GET READY FOR THE ADVANCED MANUFACTURING EXPO 2025! Automation Alley Trade Missions Your Gateway to New, High-Growth Markets.

Industry 4.0 Readiness in the U.S.

by | Aug 31, 2022

Summary

Automation Alley Executive Director and CEO Tom Kelly joins The Tech Ed Podcast to discuss the state of Industry 4.0 in the United States. Are small and mid-sized manufacturers aware of the impact Industry 4.0 will have? What technological and cultural changes need to be made for a business to embrace Industry 4.0? How will reshoring impact our manufacturing workforce? All these questions and more are answered in this fascinating discussion around advanced manufacturing strategies. This is part 1 of a 2 part series.

3 Big Takeaways from this episode:

1) Industry 4.0 and digital transformation must be collaborative efforts: This concept is unfamiliar in manufacturing where companies hold tightly to their “secret sauce,” but the rate of change of technology today makes it imperative that organizations share their knowledge and best practices around Industry 4.0. At Automation Alley, the mindset is share what you know; take what you need. We discuss the roles that companies, academic institutions, government and other entities must play in this collaborative effort.

2) Industry 4.0 readiness is about business culture, too: While so much focus is placed on technology, Automation Alley’s research with small to midsize companies has shown that it’s really about company culture and a willingness to change – and that might mean disrupting business models from a capital-asset-focused strategy. Hear Tom share the four biggest barriers to change for SMBs and how he scores the U.S. for Industry 4.0 readiness.

3) The workforce will be massively disrupted by Industry 4.0: Disrupting business models, changing technologies, reshoring manufacturing to the U.S. and an aging manufacturing workforce all play into this idea – that the manufacturing workforce will be greatly disrupted by Industry 4.0. Echoing earlier sentiments, the workforce challenge should be solved through collaboration, company culture, and building connections between academia and industry.

Listen to full episode

Tech Ed Podcast

Stevan is a product marketing technology innovator who’s spent the last two decades collaborating with Fortune 500 OEMs in automotive, factory automation, building automation, home appliances, medical, and energy management. He’s worked in a variety of design and marketing roles for embedded electronics leaders and is currently Product Marketing Director at Bright Machines helping bring software-driven product assembly to build the next generation of products. Stevan holds master’s degrees in physics and business administration.‍

More

How to Build a Culture of Continuous Learning

Investing in training is one of the strongest ROI bets you can make as a manager. And the proof is there: according to 90% of HR managers, training benefits employee productivity and development. 86% say it improves retention, and 85% believe it impacts organizational...

Related

How to Build a Culture of Continuous Learning

How to Build a Culture of Continuous Learning

Continuous learning involves ongoing skill acquisition beyond training. This strategy is particularly crucial in industries like manufacturing, where rapid technological advancements necessitate digital literacy to adapt and remain competitive.