of the Schneider Electric Digital Services Factory, a ‘virtual factory that enables Schneider Electric - the leading global specialist in energy management and automation — to rapidly build and scale new offerings in areas such as predictive maintenance, asset monitoring and energy optimization.

"They want to deliver innovation at every level - from connected products to network edge control to analytics, apps and services. With Accentures help and the new factory, they will be able to that."
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Staffed with professionals from Schneider Electric and Accenture, the Digital Factory gathers data from the millions of connected assets across Schneider Electrics infrastructure and customer sites to speed the development of new services, from ideation to industrialization and market launch.

The collaboration is part of a five-year contract that Schneider Electric awarded to Accenture in January 2016 to support the ongoing roll-out of Industrial internet of things (IoT)-enabled solutions and digital services.

The Digital Factory provides a range of services, including generating and incubating new ideas, designing and testing potential offerings, and deploying and scaling solutions, as well as providing the analytics and IoT capabilities to accelerate development of the new services.

Having helped develop the Digital Factory through strategic and technical consulting and change management services, Accenture is providing a range of services around innovative ideation and customer-centric solution development, business model development and analytics, and the "New Digital Service Lifecycle," which combines customer analytics with agile, iterative service development and delivery.

"We are driving the digitization of our businesses, and the Digital Factory will significantly speed up our efforts," said Cyril Perducat, executive vice president of IoT & Digital Transformation at Schneider Electric. "With new capabilities like analytics, design thinking, rapid service prototyping and iteration, we are now able to bring new services to market much, much faster."

Accenture research shows that while industrial manufacturers believe that digital technologies are vital for their future, they risk losing market share and profits because their levels of digital adoption and their ability to innovate is low. Two-thirds of industrial companies that Accenture surveyed said they are feeling the impact of digital disruption, but half of them are not yet comprehensively investing in this area as part of their overall business strategy.

"Schneider Electric is aiming to cut the time from product ideation to market by 80 percent," said Karim Chaabouni, a managing director in Accentures Industrial practice. "They want to deliver innovation at every level - from connected products to network edge control to analytics, apps and services. With Accentures help and the new factory, they will be able to that."

The Schneider Electric Digital Services Factory is part of Schneider Electrics programs around the recently launched IoT-enabled, open and interoperable system architecture and platform called "EcoStruxure," which leverages technologies including the IoT, cloud, analytics, mobile and state-of-the-art cyber security to deliver added value around safety, reliability, efficiency, sustainability and connectivity to Schneider Electrics clients.

Accenture is attending Hannover Messe, Germany. The company is offering daily topical panel sessions with IIoT experts, keynote presentations from leading academic and business figures, and real-life applications of digital technologies for industrial companies for a range of scenarios, from greater operational efficiency to new revenue streams and analytics-powered insights. Accenture is located at DIGITAL FACTORY, HALL 6, BOOTH K45. To schedule a booth tour, please contact Florian.heinrichs@accenture.com

For more information on Accentures Hannover Messe presence and program, please visit: https://www.accenture.com/us-en/event-hannover-messe-2017

About Accenture

Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries and all business functions - underpinned by the worlds largest delivery network - Accenture works at the intersection of business and technology to help clients improve their performance and create sustainable value for their stakeholders. With more than 401,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries, Accenture drives innovation to improve the way the world works and lives. Visit us at www.accenture.com.

About Schneider Electric

Schneider Electric is the global specialist in energy management and automation. With revenues of ~€25 billion in FY2016, our 160,000+ employees serve customers in over 100 countries, helping them to manage their energy and process in ways that are safe, reliable, efficient and sustainable. From the simplest of switches to complex operational systems, our technology, software and services improve the way our customers manage and automate their operations. Our connected technologies reshape industries, transform cities and enrich lives. At Schneider Electric, we call this Life Is On.