Introduction
Elaraby Group, a leading manufacturer of consumer electronics across the Middle East and Africa, has long been known for quality and reliability through its Tornado and Toshiba brands. As smart living gained momentum, Elaraby set out to launch its first line of IoT-enabled water heaters, ushering into a new era of connected appliances.
To achieve this, Elaraby needed more than just a device upgrade. They required a secure, scalable digital ecosystem to manage device provisioning, enable near real-time control, and offer business insights. HyperNym was selected as the technology partner to deliver this vision and pave a digitized roadmap.
The Opportunity
Elaraby’s goal was to transform traditional water heaters into smart, connected appliances. This required designing a system that could support large-scale manufacturing, deliver a seamless customer experience, and ensure long-term product maintenance.
Key requirements included:
HyperNym’s Solution
HyperNym delivered a complete, cloud-based IoT solution that is built on Microsoft Azure enabling Elaraby to manage thousands of smart water heaters from factory to field.
Firmware Integration and Secure Provisioning
HyperNym developed custom firmware for Tornado Water Heaters available in 45L, 55L, and 65L models using Wi-Fi modules. Each device is securely connected to Azure IoT Hub and automatically provisioned through Azure Device Provisioning Service (DPS). This eliminated the need for manual setup and ensured scalable, secure deployment.
Mobile App: Intuitive Control for End Users
The native mobile app (iOS & Android) allowed customers to easily scan a QR code to onboard their appliance, monitor live status, schedule heating events, receive push notifications, and track energy usage over time.
The app also supported appliance sharing with customized access rights for multiple users in the household.
Web Dashboard: Operational Visibility for Elaraby
For Elaraby’s production and support teams, HyperNym delivered a web-based dashboard offering near real-time oversight of all connected devices. Key capabilities included geo-location clustering, error reporting, firmware management, and appliance lifecycle tracking.
Business Results
Elaraby successfully launched its first IoT-enabled appliance line under the Tornado brand. The solution now powers thousands of smart water heaters across the region, each transmitting near real-time data every 10 seconds.
The impact was clear:
The solution also reduced the need for physical service calls by enabling firmware-over-the-air (FOTA) updates and near real-time issue diagnostics.
Collaborative Innovation
What began as a delivery project soon evolved into a true partnership, with HyperNym and Elaraby working closely to refine and enhance the solution through real-world insights. This collaborative approach ensured the platform remained resilient, user-friendly, and aligned with both customer needs and Elaraby’s long-term vision.
Technology Stack (write Wi-Fi controller in replacement of ESP01)
Conclusion
Elaraby’s successful launch of IoT-powered smart water heaters marks a pivotal shift in its journey toward connected living. With HyperNym’s end-to-end IoT platform in place, Elaraby now operates with increased agility, intelligence, and customer alignment that makes them ready to scale across its appliance portfolio.
This partnership stands as a model for how traditional manufacturers can unlock new value through secure, scalable digital innovation.
