Corona’s Call to Smart Factories
When the pandemic hit, factories sat on a platter of fresh-baked challenges: open‑air shutdowns, labor shortages, supply‑chain snags. But a tech guru from Information Services Group (ISG) noticed something shiny beneath the chaos— smart manufacturing was the golden ticket. The idea? “Turn the crisis into a catalyst and roll out digital upgrades that fund themselves,” said Christian Decker, partner and ISG’s EMEA lead for Smart Manufacturing.
The Quick Fix vs. the Long‑Term Plan
Some companies had their employees bundle up for one‑off cost‑cuts. Think “shrink the line here, work overtime there.” Decker warned that these were hit‑and‑miss and easy to miss— the more sustainable play is to bundle digital initiatives into a portfolio of investments, letting each stream of savings power the next innovation wave. “No extra cash needed, just smarter spending,” he said, while he’s gearing up to host ISG’s TechXchange: Smart Manufacturing— a one‑day virtual dive into Industry 4.0’s new groove.
Smart Manufacturing in All Its Glory
“Smart manufacturing covers the whole pipeline—from smart products to smart services, from the shop floor to cloud‑based ERP solutions.”
It’s all about cherry‑picking data from machines and products and turning it into power‑boosting insights.
Andi Christl (your friendly Bavarian radio host) will co‑anchor the event, while Markus Hofmann, a memory wizard at the Steinbeis Transfer Institute, will kick off with “Advantage Through Knowledge.” He’ll explain how top execs can train their memory to pull up any detail—from names to market pivots—just like a super‑charged brain VDI.
Meanwhile, Frank Piller at RWTH Aachen will unveil “Industry 4.0 in the Post‑COVID Economy.” Expect a playbook for building strategies that spin the full spectrum of Industry 4.0 tech into new digital business models, because the pandemic has rewired how value is created.
Why the Post‑COVID World Craves Smart Tech
Decker notes that IoT gadgets kept revenue streams alive during lockdowns. Fast‑forward to the future: collaborative robots and IT systems will slash the need for on‑site staff—especially when social distancing flies out the window. “The future is already here; the cleverest firms will just ride it to the finish line,” he quipped.
Panel Potpourri
- Claudio Mandiratta from Hitachi ABB Power Grids will share how to roll out top‑tier IT strategies for smart manufacturing.
- Christina‑Dorothea Schlichting, Volkswagen’s security chief, will outline a holistic security playbook for integrated systems.
- Markus will join a lively discussion on how to fuse products, data, services, and partners to generate fresh revenue streams.
Beyond the discussions, ISG will showcase its Innovation Lab—a digital playground where attendees can test out new solutions. Use‑case demos such as “Optimizing the Technology Landscape for Scaled Initiatives,” “World‑Class IT in the Context of Smart Manufacturing,” and “New Business Models Around Industrial Data” will round out the lineup. For the grand finale, the panel on “When Do We Say We Are Secure Enough?” will tackle the security sweet spot for a data‑rich factory.
Staying Ahead in the Post‑Pandemic Playbook
“We must align stakeholders for customer value, remain competitive, and establish a solid foundation for operational optimization,” concluded Decker.
In short: Smart factories aren’t just a buzzword. They’re the next inevitable progression—a fusion of tech, data, and human ingenuity that keeps production humming while the world keeps changing its rhythm. The pandemic served as a spark; we’re all invited to keep the fire burning.
