How can a global industrial leader not only navigate digital transformation but actively shape it? This was the central question of the three-day (Digital) Transformation Summit for Primetals Technologies – designed and delivered by Netural, in close collaboration with Trainconsulting, experts in systemic organizational development.
Primetals Technologies are pioneers at heart. They stand at the forefront of innovation for the global metals industry and push the boundaries of production for a sustainable world.
- Industry
- Steel & Materials
- Solutions
- Digitalization Strategy
- AI Strategy & Consulting
Goal(s) of the summit
What made this summit unique was its integration of future-oriented technological themes with the cultural and organizational foundations essential for effective digital transformation. Instead of focusing solely on tools and trends, the emphasis was on mindset, methodological expertise, and the ability to co-create – all within the context of a globally operating enterprise.
The summit’s goal was to position digital transformation at Primetals Technologies not merely as technological modernization, but as a holistic organizational evolution. This required a special framework to broaden perspectives, to facilitate the exchange of experiences, and to prepare participants for concrete action.
This was achieved through our collaboration with Trainconsulting: While Netural contributed its expertise in digital strategy, service design, and AI-driven product innovation, Trainconsulting provided insights from decades of experience managing complex transformation processes. Together, we created a learning space that opened up room for both strategic reflection and operational action.
Challenge(s)
The diversity of the more than 70 participants, representing a wide range of countries, departments and roles, was both a valuable opportunity and a significant challenge. The summit, held in the inspiring office spaces of Netural in Linz, aimed to harness this wealth of perspectives to enable meaningful dialogue, foster shared learning, and generate concrete impulses for transformation.
A diverse methodological toolkit was employed to ensure clarity and structure throughout the summit: Design Thinking sprints, persona workshops, touchpoint analyses, AI prototyping, creative ideation formats, and a final backlog with user stories provided a solid framework for exploration and development. This was complemented by inspiring keynotes from Albert Ortig (Netural) and Felix Neusser (Pierer Innovation), as well as a joint visit to the “Understanding AI” exhibition at Ars Electronica, offering participants an emotional and experiential entry point into the possibilities and challenges of artificial intelligence.
One of the biggest takeaways I had was about the user journey and the user experience: it's not about jumping straight to a solution, it's about first understanding the problem, and only then breaking it down into ideas and solutions to arrive at the best outcome for our employees.
Leanne Jubb
The summit helped align all of us on how to transform the company in a new direction, with plenty of ideas on AI applications and how to use them in our business.
Sergey Polushin
Netural's digital transformation summit was a great start. There will definitely be another one.
Martin Hirschmanner
I’m truly inspired by what’s happening, especially by how creative people can be. I was also able to expand my toolbox with new methods and learned that the problem space often deserves more attention than the solution space.
Robert Zehmisch
Solution(s)
Working across the 7 dimensions of digital transformation (Digital Strategy, Business Processes, Collaboration, Infrastructure, Customer Focus, Culture, and Digital Service Innovation) participants developed clear visions and measurable criteria to define the desired digital maturity level. These visions were then translated into actionable outputs: prototypes, role definitions and user stories.
Teams leveraged a mix of digital tools, physical materials and AI to make their ideas tangible and implementation-ready with clearly defined next steps. Like this, the summit fostered not just a shared understanding of transformation, but also established a capable internal network of “Change Catalysts” – individuals now equipped to carry concrete transformation projects into the company’s daily operations.
Conclusion
The (Digital) Transformation Summit for Primetals Technologies was far more than a three-day workshop, it served as a catalyst, dialogue platform, and strategic compass all in one. With a clearly defined North Star vision, practical methodologies, and a network of motivated, connected participants, Primetals Technologies is now well positioned to drive digital initiatives with greater focus, sustainability, and tangible impact. The unique combination of technological foresight and organizational depth provides a solid foundation and marks the decisive difference in shaping the company’s digital future.
