Nokia has released its 2025 Industrial Digitalisation Report developed with GlobalData, which highlights that 87 per cent of on-premise edge and private network adopters are seeing a return on investment (ROI) in just one year while enabling AI-driven use cases. Additionally, 81 per cent of industrial enterprises found setup costs lower, with over half saving at least 11 per cent. Ongoing costs also dropped for 86 per cent of companies, with 60 per cent reporting savings of at least 11 per cent. 

The report draws on insights from 115 industrial enterprises in manufacturing, energy, logistics, mining, and transportation in Australia, Germany, Japan, the UK and the US.

On-premise edge and private wireless unlock AI’s potential in complex industrial environments

AI’s potential in industrial settings hinges on access to high-quality, real-time data; 94 per cent of industrial enterprises have deployed on-premise edge technology alongside private wireless. This combination enables secure, low-latency connectivity in complex environments and pervasive sensor coverage, even in hard-to-reach areas, supporting AI-driven use cases like predictive maintenance, real-time monitoring, and digital twins in 70 per cent of surveyed enterprises.

BASF, a chemical company, deployed Nokia private wireless at its Antwerp facility to advance its digitalisation strategy and enable reliable, high-performance connectivity across its six-square-kilometer premises. The private network supports AI- and sensor-driven use cases like real-time monitoring and predictive maintenance, enhances automation and efficiency, improves worker safety, and reduces environmental impact.

Private Wireless Drives Sustainability Gains

The study also highlights how operational performance improvements driven by private wireless networks are supporting sustainability goals. 94 per cent of the surveyed industrial enterprises reported a reduction in carbon emissions, with 41 per cent achieving decreases of more than 20 per cent and 89 per cent seeing energy savings. These gains are amplified by predictive maintenance, connected devices, and drones that cut fuel-intensive travel and enable more accurate, real-time emissions tracking.

Safety, efficiency, and automation with connected worker technologies

Beyond environmental impact, 71 per cent of surveyed companies are actively deploying connected worker tools such as automated alarms, AI-assisted monitoring, and geofencing solutions to reduce accidents and strengthen worker safety. Connected devices streamline tasks by reducing the need to move for signal and simplifying access to information. They also cut paperwork and minimise human error, boosting efficiency on-site, and automation.

Cybersecurity drives on-premise edge and private wireless adoption

Security remained a top priority, with 57 per cent of respondents identifying cybersecurity as a driver to deploy an Industrial Edge platform powered by a Private Wireless network. Private wireless solutions offer built-in encryption, physical network separation, and compatibility with zero-trust frameworks, making them ideal for mission-critical infrastructure while maintaining business continuity and compliance.

“GlobalData forecasts the global private wireless network market will nearly double to $8 billion by 2027. This reflects the growing demand as industries face mounting pressure to modernise in line with global sustainability and efficiency goals. Nokia and GlobalData’s latest research helps leaders build strong business cases for digitalisation by showing how private wireless and on-premise edge not only reduce costs but also accelerate scalable transformation with measurable improvements in worker safety, productivity, security and environmental impact,” said David de Lancellotti, Vice President of Enterprise Campus Edge Sales at Nokia.

“Private 5G has been a game changer for BASF Antwerp. We’re unlocking automation, strengthening occupational safety, accelerating innovation, and meeting ROI targets in just two years. We have become a front-runner for the wider group with learnings that will deliver value at multiple BASF group locations,” commented Steven Werbrouck, Expert Network Connectivity at BASF.

“Industrial enterprises are turning to private wireless and on-premise edge to drive innovation and industrial transformation. These deployments are delivering a clear return on investment and enabling use cases that would not otherwise have been possible. Private wireless and edge have helped enterprises to improve worker safety, support sustainability, and create a delivery platform for AI-powered solutions such as process automation and predictive maintenance,” added Gary Barton, Research Director, GlobalData.

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Tags: AI, edge, globaldata, Nokia