Israel Electric Corporation Employees Drive Innovation From the Field
Translated & summarized from Maariv by baba
The Israel Electric Corporation is fostering innovation by empowering frontline employees to develop technological solutions based on their field experience. Recent projects include a robot for live-line work and a drone system for installing warning balls on power lines. The company is investing in innovation infrastructure and centers to test and implement these ideas, aiming to improve service, safety, and energy solutions.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Israel Electric Corporation employees are driving innovation through practical field experience.
- A robot performs live-line electrical work, enhancing safety and maintaining power supply.
- A drone system is being developed to install warning balls on power lines.
- The company supports employee ideas through dedicated innovation pathways and leadership backing.
- New innovation centers are being established for controlled testing of technologies.
Innovation at the Israel Electric Corporation (IEC) often originates not in labs or boardrooms, but with frontline workers who possess intimate knowledge of operational challenges. Herzl Friedman highlights how the company fosters this bottom-up innovation by listening to employees, trusting their ideas, and providing support to transform them into technological solutions. This approach is crucial for an organization over a century old, managing vital national infrastructure.
Two key examples illustrate this principle. One is a robot designed to perform live-line electrical work. Developed by employees concerned about safety risks, the robot, equipped with arms, sensors, and cameras, can execute six different tasks on power lines without interrupting electricity supply. Operators remain safely on the ground, and the system is being enhanced with AI for greater autonomy. Another innovation involves a drone system for installing warning balls on overhead power lines, a task previously requiring helicopters or large lifting platforms. Employees proposed using drones, leading to a system that can autonomously install and remove these markers, a development also being explored for commercial potential.
Friedman emphasizes that employees who propose ideas should be integral to their development. The IEC is building infrastructure to support innovation, including clear pathways for idea submission, professional and economic evaluation, resource allocation, and engineering support. This internal innovation is complemented by collaborations with tech companies and investments in startups. The company's leadership, from the chairman and CEO down, actively supports these initiatives, encouraging employees to propose and lead changes, with 62 project proposals submitted in a recent innovation competition.
The IEC is also establishing innovation centers and labs in Hadera, Nesher, and a smart neighborhood project in Be'er Sheva. These environments allow for controlled testing and refinement of new technologies before widespread implementation. Ultimately, the goal of this innovation is to improve customer service, enhance electricity supply reliability, boost safety, and address future energy challenges, with the company's people being its greatest asset.