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Marubeni Invests in Acellent

On October 4, Marubeni Corporation invested in Acellent Technologies, Inc., which designs, develops, and sells sensor network-based Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) systems. Marubeni and its consolidated subsidiaries use their broad business networks, both within Japan and overseas, to conduct importing and exporting (including third country trading), as well as domestic business, encompassing a diverse range of business activities across wide-ranging fields including food, consumer products, chemical & forest products, energy & metals, power & plants projects, and transportation & industrial machinery. Additionally, Marubeni offers a variety of services, makes internal and external investments, and participates in resource development throughout all of the above industries.

The new generation of Industrial IOT will transform the Industrial Age to the Information Age by exploiting opportunities and benefits offered by Information Age technology and techniques. A key enabler for Industrial IOT are sensors and big data procured from them. SHM systems have the potential to provide real-time and historical sensor-based data on the integrity of any structural platform. Acellent’s sensor network-based SHM system applied to real-time monitoring of structural changes (in transportation machinery, machinery equipment, infrastructure, etc.) such as damage and deterioration of structures is therefore of immense interest to Marubeni. Recently, the frequent occurrence of collapse and failure due to aging of transportation equipment such as railroads, large production facilities, power plants, and social infrastructure is becoming a major safety and social issue. Marubeni is collaborating with Acellent for the use of its SHM systems to monitor and predict damage in various structural platforms in real time.

Acellent is a spin-off from Stanford University and has developed and commercialized the SHM systems for use in highly challenging field environments. Acellent’s SHM systems can be used in the areas of transport machinery and machinery equipment that have been considered difficult to apply so far. The SHM systems have already been positioned as a standard in the aviation industry, and the company has worked with major aircraft OEMs such as Boeing, Airbus, and others. In addition, Acellent has designed and developed SHM systems for several industries such as industrial machinery, construction machinery, pipelines, etc.

Marubeni aims for a "safe and secure" social environment by utilizing Acellent's technology with Marubeni’s worldwide network to provide SHM applications for all kinds of structural platforms.