The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) views Industry 4.0 as a practical tool for increasing efficiency, Emil Alkhasli, general director of SOCAR Downstream Management LLC, said at the 2nd Azerbaijan-Türkiye Investment Forum, according to Report.
"For SOCAR, Industry 4.0 is not a trend, but a practical tool for improving operational efficiency with measurable results," he noted.
According to him, the company is already implementing digitalization projects at a number of enterprises, focusing on increasing production efficiency.
Alkhasli noted that the company's priority is process automation and the maximum use of available data, including automated control support, which allows for increased energy efficiency and increased production capacity.
He identified the implementation of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and real-time data integration to improve safety and operational response as a second key area.
A third area is the use of artificial intelligence for optimal decision-making, data analysis, and the implementation of predictive maintenance. He also pointed to the shift from decisions based on historical data to approaches focused on forecasts and recommendations.
However, the main challenge lies not with technology, but with the human factor and changing corporate culture, as digital transformation is, first and foremost, a leadership project, he said.
In this context, SOCAR is investing in staff training and scaling up successful solutions through the Digital Academy, he noted.
He also emphasized the importance of building trust in digital tools: employees must understand their usefulness and effectiveness so that they perceive them not as a burden, but as support in their work.