The two companies will aim to use Microsoft Azure & AI technology in the rail sector. Credit: Porterbrook.

UK-based leasing company Porterbrook has teamed up with Microsoft Data and Artificial Intelligence (AI) partner Elastacloud to develop and deliver new data solutions for the rail sector.

Under the partnership, the companies have identified 30 KPI’s across the rolling stock sector that may be improved through AI. The move is expected to benefit Porterbrook customers, as well as rail users.

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Porterbrook CEO Mary Grant said: “We are enormously excited to be working with Elastacloud. Our industry produces large volumes of data that we all too easily ignore. By intelligently analysing this data we can make real improvements to both customer fleets and passenger journeys.”

“Elastacloud are thrilled to be working with Porterbrook. Elastacloud’s team of data scientists have proven experience in helping businesses successfully grow reliability and optimise asset performance.”

Porterbrook said that the partnership is part of its plan to become a leading provider of rail leasing and asset management support in the UK market.

Under the terms of the agreement, Elastacloud will share its AI intellectual property with Porterbrook to deliver improvements in key areas, mainly train performance and maintenance optimisation.

Elastacloud provides AI experience to the rail sector, and mines data in the aerospace, retail and energy sectors.

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Elastacloud director Andy Cross said: “Elastacloud are thrilled to be working with Porterbrook. Elastacloud’s team of data scientists have proven experience in helping businesses successfully grow reliability and optimise asset performance.

“We look forward to helping Porterbrook unlock their data, so they can do the same in rail.”

The Azure AI platform features enterprise-grade infrastructure, which runs workloads anywhere at scale. Modern AI tools have been designed for developers and data scientists and help create AI solutions easily.

The UK Government recently announced plans to help tech firms to develop similar projects and intelligent rail travel apps in a bid to drive innovation and data sharing in the rail sector.

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