Augury’s VP of Strategy, Artem Kroupenev, wrote an article for Manufacturing Tomorrow about how manufacturers dealing with staff shortages and other challenges can still implement Industry 4.0 solutions – but they will need to do it in a focused, agile and organic manner.
The full version of this article was first published at Manufacturing Tomorrow on 13 September 2021.
It’s All About Agility
“Short-staffed teams in the manufacturing industry don’t only impact production. A survey from McKinsey found that the number of manufacturing organizations that were successfully implementing and scaling industry 4.0 issues plateaued in 2020 before dropping by more than 40% to below 2017 levels.”
“Even as the pandemic (hopefully) fades, factors such as dynamic changes in consumer demand, the desire for extensive product customization, and the importance of sustainable manufacturing are all fueling the need for the agility and capability offered by industry 4.0.”
Focus, Centralize, Keep It Natural
According to Artem, it will take a concerted effort to implement industry 4.0 implementation but the rewards will make it worth it. He then goes on to elaborate on three change management strategies that will help ensure success.
- Determine specific use cases to drive business value
- Centralize decision-making to improve agility
- Create the conditions for organic rather than engineered change
In conclusion, Artem states: “Industry 4.0 can revolutionize the manufacturing sector, but it will take a deliberate change management process to overcome the capacity constraints that are currently hampering adoption and innovation. For organizations seeking to identify and implement the most promising industry 4.0 use cases and drive business value, the three strategies above are a great place to start.”
