SmartEquip partners with Google on new platform

SmartEquip has announced a worldwide collaboration with Google Cloud to support its new “AI-first platform” which is scheduled for launch at the start of 2027.

The RB Global-owned business, which helps fleet owners procure parts from more than 800 OEM brands, said it will work with Google Cloud to create a scalable, secure foundation for the next generation of its equipment lifecycle management technology.

It will incorporate a new role-based architecture, said the company, and extend it beyond traditional procurement workflows, enabling equipment owners, dealers, manufacturers, suppliers, and service providers to collaborate more effectively across the equipment lifecycle.

Image: SmartEquip

SmartEquip said it would take a “clean-room” approach to industrial AI, ensuring that OEM and operational data remain protected and fully under customer and manufacturer control, while still enabling powerful AI-driven workflows through permission-based access.

At the same time, a new AI application layer will introduce AI agents to deliver intelligence to help maximise equipment uptime, streamline service operations, accelerate decision-making, and reduce lifecycle support costs.

“AI will fundamentally reshape the industrial economy over the next decade,” said Alex Schuessler, founder and president of SmartEquip.

“But the organisations that lead this transformation will be those capable of combining intelligence, interoperability, and trust at a global scale.

“Using Google Cloud, we are aiming to build a new digital foundation for the equipment industry — one that allows manufacturers, fleet operators, dealers, and suppliers to securely unlock the full power of AI while maintaining complete control of their most valuable operational and technical data.”

Praveen Rao, director of manufacturing at Google Cloud, added; “Industrial AI requires more than advanced models, it requires trusted platforms, scalable infrastructure, and secure collaboration across complex ecosystems.

“By partnering with Google Cloud, SmartEquip seeks to deliver a highly secure, intelligent platform that significantly boosts asset productivity and lifecycle performance.”