Fujitec Co.

Fujitec Co., Ltd. is a global manufacturer specializing in elevators and escalators, with solutions spanning design, installation, maintenance, and operations. Their products are installed in office buildings, hotels, condominiums, and commercial properties across Japan and overseas.

Maintenance is critical for safety and legally required in all markets. Traditionally, this has meant regular on-site inspections, but Fujitec sought to modernize maintenance with IoT technology. By collecting and analyzing operational data remotely, they aimed to enhance safety, reduce costs, and respond to issues faster.

This vision marked a significant evolution in how elevators and escalators could be monitored, moving from reactive and manual maintenance toward proactive, data-driven service.

Challenge: Global Monitoring Without Global Barriers

Fujitec recognized strong demand for remote monitoring but faced practical barriers to scaling globally. Cellular connectivity had proven effective in similar IoT applications abroad, yet managing separate contracts in every country posed logistical and financial challenges.

Elevators and escalators are often deployed in diverse geographies, from dense cities to remote areas. Ensuring reliable connectivity in each location while keeping infrastructure simple was essential.

Ultimately, Fujitec needed an IoT solution that was both globally scalable and quick to implement, avoiding the delays and costs of laying new networks or creating local server environments.

Solution: Building Smarter Maintenance into Every Elevator

Fujitec integrated IoT connectivity directly into their elevator systems during manufacturing, ensuring that devices could securely transmit operational data without requiring additional site infrastructure.

They began with a prototype that used IoT sensors to monitor key environmental conditions like temperature and humidity. Data was transmitted via Soracom Air SIM cards, then routed through Soracom’s cellular platform to Amazon Web Services (AWS).

This approach allowed Fujitec to complete their prototype in just two weeks, proving the value of a solution that combined connected hardware, secure cloud integration, and Soracom’s flexible platform.

Why Soracom: Connectivity That Scales Globally

With Soracom, Fujitec avoided the complexity of managing multiple regional carriers. Soracom Air SIMs provided seamless cellular connectivity worldwide, allowing the same system design to work across markets.

Soracom’s integration with cloud platforms ensured that sensor data reached AWS securely and reliably. By using Soracom’s management console, Fujitec could also monitor device connectivity and performance across their fleet.

The result was a system that not only delivered preventive maintenance insights but also enabled faster response when issues arose, creating tangible improvements in safety and customer experience.

Future Developments: A Smarter Manufacturing Industry

Fujitec sees three major opportunities for IoT in manufacturing: separating data acquisition from analysis across global operations, enabling automatic data collection without manual oversight, and connecting “offline” devices like standalone elevators into broader predictive maintenance systems.

By combining IoT with AI and machine learning, Fujitec aims to deliver even greater security, convenience, and value to customers. Remote monitoring of elevators is just the beginning; the company envisions a future where predictive analysis becomes standard in industrial equipment.

Fujitec emphasizes that the best way forward is experimentation, testing new IoT solutions, engaging with cloud platforms, and partnering with experts like Soracom. Even small steps, they believe, can lead to meaningful innovation across the industry.