Whether in pursuit of further convenience in provided services or the betterment of quality of life as a whole, business transformation leveraging DX and AI has become indispensable to various aspects of our lives and communities.
The Marubeni Group is tackling the digital solutions business necessary for such transformation through an integrated framework centered on Marubeni I-DIGIO Holdings Co., Ltd. (Marubeni I-DIGIO), which provides comprehensive ICT services, and Dolbix Consulting Inc. (Dolbix), which offers DX consulting.
Working hand-in-hand with clients to identify the challenges they face, the Marubeni Group flexibly addresses their diverse needs through comprehensive ICT services that extend beyond merely the sale of tools—covering the formulation of strategies, provision of products and systems, construction of networks, and even operation and maintenance services.
At the headquarters of Seibu Railway Co., Ltd. (Seibu Railway) in Tokorozawa City, Saitama Prefecture, Japan, computer screens display live footage from inside railroad crossings. AI cameras installed at the crossings meticulously detect the movements of pedestrians and bicycles passing through, displaying them in real time on the screens.
This system, provided by Marubeni I-DIGIO and adopted by Seibu Railway in 2022, incorporates high precision AI technology to detect anomalies within railroad crossings. If a person remains on the tracks after crossing arms have lowered, the system immediately alerts train drivers to the situation.
Kazuya Miura, responsible for system operations at Seibu Railway, states, “Previously, we didn’t have a system that was capable of detecting people lingering inside the crossing gates. This system helps to increase security and protect as many lives as possible.”
Of course, installing AI cameras alone does not solve every issue. Rather, the implementation of such a system is just the beginning. Daily operation and maintenance, such as camera adjustments, are what is truly important in maintaining detection accuracy. Marubeni I-DIGIO places great importance on this aspect—not stopping at the provision of a system but ensuring its clients have comprehensive support.
“Marubeni I-DIGIO’s personnel respond swiftly to any issues with detection accuracy that may occur due to changes in the surroundings. This allows us to maintain accuracy to the greatest extent possible,” says Miura.
Marubeni I-DIGIO was formed in 2023 through the integration of four companies providing ICT-related services within the Marubeni Group. Covering diverse areas of operation, including ICT infrastructure development and DX support for manufacturing, its goal is to pursue synergy by consolidating the functions and expertise that were previously siloed within each of the four companies.
Among its areas of operation, AI is currently a key focus. Marubeni I-DIGIO President and CEO Yoshihiro Sato explains, “Technologies like generative AI and AI agents are evolving remarkably. While Marubeni I-DIGIO operates across various fields, we’ve already entered an ‘AI first’ world where all of those fields are inseparable from AI. We stand in our clients’ shoes, collaboratively exploring what they can achieve through the utilization of AI, and provide systems to meet their needs.”
A key challenge for companies adopting AI is establishing a robust data infrastructure. In order to make the most of AI, the issue of data scattered across corporate systems, which limits effectiveness, needs to be addressed. Marubeni I-DIGIO is working to commercialize services that build integrated platforms to consolidate this scattered data as well as provide analytical solutions that utilize the data via AI agents.
“We believe AI can streamline many operations across all industries,” says Masaki Mito, a Marubeni I-DIGIO employee on assignment to Marubeni Corporation to oversee AI-related projects. “We aim to provide optimal solutions to clients seeking to leverage AI or shift to data-driven management.”
The company also offers services already incorporating AI. The system for detection at railroad crossings introduced above is one example, as well as a call center support service utilizing generative AI. This service uses AI to transcribe incoming calls into text and suggest optimal response options to operators. It also analyzes conversation tone, quantifying customer sentiment and even operator energy levels. This not only improves call center operations but also enhances response quality.
When leveraging digital technology, many companies face their biggest struggles in the pre-implementation phase. The simple desire to transform operations with technology is not enough; identifying “invisible challenges”—pinpointing where problems lie within the business and which technology can solve them—remains the most difficult task.
Dolbix, a Marubeni Group company specializing in DX services, addresses this need by providing end-to-end support from problem identification to system implementation. One example is its project with Fujisash Co., Ltd., a major window manufacturer in Japan. Facing labor shortages due to a declining birthrate and aging population, the company grappled with the challenge of improving factory efficiency with a reduced workforce. However, the biggest obstacle to resolving this issue lay in breaking down implementation-level challenges: determining exactly where within the factory to make changes and what specific technologies to use to maximize efficiency.
Against this backdrop, Dolbix launched a labor-saving project in 2024 utilizing factory robots. The first step was to get a clearer picture of how to overcome the necessary challenges. Members of the team well versed in the workings of factory front lines, including those with experience working for manufacturers, meticulously analyzed on-site workflows. Rather than just trying to use robots anywhere and everywhere, they pinpointed areas where efficiency could be maximized. They then developed a plan: use image processing to outline the shapes of necessary components, transport those components using robots, and automate the process all the way to the cutting phase.
When undertaking such projects, Dolbix prioritizes contributions that go beyond mere proposals. Leading the entire process—from conceptual design to verifying the feasibility of the underlying technology, prototyping for on-site implementation, and supporting deployment onto the production line—Dolbix was able to turn a pie-in-the-sky idea into a functioning system.
“Putting ourselves in the shoes of our clients is a fundamental part of what we do, but our strength lies in not stopping at handing over a proposal. We see projects through to the end, from testing the feasibility of the technology to the moment our robots begin moving and proving useful on-site. We firmly believe this ability to materialize ideas is the core value that Dolbix provides,” commented Mizuki Iwasa, the consultant for the project.
The services provided by Dolbix are not limited to solutions for operational improvements, but at times encompass collaboration from the very inception of a new business. PubteX, established in 2022 through a joint venture between Marubeni and three major publishing companies, is a prime example. Dolbix has provided PubteX with consulting support since its early launch phase, tackling the implementation of DX in the publishing industry.
One service implemented by PubteX is the use of RFID tags to visualize the distribution of publications. The technology behind these tags, which use wireless communication to read and write data, enables the management of vast inventories of books at speeds dozens of times faster than before by providing an immediate understanding of which books are selling at which stores. This both streamlines tasks like inventory counts and informs the implementation of more effective sales promotion strategies.
This entire project began as a business proposal from Dolbix. Working closely with PubteX, they then delved into the inner workings of the bookbinding process at printing facilities to study tag attachment methods, collaborated step by step on standardization and procurement, and brought the project to a service launch in January 2025.
Currently, Dolbix is continuing its collaboration with PubteX to implement a service that aggregates book sales data. Using AI to accurately predict demand, the service calculates optimal distribution quantities, thereby reducing returns.
“In this era of rapidly advancing digital technology, where the frontiers of corporate operations are shifting dramatically, our role is to co-create scenarios for corporate transformation,” says Dolbix President Takayuki Suga. “Our consultants head out to the front lines, observe the realities that clients face, and accurately identify and build upon those realities. They then devise approaches to achieve the necessary transformation and elevate those ideas to an executable level—this is the core value that Dolbix delivers.”
Marubeni I-DIGIO is dedicated to delivering optimal digital solutions, collaborating with clients through management and maintenance to implement digital technology in business operations, while Dolbix, its counterpart, identifies unseen challenges alongside clients, presents solutions, and provides ongoing support.
The leaders of these two companies, President Sato of Marubeni I-DIGIO and President Suga of Dolbix, have emphasized their commitment to deepening collaboration and accelerating the implementation of end-to-end digital solutions. President Sato affirmed this commitment, stating, “As Dolbix handles the ‘upstream’ side of the supply chain, improving business processes through its consulting functions, Marubeni I-DIGIO will focus on implementing diverse solutions. Together, as fellow members of the Marubeni Group, we will help to seamlessly implement technologies like AI into society.”
(All information contained in this article is based on interviews conducted in January 2026.)
