Ireneusz Borowski – Country Manager Poland, Dassault Systèmes: We want to support companies in the process of digital transformation

How do you help companies with getting on the path of  digital transformation? What specific solutions do you offer?

Most industrial or service companies say that the biggest challenge they are currently facing is the exchange of information among departments. Another common problem is that particular departments develop technologically at different pace. Imagine that department A implemented some kind of advanced technology, but the company as a whole doesn’t benefit from it because departments B and C do not have the possibility to use it. Responding to these challenges, we promote a platform-based approach among our clients. A single digital platform, such as 3DEXPERIENCE from Dassault Systèmes, offers much more than just smooth communication between departments and systems. It gives all areas the opportunity to interact in real time, throughout the entire product life cycle. It also helps identify and solve problems and involve clients and suppliers in the creation of the final experience.

Let’s take a look at the current situation: the supply chain, as well as the network of sub-suppliers, collapsed during the pandemic. A company, in order to be able to operate in the current situation, must be able to adapt quickly, while constantly innovating and improving its processes. The solutions or services offered by the 3DEXPERIENCE platform allow our clients to optimise their internal processes, plan dynamically and cooperate with suppliers in real time, in short: they ensure business continuity.

However, the ongoing digitalization not only changes the way products are manufactured, but also redefines the work of designers and engineers. Innovative ideas no longer appear on paper; today digital space is becoming the domain of innovation. The key word here is the digital twin, thanks to which it is possible to create digital images of real objects which go way beyond the 3D model. Such sophisticated projects are fed by data from the real world, so that, step by step, operational data and technical expertise of the designers can be collected on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform. Thanks to the digital twin, each stage – from design, development and manufacturing to marketing and making an impact on the entire ecosystem – can be simulated and analysed under realistic conditions.

Interestingly, digital twins are already used by many companies from different industries throughout the entire value chain. Research commissioned by Dassault Systèmes and conducted by engineering.com shows that 85 percent of the industrial companies surveyed use digital twins in design and engineering and believe it has the greatest potential for optimisation. As many as 25 percent hope that virtual simulation will translate into a better understanding of products in the real world.

How to prepare a company that decides to introduce innovative solutions?

You always need to adopt an individual approach. First of all, we try to understand the nature of the organisation’s business and its challenges. On the basis of many years of experience, observations of new trends and conversations with the client, we can present solutions with an analysis of the return on investment. This is always an assumption of a kind because preparing an organisation for unforeseen situations is very difficult to calculate. However, with a detailed analysis we are able to prepare a solution that will improve specific processes and meet business expectations.

Can new technologies help optimise costs?

Of course. We receive many enquiries from companies that seek to reduce operating costs, optimise their production process or enable rapid exchange of information between departments, provided that the solution will not involve large investments. Therefore, our solutions are also available on the cloud. This enables companies to avoid investment costs associated with the construction and maintenance of infrastructure and use the necessary solutions when they really need them. For example, to make a simulation, you need advanced and quite powerful hardware. With cloud technologies you can hire it only for the duration of the simulation, which is particularly important for the SMB sector or start-ups which use it several times a year at most. This is how cloud makes technologies universally available and opens up the potential for innovation even for the smallest players.

So can we say the cloud is one of the key trends driving innovation?

Cloud is certainly no longer just a simple substitute for existing systems physically installed on company premises. Companies which invested in cloud computing are flexible in terms of purchasing IT resources, they can quickly increase or reduce their production capacity and minimise investment expenditure. Cloud yields many other benefits, such as improving data integrity and enabling collaboration between people involved in a project, often working in remote locations.

Let me give you an example of our local client, the Elite Shipyard start-up from Ełk. A team of more than 20 people designs and builds Saxdor 200 yachts, which are a combination of a jet ski and a compact boat. The 3DEXPERIENCE cloud platform not only improved communication and cooperation between teams from Poland and Slovenia, but also ensures continuous flow of information between teams of engineers and designers. When it comes to costs, the cloud-based solution enabled the Elite Shipyard start-up to avoid large investments, which are usually a challenge for new companies.

Before we finish, let’s go back to the topic of pandemic. Is technology a lifeline for everyone and can home office work be as effective as office work?

Perhaps home office is not for everyone because there are still some industries that are conservative by definition. This is due to different regulations or their history. However, it is clear that the current crisis forced organisations to change the way they operate because the existing models turned out to be insufficient. Companies which previously invested in advanced digital solutions reacted most effectively. Such companies do not see any difference between working in the office and working remotely.

This is also confirmed by the Gartner report “Coronavirus: CIO Areas of Focus During the COVID-19 Outbreak”. In the report, the analytical company stresses that COVID-19 is a warning for organisations that have focused too much on their daily operational needs at the expense of investing in digital solutions and long-term resilience. Companies that can transfer technological capabilities and investments to digital platforms will mitigate the effects of the pandemic and ensure smooth functioning of their teams, also in the long term.

What are the company’s plans for the future?

Considering our achievements so far and where we are now, we would first of all like to thank our clients in Poland, whose number already exceeds 4,500. They include such recognisable brands as Nowy Styl, Ster, Carpol or Sunreef Yachts shipyard in Gdansk. In the coming years we would like to at least double the number of clients, although it is not the numbers that count the most. It is with great satisfaction that we look at how our solutions support the digital transformation in companies operating in Poland. The companies I listed before are indicative of the benefits of choosing new technologies: creating innovative products and services, new business models, process optimization, increase in competitiveness. The positive sign is the growing number of companies that are making strategic decisions, communicating their readiness to undergo digital changes, and even announcing what resources they will invest in its implementation. We want to support companies on this path.

Ireneusz Borowski

A graduate of the Warsaw University of Technology, Faculty of Automobiles and Machines. For over 20 years associated with the industry of modern information technologies for industry. He has extensive experience in the field of engineering and production systems solutions gained in many European projects.

For over 10 years associated with Dassault Systemes, currently responsible for the sale and implementation of 3DEXPERIENCE solutions in Central and Eastern Europe and development strategies in Poland.

Last Updated on August 17, 2021 by Karolina Ampulska