Why EMSTEEL’s Private 5G Pilot Matters for UAE Manufacturing
A landmark private 5G pilot at EMSTEEL with e& UAE signals how industrial networks in the region are evolving from connectivity add-ons to strategic infrastructure.
UAE Manufacturing’s First Private 5G Deployment
EMSTEEL Group (ADX: EMSTEEL), one of the region’s largest steel and building materials producers, has switched on a private 5G network at its production facilities with e& UAE, the flagship telecom arm of the e& group. The pilot delivers dedicated, high-speed wireless coverage across complex industrial spaces that are often hostile to traditional Wi‑Fi and public cellular. For manufacturers in the UAE, this is a meaningful milestone: it showcases a path to secure, deterministic wireless that can carry safety-critical and time-sensitive workloads on the shop floor.
Industry 4.0 Aligned with the UAE’s Operation 300bn
The timing aligns with the UAE’s industrial policy, including Operation 300bn, which aims to accelerate advanced manufacturing and homegrown tech capabilities. Private 5G gives factories a foundation to adopt connected worker tools, real-time quality control, AI-assisted operations, and digital twins without moving sensitive data off-site. EMSTEEL’s move is also consistent with its sustainability agenda and the sector’s shift toward lower-carbon production, where digital control and granular telemetry become levers for efficiency.
What EMSTEEL Deployed for Private 5G
The pilot revolves around a secure, on-premises 5G network that prioritizes data sovereignty and predictable performance across production environments.
On‑Prem 5G Architecture for Data Sovereignty
The private network keeps production data within EMSTEEL’s premises, reducing exposure to public networks and enabling tighter access control. In industrial settings this model is increasingly favored over best-effort connectivity because it supports service-level guarantees and integrates with plant safety systems. While the suppliers did not disclose technical specifics, private 5G deployments typically use 3GPP-compliant Non-Public Networks (NPN), often with 5G Standalone (SA) cores and edge compute to keep latency low for machine-to-machine traffic and computer vision.
First Use Case: Digitized Maintenance with Asset Insight
The initial application showcased on the network is Asset Insight, a connected worker tool accessed via ruggedized tablets. Technicians scan QR codes on equipment to pull live documentation, sensor readings, and maintenance histories, and can submit work orders on the spot. This replaces fragmented paper trails and eliminates traversal across weak coverage zones, cutting downtime and improving safety compliance. As a design pattern, digitized maintenance is a high-ROI starting point that paves the way for predictive analytics and closed-loop reliability programs.
Strategic Implications of Private 5G for Smart Factories
Private 5G unlocks new classes of industrial use cases that are difficult to scale on Wi‑Fi or shared public networks.
From Wi‑Fi to 5G: Coverage, Reliability, and Safety in Plants
Steel plants are RF-hostile due to metal structures, heat, dust, and moving assets. Private 5G offers stronger uplink capacity, mobility, and interference management, improving coverage in aisles, yards, and high-bay areas. Deterministic performance and prioritization policies help ensure that alarms, safety systems, and time-critical control traffic are delivered even under congestion. That creates a platform for connected PPE, lone-worker protection, and location-aware safety interlocks.
Enabling AI, Robotics, and Real‑Time Control with 5G
As factories add cameras, robotics, autonomous vehicles, and AI, bandwidth and deterministic latency become design constraints. Private 5G combined with edge computing can support computer vision for quality inspection, AGV/AMR fleet coordination, remote expert assistance, and energy optimization. With 3GPP Release 16/17 features such as enhanced URLLC, Time Sensitive Networking integration, and 5G LAN, manufacturers can progressively shift from best-effort telemetry to real-time, closed-loop processes.
Execution Challenges for Scaling Private 5G
Enterprises should map the risks as carefully as the opportunities to ensure pilots scale to production with clear ROI.
Spectrum, SLAs, and 5G Standalone Readiness
Regulatory models differ by market; enterprises should validate spectrum access, interference management, and coexistence with public networks at the site boundary. Achieving industrial-grade SLAs usually requires 5G Standalone, hardened indoor radio planning, and continuous performance monitoring. Be explicit about latency, jitter, and availability targets per use case and enforce them via policy and observability.
OT Integration and Zero‑Trust Cybersecurity
Private 5G must interoperate with PLCs, MES/SCADA, and historian systems using protocols like OPC UA and MQTT. Zero-trust segmentation, SIM/eSIM-based identity, and device posture checks are essential to keep the production network clean. Align the deployment with IEC 62443 zones and conduits and maintain an OT change-control process that accounts for RF adjustments and device onboarding.
Cost, ROI, and Change Management in Smart Factories
Beyond radios and core software, budget for site surveys, device certification, edge infrastructure, and integration with EAM/CMMS platforms. Start with use cases where downtime reduction or safety impact can be quantified within months. Train maintenance crews and operations teams early; adoption falters when procedures and KPIs don’t reflect new digital workflows.
Next Steps for Enterprises Planning Private 5G
Organizations planning private 5G should proceed with a use-case-led roadmap and a partner ecosystem anchored in measurable outcomes.
Prioritize High‑Yield Industrial Use Cases
Begin with connected worker, digital maintenance, and condition monitoring, then graduate to vision-based inspection, AGVs, and digital twins. Define per-use-case KPIs such as mean time to repair, scrap rate, or energy per ton to build the investment case.
Choose the Right Private 5G Deployment Model
Decide between fully on-prem NPN, operator-integrated hybrid, or managed private 5G-as-a-service based on data residency, control needs, and internal capabilities. Ensure multi-APN/UPF breakout and local MEC are available for latency-sensitive workloads.
Build the Partner Stack and Governance Model
Pair your operator with systems integrators and ISVs for EAM/CMMS, analytics, and computer vision. Standardize device onboarding, certification, and lifecycle management across tablets, sensors, and robots, and align cybersecurity and safety governance from day one.
Why This Elevates e& UAE’s Enterprise 5G Strategy
The deployment positions e& UAE as a go-to partner for mission-critical industrial connectivity and accelerates the private 5G market in the region.
Reference Architecture for Regional Manufacturing Sites
By delivering a hardened, on-premises network that supports production-grade use cases, e& UAE and EMSTEEL provide a blueprint for factories with challenging RF environments. The emphasis on data sovereignty, safety, and integration readiness resonates with regulated industries and export-focused manufacturers.
Path to Scalable Private 5G‑as‑a‑Service
With repeatable site surveys, indoor radio designs, edge blueprints, and application bundles like Asset Insight, e& can industrialize private 5G delivery. Over time, expect packaged offerings that layer predictive maintenance, video analytics, and energy optimization to shorten time-to-value and simplify scaling across multi-plant footprints.
Bottom line: EMSTEEL’s pilot demonstrates that private 5G is moving from trials to targeted production workloads in the UAE, and it sets pragmatic expectations for how operators and manufacturers can co-create smart factory outcomes—securely, incrementally, and with a clear line of sight to ROI.
