Hitachi has unveiled a new Manufacturing Execution System (MES) deployment template on its cloud platform ComiComiCloud, designed to streamline digitalization efforts for manufacturers. Starting in April 2026, the “MES導入テンプレート (for DELMIA Apriso) by ComiComiCloud” will be offered as a cloud application, enabling companies to rapidly implement MES with lower upfront costs and reduced complexity.
This development arrives amid growing demand for digital transformation (DX) across Japan’s manufacturing ecosystem, as companies seek to enhance operational visibility, improve production quality, and respond more effectively to supply chain uncertainties.
Simplifying MES Deployment with Cloud Templates
Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) are critical software platforms that manage shop-floor operations, capturing real-time data from production, linking it to enterprise systems, and enabling visibility into processes from raw material receipt to finished goods shipment.
However, traditional MES deployment often involves significant customization, infrastructure investment, and lengthy integration cycles, which can deter small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and slow broader DX efforts.
Hitachi’s new solution addresses these challenges by providing a pre-configured MES template built on the ComiComiCloud infrastructure. By offering manufacturing process logic, workflow templates, and standardized data flows, the solution enables organizations to:
- Quick-start MES deployment without heavy IT infrastructure investment
- Centralize production data and real-time performance tracking
- Standardize work processes while maintaining flexibility for business needs
- Reduce the burden of system integration and ongoing system maintenance
Because the MES template runs on ComiComiCloud’s pay-as-you-go model, companies can adopt DX at a pace aligned with their business strategy while minimizing capital expenditures.
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How MES Templates Drive Operational Efficiency
With the new MES deployment template, manufacturers can gain immediate insights into production activities across sites. Key capabilities include:
- Real-time monitoring of production status, allowing supervisors to identify bottlenecks and plan corrective action
- High-resolution traceability, linking materials and operations with digital records that support quality assurance and regulatory compliance
- Standardized workflows, which help reduce errors, expedite training, and enhance cross-site coordination
The cloud-hosted template also supports hybrid deployment strategies, starting on cloud and, if needed, integrating with on-premise systems or transitioning to customized environments. This flexibility suits Japan’s diverse industrial landscape, from traditional discrete manufacturers to process-oriented sectors such as chemicals and food production.
Impact on Japan’s Tech and Manufacturing Industries
Accelerating Manufacturing Digital Transformation (DX)
Japan’s tech and industrial sectors have long recognized the need for digital transformation, particularly in response to global competitive pressures, labor shortages, and supply chain disruptions. Cloud-based MES adoption is poised to remove barriers that previously slowed DX, especially for SMEs that historically lacked the resources for complex on-premise MES installations.
By offering a cloud template aligned with industry standard software such as DELMIA Apriso, Hitachi empowers manufacturers to accelerate the transition from manual or fragmented systems to integrated digital operations. This shift not only improves real-time visibility and control but also enables data-driven decision-making that can boost productivity and reduce waste.
Supporting Cloud Adoption in Industrial Environments
The manufacturing sector has historically been cautious in embracing cloud technologies due to concerns around data security, latency, and integration with legacy equipment. ComiComiCloud’s architecture, paired with a standardized MES template, addresses these concerns by providing a secure, scalable, and managed cloud platform that supports hybrid IT environments.
This helps enterprises advance their cloud journey without sacrificing control or exposing sensitive production data to unmanaged environments. As a result, more manufacturers may be willing to adopt cloud-native or hybrid solutions, fostering broader business transformation and innovation.
What are Broader Effects on Businesses Operating in the Industry
Lowering Entry Barriers for Digital Systems
The new MES template substantially reduces the time and cost required for digital system adoption. Smaller manufacturers, in particular, stand to benefit from immediate access to established process templates without needing large upfront IT investments.
This could widen the pool of firms capable of adopting advanced digital solutions, leveling the playing field between large, resource-rich enterprises and smaller operators that play critical roles in supply chains.
Enhancing Resilience and Competitiveness
Real-time production monitoring and standardized execution systems help companies respond more rapidly to disruptions, from equipment failures to raw material shortages. Enhanced process control supports manufacturing consistency and quality, which is increasingly important for customers demanding reliability and traceability.
Companies that effectively adopt MES via cloud templates may also see improved operational resilience, enabling them to pivot between product lines, adopt new technologies such as AI analytics, and integrate production data with broader enterprise systems such as ERP or supply chain platforms.
Strengthening the Cloud Services Ecosystem in Japan
Hitachi’s investment in ComiComiCloud and MES templates signals growing momentum for cloud-based industrial solutions in Japan. As more enterprises adopt cloud platforms for core operational systems, demand will rise for supporting services, including system integrators, cloud security providers, data analytics partners, and application developers.
This broader tech ecosystem growth will strengthen Japan’s competitiveness in cloud solutions tailored to manufacturing and industrial use cases, while also creating new opportunities for innovation and collaboration across sectors.
Conclusion
Hitachi’s launch of a cloud-based MES template on ComiComiCloud marks a key advance in Japan’s manufacturing digital transformation. This solution helps companies of all sizes modernize production. It does this by lowering entry barriers, improving operational visibility, and providing flexible adoption paths.
As more manufacturers adopt cloud-based digital systems, Japan’s tech and industrial sectors will likely experience faster innovation. This shift can boost global competitiveness and create a lively ecosystem of digital services, supporting long-term industrial strength.

