On September 11, Hitachi, Ltd. announced that its U.S. subsidiary GlobalLogic and Flexware Innovation (Flexware) have implemented Flexware Innovation's in-house logistics software "LIFT" at Hitachi Rail's state-of-the-art digital factory for railway vehicle manufacturing, newly established in Hagerstown, Maryland, USA.
The implemented LIFT 3.0 is Flexware's first fully in-house developed product, co-developed by Flexware with GlobalLogic and its strategic design division, Method, and was announced in May 2025. According to MHI's research, 41% of supply chain leaders have already implemented robots and automation technologies, and 42% plan to implement them within the next five years.
However, despite the rapid increase in adoption, the challenge remains that these technologies often do not work together. This fragmentation leads to interoperability gaps, orchestration challenges, security concerns, and stagnation in efficiency improvements.
LIFT 3.0 directly addresses this fundamental challenge, enabling seamless integration in complex manufacturing environments such as Hitachi Rail's highly digitized factory. This digital factory incorporates over $3000 million in digital investments, including the latest additive manufacturing technologies and AI robots.
The factory was built by Hitachi Rail, and incorporates the expertise of Hitachi Digital, GlobalLogic, and Hitachi Digital Services to realize physical AI. Through "Digital Kaizen," a continuous improvement process, it achieves outstanding operations, representing a One Hitachi initiative that leverages the combined strengths and unique characteristics of the Hitachi Group.
In the factory, LIFT is used to orchestrate the movement of materials from the warehouse to multiple work cells using automated guided vehicles (AGVs). To achieve this, LIFT is integrated with Hitachi Rail's warehouse management system (WMS) and AGV fleet management system (FMS), receiving incoming material requests, sending commands to AGVs, and reporting status to the WMS upon completion. LIFT also monitors system operation and handles exceptions and alerts.
GlobalLogic played a crucial role in improving the performance, reliability, and user experience of LIFT 3.0. GlobalLogic's engineering team designed a more intuitive user experience and enhanced reliability, minimized errors, and ensured stable operation through a robust QA strategy combining manual and automated processes. These contributions, along with Method's systematic approach, transformed LIFT 3.0 into a powerful, enterprise-ready solution.
LIFT is a system-independent in-house logistics platform that acts as an "invisible glue" connecting various technologies within a factory, including PLC, SCADA, ERP, MES, and WMS. As a foundation supporting the digital transformation of the manufacturing and warehousing industry, it accelerates the elimination of silos, improves safety, and modernizes U.S. manufacturing. LIFT will be a critical orchestration layer in the new 30 square foot factory, capable of producing up to 20 railcars per month.
Scott Whitlock, founder and advisor of Flexware Innovation, stated, "Today's manufacturing and warehousing environments are a mix of various systems, from legacy software to forklifts and next-generation robots, and it's not easy for them to work together effectively. This is not just an integration issue, but also an issue related to worker safety. The adoption of LIFT at Hitachi Rail's new factory proves that it has the power to support next-generation smart manufacturing."
Hitachi, Ltd. will begin offering a solution for CLOs to visualize logistics KPIs from April.
