Smart Gas Monitoring Case Study

Azbil Kimmon, Japan

The Challenge

Across Japan, residential and commercial bottled gas distribution operates with limited visibility into remaining gas quantities. Partially empty bottles are transported unnecessarily, drivers lack optimised routes, and distributors rely on excess fleet vehicles and overtime to maintain service levels. With 25 million households using gas cylinders, inefficiencies compound at national scale.

The Solution

X2M deployed a centralised platform that monitors gas usage and residual levels in real time via LTE-M networks. Predictive algorithms can then be used to determine when each cylinder will reach depletion, and create dynamic task lists optimising driver routes to minimise replacement time and distance. The platform is delivered as a SaaS (Software as a Service) licence to Azbil Kimmon who integrate it with their gas meters.

The Results

An initial trial demonstrated up to 20% logistics cost savings. Following production deployment in June 2019 and a SaaS licensing contract in March 2020, the rollout now exceeds 200,000 connected devices. The partnership, X2M’s longest-running, is now extending into the water sector.

Emergency Response Capability

In earthquake-prone markets like Japan and Taiwan, FME-connected gas meters can autonomously initiate gas shutdowns triggered by seismic events. This safety response operates locally via FME edge intelligence and does not require commands from a central system, providing a critical layer of autonomous protection.