Big Items
Job Creation
Majority of respondents believe that implementing successful Industry 4.0 would lead to additional employment.
COVID-19 Impact
COVID-19 is expected to impact 85% of these respondents.
Business Goals & Challenges
Most critical for competitive advantage:
Automation of manufacturing process 62%, then data analytics by 27% to reduce costs.
Most critical for market challenges:
Product/process innovation (39%) and to enter other national markets (28%).
Envisaged I4.0 strategic goals:
Introduce new products/services (30%).
Increase gross margins (21%).
Increase efficiency (18%).
Industry 4.0 Technologies
Highest impact technology:
Robotics/Cobotics (48%) followed by Artificial Intelligence.
Strong interest in simulation tools (62%) for product or process design.
Need for Dissemination
Knowledge of I4.0 concepts:
Most companies 62% are not so familiar or somewhat familiar.
Information to understand I4.0 challenges/opportunities:
Little or None: 54%.
Moderate amount: 41%.
DEVISE project
Constraints
Lack of knowledge, information overload:
Of digital solutions that can be applied, benefits of implementation.
Concerns about implementing digital transformation:
Time involved in effecting change management.
Digital skills within the company:
Lack of digitally skilled staff for implementing and ongoing operations.
Opportunities
Collaboration/networking/clustering:
Need for suppliers and buyers of technology to have mechanisms to meet, discuss, etc.
Main technologies opportunities:
Data analytics, process automation, digital training, digital marketing, online communities.
Digital technologies identified as having potential:
Internet of things, virtual reality (VR) / augmented reality (AR), blockchain, digitisation for productivity, green technologies.