Siemens and a subsidiary of China National Machinery Industry Corporation (Sinomach) signed a strategic partnership agreement, under which both parties will fully cooperate in such areas as technology R&D, equipment manufacturing, and local and global EPC projects.  Siemens will help Sinomach and its subsidiaries seize such opportunities as “Made in China 2025” and the “Belt and Road” initiative to speed up their transformation and upgrading, and develop their local and overseas businesses.

GE Digital, Nokia, and Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. announced that the companies have demonstrated a private LTE network for the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) market; meshing together each company’s platforms and technologies.  In addition, the companies have announced plans to further research and conduct live field trials throughout 2017 based on this demonstration, designed to help to advance the digitization of industrial processes.

Siemens’ product lifecycle management (PLM) software business and BML Munjal University in Haryana  have joined hands to open a Center of Excellence at its Haryana campus.  This center will offer nine labs in fields such as design & validation, advanced manufacturing (PLM/digital manufacturing), robotics, automation, mechatronics, process instrumentation, electrical & energy saving, CNC controller programming, and pneumatics & hydraulics.  This center is being designed as a complete learning solution facility to build specific skills and

PTC and Deloitte announced plans to accelerate Internet of Things (IoT) adoption and innovation for customers using the ThingWorx industrial IoT platform from PTC.  Deloitte Digital and PTC are co-creating industry-focused solutions to enable clients to further the value from investments in IoT.

IBM and Bosch announced a collaboration for industrial Internet of Things (IoT), making available Bosch IoT Suite services on open standards-based IBM Bluemix and IBM Watson IoT Platform for clients to efficiently update millions of IoT devices.

ABB announced that it has acquired the Spanish start-up company NUB3D, a leading innovator of digital, 3D inspection and quality-control solutions.

The acquisition expands the group’s portfolio of ABB Ability solutions that connect customers to the industrial Internet of Things.  ABB Ability builds on the intelligent cloud, using connected devices to generate actionable digital information for a broad range of customers. The two companies have agreed not to disclose the value of the transaction.

Honeywell and Seeq announced they will collaborate as part of the Honeywell Connected Plant initiative to help process manufacturers leverage data and insights in their operations.  This joint development agreement will help customers minimize unplanned shutdowns, maximize output, minimize safety risk and optimize supply chain strategies.

IFS, the global enterprise applications company, and global IoT technology company The Marsden Group have signed a strategic partnership to jointly pursue opportunities in the oil and gas industry.

The Marsden Group is a global technology company specialized in developing advanced analytics in support of IoT solutions for the upstream oil and gas market.  From its offices in the United States, Europe, and Australia, the company serves some of the largest companies in the oil and gas sector.

GE Digital has acquired Israeli monetization platform developer Nurego.  The company, with offices in Herzliya and Seattle, will help GE Digital accelerate Industrial Internet of Things business models.  No financial details about the deal were disclosed.

Inductive Automation and Cirrus Link Solutions announced the March 28 release of Ignition Edge, a new line of Ignition products developed for the edge of the network.  The news was announced at a press conference at the ARC Industry Forum in Orlando, Florida.