Global food and agriculture company Cargill has expanded its private 5G deployments to 50 manufacturing and processing facilities worldwide, working with NTT DATA and Celona. The announcement, made in February 2026, represents one of the more substantial examples of private 5G being deployed across multiple industrial sites rather than remaining confined to individual pilots.
Most of the deployments are in the United States, although Cargill has also introduced private 5G at facilities in Europe. The networks are intended to provide reliable connectivity across large industrial environments where traditional Wi-Fi and wired infrastructure can be difficult or expensive to extend.
One of the more interesting aspects of this deployment is the economics. A March 2026 Analysys Mason report on private 5G and CBRS in US manufacturing includes a Cargill case study based on information disclosed during a webinar with Celona. According to the study, one warehouse that would have required 44 Wi-Fi access points could instead be covered using five private 5G radios. Cargill also reported approximately 50% lower total cost of ownership compared with Wi-Fi for its deployment.
These are site-specific figures rather than universally applicable savings, but they highlight an important consideration in industrial wireless deployments. The overall economics depend not just on equipment costs, but also on cabling, installation, coverage requirements and ongoing maintenance.
Cargill's US deployments use Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) spectrum, which has helped make private cellular networks more accessible to enterprises. Its European deployments operate under different regional spectrum arrangements.
The networks support connected workers using smartphones, tablets and other industrial devices, providing access to operational information and enterprise applications. They also create opportunities for warehouse automation, connected equipment, security cameras and other digital applications without requiring separate connectivity infrastructure for every use case.
Perhaps the most significant aspect is Cargill's approach to deployment. Rather than attempting to justify private 5G through one specific application, the company is establishing broader wireless connectivity that can support multiple applications as requirements evolve.
The Cargill deployment reinforces an important trend in industrial connectivity. Private 5G is increasingly being evaluated on its ability to provide practical, cost-effective coverage across challenging environments, complementing existing Wi-Fi and wired networks rather than necessarily replacing them.
Related Posts:
- Private Networks Technology Blog: Private 5G Transforms LyondellBasell Manufacturing with NTT Data and Celona
- Private Networks Technology Blog: Celona AerFlex Cloud Controlled Private 5G for Enterprises
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