IBM rolls out asset performance management tools to better target industrial IoT

IBM said it is rolling out a series of analytics and Internet of things tools to better target asset heavy industries such as manufacturers, oil and gas and utilities. The applications, which fall under the IBM Maximo Asset Performance Management (APM) banner, are aimed to make IBM more competitive with the likes of GE's industrial IoT efforts as well as upstarts such as Uptake and C3. Big Blue's Maximo is a brand typically associated with enterprise asset management. Maximo is a leading suite in that area. IBM's bet is that it can add APM as an extension to track assets such as vehicles, equipment, turbine and elevators. The industrial IoT space has horizontal vendors like IBM, but also has players like Honeywell and United Technologies. Industrial companies are using analytics and IoT to better maintain equipment and proactively handle issues.