CIMPOR, a multinational cement and industrial materials producer, in partnership with Vodafone Portugal and Ericsson, has completed the activation of a Mobile Private Network (MPN), leveraging Ericsson Private 5G across its three cement production units in Portugal. With Souselas in Coimbra now online, all of CIMPOR’s main sites — Alhandra, Loulé and Souselas — now operate on purpose-built private cellular networks designed for demanding industrial environments.

The multi-site deployment delivers comprehensive private 5G coverage with high reliability and extremely low latency — less than 10 milliseconds. The networks support simultaneous operation of IoT sensors, autonomous vehicles and other connected systems, enabling more precise asset monitoring, improved operational efficiency, and enhanced safety, even under challenging conditions such as dust, vibrations and large metal structures.

Vodafone Portugal’s role included the installation, parameterization, configuration and deployment of all radio equipment; defining core parameters together with CIMPOR; integrating the various industrial applications supported on the network; and conducting full-service validation for both the private network deployment and the associated use cases.

With the private 5G solution in place, CIMPOR is using advanced applications such as:

• Drones for safer and faster inspections in difficult-to-access places
• Smart glasses for remote maintenance assistance and training
• VR glasses for simulation and training through virtual reality
• Sensors for predictive maintenance
• Video cameras for safety monitoring
• Worker tablets for faster, paperless, and improved data
• AI functionality across a variety of technology use cases

Learnings from the first deployment accelerated implementation at subsequent sites, providing a model CIMPOR can duplicate and extend across additional areas of its operations. This flexible foundation enables wider integration throughout the group’s production processes and positions the company to adopt future innovations in IoT, AI, automation, digital twins, and autonomous vehicles.

Predictive maintenance enabled by the private 5G deployment is expected to deliver measurable financial impact by helping prevent unplanned failures and production disruptions. Based on CIMPOR’s internal assessments, they believe that improved inventory and maintenance optimization could translate into up to USD 1 million in annual savings per plant through avoided downtime and asset failures.

Beyond asset-level optimization, the interconnected smart manufacturing environment supported by the private 5G networks is already contributing to measurable operational gains. CIMPOR reports that early improvements across its connected production systems have delivered approximately a 1 percent increase in overall efficiency, translating in as estimated savings of up to USD 10-15 million, directly and indirectly, in annual economic impact. The same efficiency gains are also associated with a reduction of approximately 140, 000 tons of CO₂ emissions, reinforcing the role of digitalization in supporting both productivity and sustainability objectives.

Berkan Fidan, Global Chief Technology Officer at CIMPOR, says: “This implementation of private 5G networks across our production units marks a decisive step in strengthening the resilience, efficiency and safety of our industrial operations. This technology lays the foundation for a new generation of digital applications and enables us to operate with greater precision and responsiveness. This is only the beginning of a wider journey.”

Henrique Fonseca, Executive Board Member, Enterprise Business Unit at Vodafone Portugal, says: “The implementation of private 5G networks in these three CIMPOR factories not only demonstrates the company’s determined commitment to its sustainable future but also reinforces the role these networks play in enhancing economic competitiveness, particularly in industrial activities. With immediate communications and large-scale sensing, data can be interpreted quickly, and a wide range of remote activities becomes possible — expanding the reach of these factories well beyond their physical locations.”

Manish Tiwari, Head of Enterprise 5G at Ericsson, says: “CIMPOR’s multi-site deployment illustrates how Ericsson Private 5G networks can transform industrial operations at scale. As enterprises move toward more automated and real-time processes, demand for reliable private cellular networks continues to grow. By establishing a replicable approach across three sites, CIMPOR now has a strong blueprint it can apply across its wider global footprint.”

CIMPOR’s partnership with Vodafone Portugal and Ericsson marks an important milestone in its modernization strategy, reinforcing its commitment to more efficient, competitive and sustainable industrial operations.