The Digital Learning Hub has been operating in the same room as one of the four major production lines at Mettler Toledo Changzhou since 2022. While not a core part of the operator training programme, over 50% of frontline employees take after-hours courses and engage in collaborative digital projects, gaining skills like coding, digital simulation and mechanical design in computer- aided design (CAD). By participating in the Digital Learning Hub, operators feel a greater sense of ownership, resulting in an 80% reduction in voluntary turnover and accelerated paths to promotion. The hub itself is also run by previous operators who, through upskilling, were promoted to digital coordinators. It reinforces digital culture and provides a safe, stimulating environment for frontline employees to learn, collaborate and continuously upgrade their skills.CASE STUDY 8 Mettler Toledo Community insight: Mahindra & Mahindra The integration of Industry 4.0 technologies revealed a critical skill gap among shop floor employees, leading to errors, downtime and disengagement for Mahindra & Mahindra’s tractor production site in Punjab, India. The company launched the Smart Operator Training and Upskilling Module to address this challenge, equipping workers with advanced skills for robotics, internet- of-things (IoT) systems and smart manufacturing. Using augmented reality (AR)/VR simulations, IoT-based diagnostics and predictive maintenance modules, employees engaged in hands-on, adaptive learning tailored to their skill gaps. The programme emphasized experiential learning, real-time feedback and data-driven decision- making. Implemented over 24 months, it reduced machine downtime by 25%, boosted productivity by 10% and enabled internal mobility. Leveraging AI to augment workforce capabilities The integration of AI is quickly revolutionizing frontline operations. Innovative companies are enabling new hires to use AI tools to solve complicated maintenance issues in a fraction of the time it used to take. This empowers even relatively inexperienced workers to diagnose problems with greater accuracy and efficiency, accelerates learning curves and frees up more experienced technicians to focus on more strategic tasks. It exemplifies technology’s role in augmenting human capabilities rather than replacing them. AI-based root-cause problem-solving has transformed frontline maintenance operations for Western Digital’s testing facility in Prachinburi, Thailand. Previously, maintenance teams spent countless hours navigating standard operating procedures (SOPs) and communication channels to troubleshoot tester slot issues, often leading to ineffective repairs. With the introduction of Smart Tester Maintenance, an automated, intelligent tester slot shutdown and recovery system, over 50% of issues are now resolved without human intervention. This innovation has led to a 79% reduction in mean time to repair (from 5.7 hours to 1.2 hours), allowing technicians to focus on upskilling and tackling more complex maintenance issues, such as managing the tester fleet from command centres and complex AI-aided troubleshooting. Additionally, hardware repair accuracy has improved by 19%, and maintenance work man-hours per quarter have decreased by 6%. This AI-driven approach enhances operational efficiency while empowering workers to achieve greater productivity and precision in their roles. CASE STUDY 9 Western Digital Empowering Frontlines 12

Empowering Frontlines 2025