Jotun Taps AI for Global Factory Overhaul, Targeting Major Green Goals

PARIS, FRANCE – November 26, 2025 – In a landmark move signaling the maturation of artificial intelligence in heavy industry, global paints and coatings manufacturer Jotun Group has partnered with tech firm Akila to deploy a sophisticated AI-driven energy intelligence platform across its worldwide manufacturing portfolio. The initiative, spanning 26 countries, represents one of the most ambitious portfolio-wide AI deployments in the industrial sector to date and highlights a critical shift from localized efficiency projects to centrally managed, data-driven sustainability strategies.

For Jotun, a company operating in over 100 countries, the partnership is a significant technological leap intended to accelerate its aggressive environmental targets. For Akila, it’s a defining contract that validates its platform's capability to operate at a global scale, positioning it as a key player in a rapidly expanding industrial AI market. This collaboration moves beyond simple energy monitoring, aiming to create a unified intelligence layer that will benchmark, analyze, and optimize every facet of energy consumption across a vast and diverse network of production facilities.

The Strategic Push for Digital Sustainability

Jotun's decision to embed AI at the core of its energy management is not merely a cost-saving exercise; it is a strategic imperative tied to ambitious sustainability commitments. The Norway-based giant has pledged to reduce its Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions by 50% by 2030 from a 2017 baseline, with a goal of sourcing 70% of its energy from renewables within the same timeframe. This AI deployment is the technological engine intended to help meet and exceed those targets.

While Jotun has already invested in green initiatives—including solar panel installations at factories in Vietnam and Malaysia and mandating energy meters across its sites—this new phase represents a fundamental upgrade. Previously, data from various factories remained siloed, making cross-portfolio benchmarking and optimization difficult. The Akila platform is designed to break down these barriers, creating what the industry calls a "single source of truth" for energy performance. By integrating with existing meters, control systems, and new sensors, the platform will provide a holistic view of operations from Europe to Asia and the Americas, transforming isolated data points into actionable, portfolio-wide intelligence. This allows Jotun to move from incremental improvements at individual sites to systemic optimization across its entire global footprint.

A Unified Platform for Global Operations

At the heart of this partnership is Akila's advanced platform, which leverages digital twin technology and AI to transform raw data into a powerful tool for management. The system will ingest real-time data from critical production assets, monitoring not just electricity but also HVAC performance, compressed air systems, natural gas consumption, and energy quality. This comprehensive data capture is the foundation for the platform's core analytical capabilities.

The AI-driven analytics will automatically establish performance baselines, detect deviations, and identify anomalies at scale. For instance, an underperforming air compressor in a factory in Brazil can be benchmarked against a highly efficient one in South Korea, revealing opportunities for maintenance or operational adjustments. This level of granular, comparative insight was previously unattainable across such a diverse geographic spread. The platform promises to deliver actionable recommendations, empowering local operational teams to make targeted improvements that contribute to measurable global savings.

"Partnering with Jotun at this scale is a defining moment for Akila," said Philippe Obry, Vice President at Akila, in the company's announcement. "This is exactly what the Akila platform was built for — centralizing industrial data at global portfolio level to unlock advanced analytics, benchmarking and a clear pathway toward AI-driven optimization and asset performance."

Navigating the Complexities of a Global Rollout

Deploying a unified technology solution across 26 countries is fraught with challenges, including integrating with disparate legacy systems, ensuring robust cybersecurity, and navigating a patchwork of regional data regulations. However, the industrial AI market is booming precisely because platforms like Akila's are being engineered to solve these exact problems. The global market for AI in energy management was valued at over $3.7 billion in 2024 and is projected to skyrocket to $17.2 billion by 2033, driven by the dual pressures of rising energy costs and corporate decarbonization goals.

Akila's platform architecture is designed for this complexity, built to integrate with a wide array of existing infrastructure and ensure cross-border data compliance. This capability sets it apart from more traditional, hardware-dependent Building Management Systems (BMS) or Energy Management Systems (EMS) offered by industrial stalwarts like Siemens and Honeywell. While these competitors are also heavily invested in AI, Akila's focus on a software-first, portfolio-level solution appears to be a key differentiator that won over Jotun.

"We selected Akila because their platform met our rigorous technical and safety requirements and demonstrated the transparency and collaboration we value," stated Trine Finnevolden, Group Technical Director HSEQ at Jotun. "This partnership will enable us to unlock new levels of energy performance, operational insight, and sustainability across our global manufacturing network."

Measuring the Impact: ROI and the New Industrial Benchmark

The ultimate measure of success for this initiative will be its impact on Jotun’s bottom line and its carbon footprint. The partnership aims for measurable energy savings of 3–5% across the global network. For a multinational manufacturer, this percentage translates into millions of dollars in annual cost reductions and a significant step toward its 2030 emissions goals. The promise of rapid deployment, with actionable insights delivered within the first three months, is critical for accelerating this return on investment.

Industry analysis suggests that such energy intelligence platforms often deliver payback periods of less than two years, with some providers claiming an ROI within 12 months. Beyond direct savings, the platform enhances operational resilience by enabling predictive maintenance and reducing asset downtime. By optimizing energy use, Jotun not only cuts costs but also hedges against future energy price volatility and potential carbon taxes.

This collaboration is more than just a deal between two companies; it serves as a powerful case study for the entire manufacturing sector. It demonstrates that AI has evolved from a buzzword into a practical, scalable tool for achieving meaningful environmental and financial goals. As global industries face increasing pressure to decarbonize, the Jotun-Akila partnership may well become the benchmark for how to effectively future-proof large-scale manufacturing operations in the era of Industry 4.0.