June 2021 | manufacturingglobal.

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Technology: AI &
Cyber Threats Automation:
and How Why Should
Manufacturers Manufacturers
Can Mitigate Adopt AI and

Factories
the Risks Big Data?

of the
Future
Industrial Manufacturing 1.0 to 4.0
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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF PRODUCTION DIRECTORS VIDEO PRODUCTION MANAGER MEDIA SALES DIRECTOR
GEORGIA WILSON GEORGIA ALLEN KIERAN WAITE JAMES WHITE
DANIELA KIANICKOVÁ
DEPUTY EDITOR DIGITAL VIDEO PRODUCERS SALES AND MARKETING DIRECTOR
RHYS THOMAS PRODUCTION MANAGERS SAM KEMP JASON WESTGATE
LAURA GARCIA OWEN MARTIN EVELYN HUANG
MANAGING DIRECTOR
PHILLINE VICENTE MATTHEW EVANS
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR LEWIS VAUGHAN
JENNIFER SMITH TYLER LIVINGSTONE
SCOTT BIRCH
CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER
PRODUCTION EDITOR MARKETING MANAGER
CREATIVE TEAM STACY NORMAN
JENNIFER SMITH KAYLEIGH SHOOTER
OSCAR HATHAWAY
PRESIDENT & CEO
SOPHIA FORTE PROJECT DIRECTORS
GLEN WHITE
SOPHIE-ANN PINNELL JAMES RICHARDSON
HECTOR PENROSE KARL GREEN
SAM HUBBARD
MIMI GUNN
JUSTIN SMITH
 EDITORS LETTER

The Road to Recovery:

Reigniting the
Innovative Flame
After a year of recovery, manufacturers and
supply chains are looking ahead to future proof
their organisations, avoiding the repetition of the
disruptive events of 2020.

As mass inoculation continues to alleviate

“As we are
evaluating what
our ‘next normal’
populations of their COVID-19-induced symptoms,
countries begin to emerge from lockdowns and
restrictions are lifted, many organisations are making
the leap back to work. The shift, as a result, is causing
many to reflect on the effects of the pandemic, with
the majority (94%) reporting that the pandemic has
had a long term effect on their business.

will look like, we
can’t help but
see the massive
opportunities this
disruption has
Now, this may sound bleak, with manufacturers
reporting static supply chains, time-intensive tasks,
limited talent, quality issues, and security risks as
some of the key barriers to innovation, but there is a
light at the end of the tunnel.
Determined to not repeat the disruptions of 2020
when it comes to future threats, manufacturers

created for digital have reignited their innovative flames. For 68% of
manufacturers, improving supply chain resilience
manufacturing” and agility is the top business priority for 2021,
-Fictiv alongside 40% prioritising investments into
sustainable manufacturing processes and 54% in
product innovation. Other Focus areas include
manufacturing talent, industry 4.0 - advanced
technologies (34%) and security.

MANUFACTURING GLOBAL MAGAZINE GEORGIA WILSON

IS PUBLISHED BY
georgia.wilson@bizclikmedia.com

© 2021 | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

manufacturingglobal.com 3
 CONTENTS

Our Regular
Upfront Section:
06 Big Picture
08 The Brief
10 Global News
12 People Moves
14 Timeline:
Made in China 2025
16 Legend:
Kiichiro Toyoda
18 Five Mins With:
Gavin Mee

22 36
Digital Factory
J-Tec Factories of the Future
Driving Growth in Asia Industrial Manufacturing 1.0 to 4.0
46 64
Technology
Smart Manufacturing Cyber threats and
The growing shift to how manufacturers
smarter supply chains can mitigate the risks

54 72
AI & Automation Top 10
Why Should Manufacturers Global Innovation
Adopt AI and Big Data? Leaders in Manufacturing
BIG PICTURE

Mercedes-Benz

6 June 2021
Benz Patent
Motor Car: the
first automobile
Germany, Europe
With an engine output of 0.75hp
(0.55kW), and a compact, high-speed
single-cylinder four-stroke engine,
Carl Benz - in 1886 - applied to patent
his creation of the first automobile.
Dubbed ‘the birth certificate of the
automobile’ the three-wheeled, Benz
Patent motor car ran for the first time
on New Year’s Eve in 1879.

manufacturingglobal.com
Manufacturingglobal.com 7
THE BRIEF
“ULTIMATELY, ADOPTING
INDUSTRY 4.0 DOESN’T NEED
BY THE NUMBERS Which technology will see the biggest
TO BE AN ALL-OR-NOTHING
EXPENSE, BUT RATHER A adoption from manufacturers in 2021?
PROCESS INVOLVING SMALL,
Artificial
MEASURED STEPS TO IMPROVE Intelligence (AI)
MANUFACTURING EFFICIENCY”
20.4% Automation

Ruchir Budhwar 22.6%

SVP and Regional Head – Europe,
Manufacturing 5G
Infosys
 6.6%
READ MORE
Additive
Manufacturing
"AFTER SPENDING 2020
PLAYING DEFENSE 10.2%
AGAINST CYBERATTACKS, The internet
IT IS TIME TO TAKE A STEP Collaborative of things (IoT)
BACK AND CREATE A
SECURE FOUNDATION
robotics
Other 28.5%
FOR THE FUTURE” 10.2% 1.5%
Bobby Bono
Partner and Industrial Manufacturing
Practice Leader
PwC

50%
of factory work is expected to be done remotely by 2024
READ MORE READ MORE

“THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

HAS EXPOSED THE GAPS IN
OUR GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAINS
61%
of manufacturers have had a cybersecurity
AND THE OVERALL NEED FOR
incident in their smart factories
GREATER TRANSPARENCY,
EFFICIENCY AND REAL-TIME READ MORE
FLOW OF INFORMATION”

Jim Bureau
CEO
JAGGAER US$673.6bn
Pharmaceutical manufacturing is predicted

to reach US$673.6bn by 2027
READ MORE
READ MORE

8 June 2021
  GENERAL MOTORS AND LG
ENERGY SOLUTIONS
General Motors & LG Energy
Solution, via their joint venture
- Ultium Cells LLC - announce
W
investment plans of over
US$2.3bn to build a second
A
battery cell manufacturing plant. Y
Why you should  BATTERY RESOURCERS
implement Industry 4.0
technologies at scale
Lithium-ion battery recycling
and manufacturing startup - U
With many organisations stuck in pilot purgatory,
Battery Resourcers - raised
US$20mn in its Series B equity P
how do global lighthouse companies come out round, which will support the
from the shadows of outdated working models development of a commercial-
and insufficient innovation? scale processing facility.

McKinsey explains that the answer is twofold: (REGION) WESTERN EUROPE

agility and workforce development. With 17 projects and a value JUN21
By adopting these ways of working, organisations of US$9.1bn, Western Europe
can harness the value that Industry 4.0 (4IR) holds the biggest global share
technologies provide - productivity gains, new of investment into battery
revenue streams, and flexible production systems manufacturing projects (43%).
- for long term business growth.
 EVERGREEN
W
So why should companies fully
embrace agile ways of working?
Evergreen’s Ever Given container
ship has been impounded by
A
Lighthouse organisations that have fully embraced
agile ways of working have allowed for rapid
Egyptian authorities in Ismailia,
seeking legal action for the cost
Y
scaling of 4IR technologies across production of the salvage operation and lost
networks and value chains to maximise flexibility, transit fees. Figures reported at
adaptability and a dynamic approach. US$900mn. D
Okay, so why is workforce  CHINA ASSOCIATION O
development a key component?
By training, reskilling, and upskilling employees
OF AUTOMOBILE
MANUFACTURERS (CAAM)
W
lighthouse organisations have prepared
and optimised their workforce in the 4IR
China Association of Automobile
Manufacturers (CAAM) predicts
N
environment. Keeping people at the centre of a automotive sales in China to
4IR transformations allows organisations to realise drop by 8% as a result of slowing
their full potential to build an innovative and economic growth and tighter
creative future. vehicle emissions standards.

manufacturingglobal.com 9
GLOBAL NEWS
1 UNITED STATES
Mars Accelerates its
Digital Transformation
with Microsoft
Mars and Microsoft announce
the expansion of their long
term relationship with a new
agreement to accelerate Mars’
digital transformation.
The multinational
manufacturer plans to leverage
Microsoft’s Azure platform to
optimise its operational speed
and intelligent manufacturing
supply chains.
10 June 2021
2 UNITED KINGDOM
UK Government
Accelerates Green
Industrial Revolution
Six months on from the UK
announcing its ‘10 Point Plan for
a Green Industrial Revolution’,
the country’s government
plans to inject £166.5mn to
develop technologies and
solutions in carbon capture,
greenhouse gas removal,
hydrogen, and decarbonisation
for manufacturing, steel, energy,
and waste.
 3 GLOBAL

Top 10 manufacturers
committed to workplace
diversity

Manufacturing Global breaks

down DiversityInc’s 2021 Top 50
companies that hire, retain, and
promote women, minorities,
people with disabilities, LGBTQ+,
and veterans.
Specifically, we look at the
Top 10 manufacturers on the list,
paving the way for the industry.

5 KOREA

Factory of the Future:

4 GERMANY
BMW: First Car
Manufacturer to use
Pirelli Sustainable Tyres
Increasing its sustainable efforts
in the automotive industry, BMW
becomes the first automotive
manufacturer to use certified
sustainable natural rubber and
rayon tyres for its X5 Plug-in
Hybrid vehicles exclusively
sourced from Pirelli.
Samsung Boosts Logic
Chip Investment
Samsung Electronics outlines its
latest plans to increase its System
LSI and Foundry businesses
investment by US$33.5bn over the
next nine years.
By increasing its investment,
the company plans to accelerate
its research into cutting-
edge semiconductor process
technology and the construction
of a new production facility.

manufacturingglobal.com 11
PEOPLE MOVES
MARTIN MCCOURT

“Having
dedicated over
40 years to
manufacturing
design and
marketing
for leading
British brands,
I am excited to
join Tharsus’
leadership team
to support the
company on its
growth journey”
FROM: LEARNING CURVE GROUP With this, McCourt brings with him his
TO: THARSUS wealth of industry knowledge and expertise
to one of the UK’s most advanced robotics
WAS: CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD companies as demand for innovation in
NOW: NON EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR automation and robotics rises.
“The business is clearly going from
strength to strength as its autonomous and
Former CEO of Dyson for 15 years, Martin robotics solutions drive innovation across
McCourt has joined the board of Tharsus the UK business landscape and beyond. I
as a Non Executive Director. look forward to immersing myself in Tharsus’
Starting his career journey in 1976, great work that will no doubt ensure it
McCourt has worked for the likes of Mars, stays at the cutting edge of the automation
Toshiba and Duracell. industry,” said McCourt.

12 June 2021
 KERSTIN ENOCHSSON
FROM: VOLVO CARS
TO: VOLVO CARS

WAS: VICE PRESIDENT

OPERATIONS PLANNING
NOW: GLOBAL HEAD
OF PROCUREMENT

With more than 20 years of experience

in strategic development, project
management and operations planning,
Kerstin Enochsson’s career journey began
at McKinsey, moving on to Deutsche Bahn
before joining Volvo Cars in 2007.
Starting as Project Manager Aftermarket,
Enochsson has climbed through the ranks to
the position she holds today as Global Head

PAUL DILAURA of Procurement.

FROM: CARBON
TO: MANTLE

WAS: VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES

AND APPLICATIONS ENGINEERING
NOW: CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER

With a career spanning 24 years, Paul

DiLaura has joined Mantle, following four
years at Carbon, where he helped to bring
three generations of printers and many new
materials to markets.
“I joined Mantle because of our unique
ability to make precision parts with trusted
tool steels at a fraction of the time and
cost of traditional manufacturing or other
3D printing processes. I look forward to
working with manufacturers and partners
to realise this value and to help evolve our
technology,” said DiLaura.

manufacturingglobal.com 13
TIMELINE
MADE IN
CHINA 2025
China’s short term development roadmap
to transform the country into a high-end
manufacturer and technology powerhouse.
The implementation of the Made in
China 2025 (MIC 2025) initiative, is led by
the Ministry of Industry and Information
Technology (MIIT) with a focus on nine
strategic priorities and 10 priority sectors.

2015
The World’s Largest
Manufacturer
of Goods
Establishing itself as the world’s
largest manufacturer of goods,
and a major manufacturer
when it comes to scale, China
in May 2015 released its ‘Made
in China 2025’ roadmap.
The national initiative aims to
improve the manufacturing
industry, reducing its
dependency on other
countries.
2025
Closing the Gap
By 2025, the initiative aims to
comprehensively upgrade China’s
manufacturing sectors and
strengthen its position as a major
manufacturing nation.
The initiative will also focus on quality
manufacturing, smart manufacturing
technologies, improving the
efficiency of energy, labour and
material consumption, making
chinese companies, leaders, and
master key technologies instead of
importing them.

14 June 2021
 What’s the beef with the
‘Made in China 2025’ strategy?

2035 2045 2049

Becoming a A Leader in Innovation A Global Leader
Mid-Level Player and Technological
By 2045, China aims Powerhouse
By 2035, China’s initiative to be a leader when it
aims to have the comes to innovation, By 2049 - the final stage
country operating as a and be on its way to of the initiative - China
mid-level player in the becoming a top player is focused on becoming
manufacturing industry. and global leader in a global leader in key,
the industry. high-end manufacturing
To do this China will sectors, driving
increase its innovation, innovation and holding a
increase its IP ownership, competitive advantage.
and achieve globally
innovative breakthroughs
in key areas.

manufacturingglobal.com 15
Kiichiro
LEGEND
Toyoda
Founder of Toyota
F
ounding the Toyota Motor
Corporation in 1937, Kiichiro
Toyoda is the first son of inventor
and founder of Toyoda Automatic
Loom Works - Sakichi Toyoda.
Following in his fathers innovative
footsteps, Toyoda began his career
working in the family business. During
his time at the company he made
several improvements to its techniques
for eliminating waste in manufacturing
establishing what is known today as the
‘Just-in-Time (JIT) method’.
After visiting England and the
United States (US) to further his
education in manufacturing, Toyoda
became interested in automobiles,
believing that “the era of automobiles
would soon come to Japan.”
Receiving funding in 1933 from
the family business to develop an
automotive development program,
Toyota Motor
Toyoda and his team used the
funding to take apart a Chevrolet to
understand each component.
manufacturer
Overcoming many manufacturing
challenges in Japan due to a lack
16 June 2021
of automotive manufacturing
technology in the country, the team -
in 1936 - produced the first prototype
automobile for Toyoda known as the
‘Model A1’ passenger car.
The following year the program
was trademarked Toyota Motor
Corporation, the name Toyota was
chosen because it comprises eight
strokes in Japanese script, which is
13
considered a lucky number.
years
Toyoda remained at the company
at Toyota until 1950, laying the foundations
(since its
founding in
for Toyota Motor Corporation’s rise
1937) in the automotive industry, passing
away in 1952.
Born - "Kiichiro Toyoda embodied
11 June the foresight and innovation that
1894 few people in history possess,
demonstrated by his significant
contributions to the automotive
2011 industry. We are honored to include
him in the 2018 induction class to
Corporation
was the the Automotive Hall of Fame", stated
third largest
Ramzi Hermiz, President and CEO,
in the world Shiloh Industries and Board Chairman,
Automotive Hall of Fame.
 “The Toyota
success story
is built on
innovation,
both in terms of
its products and
the processes
by which they
are made”
- Toyota Motors
manufacturingglobal.com 17
FIVE MINS WITH...

GAVIN MEE
Managing Director
Northern Europe
at UiPath
Q. WHAT DOES YOUR COMPANY
PROVIDE THE MANUFACTURING
INDUSTRY?
» Just how physical industry robots can
streamline processes on the factory floor,
UiPath software robots can provide support
to the manufacturing industry. Rather than
solely relying on employees to complete
time-consuming and repetitive admin tasks
such as procurement, order management,
inventory management and payment
processing to name a few, UiPath robots can Q. IS THERE A PARTICULAR
lend a helping hand. ACHIEVEMENT YOU ARE PROUD
OF IN YOUR CAREER?
Q. WHAT TECHNOLOGY DO YOU » I take pride in helping people realise their
THINK WILL BE THE MOST VITAL career goals, in particular helping them start
TO THE INDUSTRY IN 2021? their own leadership careers.
» Last year saw a huge amount of change
within the manufacturing industry and
business as a whole.
“Through our diverse
Automation has proved vital in helping and equal talent
organisations adapt to the new business
climate by digitalising processes to reduce
principle, we will
the need for employees to be physically also continue to
present, all while improving efficiency in
difficult economic circumstances. For this
make UiPath a great
reason, I believe RPA will continue to prove place to work”
vital in 2021.

18 June 2021
 “I have been at UiPath
for five months now
and I am consistently
inspired by the way we
all live our lives here”
Q. WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU IN
THE NEXT 12-18 MONTHS?
» In the next year or so, I will be continuing
to work in partnership with our customers to
help them realise their digital transformation
agenda through intelligent automation. To
support this, we will be working to scale
our own organisation and partnership
ecosystem to help our customers achieve
their goals.
Through our diverse and equal talent
principle, we will also continue to make
UiPath a great place to work.
Q. WHAT INSPIRES YOU?
» Working for a culturally rich organisation
inspires me. I have been at UiPath for
five months now and I am consistently
inspired by the way we all live our lives here.
Our customers also inspire me by truly
innovating through technology to meet their
business needs and vision, while creating
new offerings and improving the work/life
balance of their employees.
Those on the front line throughout
the pandemic have also provided a huge
source of inspiration. Despite seeing it
every day in the headlines and on TV, I
remain totally in awe of the doctors and
nurses caring for COVID patients. What
they have done around the world over the
past 14 months is incredible.
manufacturingglobal.com 19
 J - TEC MATERIAL HANDLING

DRIVING
GROWTH
IN ASIA
O
Process know-how, pen control systems, an
independent approach to
open control systems
suppliers and the skill to design
and independence
tailor-made solutions is helping
from suppliers is J-Tec Material Handling leverage its growth
leveraging business throughout South-East Asia.
growth for J-Tec Just three years after the Belgium-owned
Material Handling company - a wholly-owned business unit
in South-East Asia of its parent company Katoen Natie - put
down roots in Rayong, Thailand they are
driving growth across SEA as a process
engineering partner to clients in the food
and chemical industry.
“Part of our business plan focused on the
possible synergies with Katoen Natie who
have been in Thailand (and Asia) for more
than 20 years,” said Arnaud Nelissen Grade,
Sales Director Asia at J-Tec Material Handling.
“Aligning ourselves with Katoen Natie
allows us to share resources like IT and HR
WRITTEN BY: more efficiently. But more importantly,
JANET BRICE it has resulted in a closer cooperation
between the existing business units here
PRODUCED BY: which now makes our group quite unique
THOMAS in the region in terms of what we can offer
LIVERMORE to our clients.

manufacturingglobal.com 23
 J - TEC MATERIAL HANDLING
“In terms of growth
we just got started,
but we've already
exceeded most
company targets
and expectations
that we set up
three years ago.”
ARNAUD NELISSEN GRADE
SALES DIRECTOR ASIA,
J-TEC MATERIAL HANDLING
24 June 2021
“We were also attracted to Thailand
because it is a big market with a lot of
investments going on in the food and the
chemical industry. On top of that, J-Tec
previously had some success with significant
projects in Thailand - so we felt that we could
easily build on those to gain momentum.”
For more than five decades, J-Tec has
focused on its customer-centric approach
and has retained its competitive edge in
handling solids and liquids due to the fact
it is totally supplier independent and offers
clients open control systems moving away
from the more standardised approach of
most of their competitors.
“This means we can guarantee a
customised solution for every challenge,”
 J - TEC MATERIAL HANDLING

ARNAUD NELISSEN GRADE

TITLE: SALES DIRECTOR
COMPANY: J-TEC MATERIAL HANDLING
LOCATION: ASIA
INDUSTRY: INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION

Arnaud holds a Master Degree

said Nelissen Grade who bridges the gap
between Europe and Asia as he spearheads
the rapid growth in the region.
Speaking from J-Tec’s Asian headquarters
in Rayong, he said: “We don’t offer a one-
size-fits-all approach; instead we listen to
the client and use our in-house knowledge
and tools to develop a tailored solution for
EXECUTIVE BIO
in Industrial Engineering from
GroupT Leuven Engineering School.
Graduating in 2009, he spent most
of his career abroad, mostly in China
for Jan De Nul and in Rotterdam for
Fabricom, working in various project
and construction engineering roles.
After earning a Postgraduate
Degree in Business Administration,
he joined J-Tec in late 2014 where
he immediately contributed to
J-Tec’s success as a Sales Engineer.
In 2016, he moved to Thailand
to spearhead J-Tec’s business
development in SEA. Since then,
he has devoted his time to putting
J-Tec on the Asian map,
taking the lead in Sales,
HR and Strategy,
establishing J-Tec

their project. Material Handling

“J-Tec acts as a partner during the Ltd. as the regional
complete process: from the conceptual HQ and focusing on
design, on through detailed engineering, building a sustainable
procurement and manufacturing, up until foundation for
installation and commissioning, and if J-Tec’s growth
required training and maintenance.” in the future.
He pointed out the open control systems
mean clients are not ‘handcuffed’ to J-Tec
 J - TEC MATERIAL HANDLING

“We have all the experience and all the

competencies in-house at J-Tec but we just
need to keep working on how to effectively
apply this in Asia without really rushing it.”
ARNAUD NELISSEN GRADE
SALES DIRECTOR ASIA,
J-TEC MATERIAL HANDLING

if they want to extend the factory or system any given application, which will then define
in the future. “Instead, we believe in delivering which original equipment manufacturer
quality and that keeping this promise means (OEM) equipment we will source and where
J-Tec will hopefully be involved again in the to source it. If it doesn't exist or if it needs to
future” he said. be custom made, we will design it and have
it fabricated, typically in the region where the
Supplier independent project is located.”
Independence from suppliers is one of J-Tec’s
key differentiators. “If we look back 50 years,
J-Tec started as a representative of certain
brands of component manufacturers. Over
the years the projects became more complex
and we evolved towards an engineering
company,” commented Nelissen Grade.
“We knew our competitors and at that
time, we made a very clear decision to start
designing our own systems and become
completely supplier independent in order
to offer that additional flexibility.
“Today, in contrast with many of our
competitors, we don't produce our own
equipment. Most of the equipment in
our systems are purchased from third
parties, OEM for standard equipment and
independent manufacturers for custom-
made equipment that we design ourselves,
but is then manufactured by these
third parties.
“The way we make a difference is by
leveraging this strategy. We always focus on
finding the real optimal process design for

manufacturingglobal.com 27
 Arnaud NelisseN Grade talks
J-Tec Material Handling

28 June 2021
 J - TEC MATERIAL HANDLING

J-Tec is a company member of EHEDG

The European hygienic engineering &
design group.
“We are involved in several relevant
associations related to our industry, the most
important one being EHEDG. J-Tec is an
active, contributing member of EHEDG and
has been assisting in the development of the
industry standards with regards to hygienic
design for Dry Material Handling for more than
10 years now. Such collaborations help us stay
up-to-date and highly relevant in what we do.”

Three-dimensional experience
One way in which J-Tec is turning to
technology to give them a competitive edge
is offering customers a virtual tour of a
proposed factory development. “By using
the power of Virtual Reality (VR) we are able
to elevate a factory design from a flat plan
to a three dimensional experience,” said
Nelissen Grade.
“It enables us to show the customer and
let them discover their future factory before
it's even built which also helps us in the
design of our systems. If our engineers and
our customers can walk around a realistic 3D
representation of the plant, we can discover
potential problems, find alternative solutions
1970 and adjust the design much faster and more
efficiently which benefits both J-Tec and
J-Tec Material
Handling was its customers.
founded in 1970. “A small thing like being able to visualise
their factory also adds an element of wonder

140+ for the customer,” he said.

Commenting on J-Tec’s digital
Number
of employees transformation to Industry 4.0, Nelissen
Grade said: “Like many companies, we have
an Industry “4.0” plan that is being rolled out
€50+mn to improve and expand our services during
Company
and after projects.
revenue
“We are developing several technologies
involving the use of big data related to the

manufacturingglobal.com 29
 J - TEC MATERIAL HANDLING

systems we build. This can, in turn, lead

to remote monitoring of certain metrics
and KPIs, preventive maintenance and the
further expansion of our internal know-how
on how to design the best possible systems
with optimal performance using realistic
process simulations.
“Furthermore, we have accelerated our
remote assistance program, finding ways
to support our global customers without
needing to be physically present, for
example using AR, which has become
highly relevant due to the pandemic.”

Future technology trends

“For our industry specifically, we do believe
and invest in big data and remote assistance
and see this as a trend across several
industries,” said Nelissen Grade.
“Also, hygienic design, contamination
prevention… are big trends and we are
continuously developing solutions for
our clients in this regard, particularly in
infant nutrition.
“Lastly, automation is gaining momentum
even in countries with a lower labour cost.
Automation has many advantages such as a
higher efficiency and accuracy, improved
working conditions… but especially in
these COVID times, it limits the required
manpower needed in factories and
prevents contamination to a large extent.”
Nelissen Grade helped spearhead HQ
The company's
the original business plan on the value headquaters are
located in Antwerp,
of J-Tec moving into the Asia market. Belgium
“The ultimate goal was to set up an entity in
Thailand that acts as a regional headquarters.
We will take the lead from here for our
8
Locations
further expansion in the region. In terms worldwide

of growth we just got started, but we've

already exceeded most company targets 2018
Year regional
and expectations that we set up three headquarters in Rayong,
years ago. Thailand openned

30 June 2021
 J - TEC MATERIAL HANDLING

“This means we can guarantee a customised

solution for every challenge,” said Arnaud
Nelissen Grade, Sales Director Asia at J-Tec
Material Handling, who bridges the gap
between Europe and Asia as he spearheads
the growth in the region.”
ARNAUD NELISSEN GRADE
SALES DIRECTOR ASIA,
J-TEC MATERIAL HANDLING

manufacturingglobal.com 31
 J - TEC MATERIAL HANDLING

“When it comes to “One of the targets we had was to grow a

local team to perform key client-oriented
highly advanced activities like Sales and Project Management
packaging systems, more locally. And so we grew from a full-
time equivalent of two to about 13 people
we have worked with permanently based in the office in Thailand
Statec Binder on in just three years. We are still actively hiring
but with the mindset that we have only
various occasions. got started, so we are slowly building the
They share a lot of foundation of a durable business.

our values such as

“We have all the experience and all the
competencies in-house at J-Tec but we just
high quality and an need to keep working on how to effectively

impeccable service.” apply that experience and competencies in

Asia without really rushing it. There's no point
coming to Asia just to be in Asia, we need to
ARNAUD NELISSEN GRADE do it right. That is what we are focusing on
SALES DIRECTOR ASIA,
J-TEC MATERIAL HANDLING right now.”

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32 June 2021
 4 ADVANTAGES OF J-TEC’S
OPEN CONTROL SYSTEMS
J
-Tec’s open control systems is just
one of the key differentiators setting
them apart from most of their
competitors. Nelissen Grade explains the
main reasons why this gives the company
such an advantage.
“The first is flexibility - which is
something we're proud of because we are
independent. We are flexible in selecting
equipment and in the same way, we
want to make sure that that flexibility is
translated into the control system. More
often than not, our main competitors have
more standardized control systems that
are not very flexible, based on their own
equipment. J-Tec is different in that we
also have limited standards that guide us,
but every system is completely custom
made based on specific needs of the
project. This results in a more lean control
system with smaller and cheaper hardware.
“Number two is that our systems
are “open”. We are not like some of our
competitors who design “black box” type
systems which means the client needs
their intervention if they want to expand.
We had an example of this when one of
our key accounts in Indonesia actually
contacted us. They wanted us to do an
expansion to their factory, but in the end,
they were forced to go back to the previous
supplier because the control system
was locked which would be very costly
to change. Instead, we offer open and
transparent control systems using building
blocks that are then ‘assembled’ based on
the process design. The blocks themselves
may be protected, but the program itself is
open-source and can be accessed by our
clients directly.
“Number three is the fact that our
independence from suppliers means that
we work with a large variety of different
suppliers from all over the world. As a
result, our experts have gained quite a
significant understanding of how to control
the variety of equipment. They often have
a better understanding of how to control
certain equipment as part of a broader
system than the actual manufacturer of
that equipment. This means that they can
correctly use the specific characteristics
of each equipment to optimise the
performance through automation. And
since these programmers are actually
involved during commissioning on site, this
greatly improves the efficiency, expedites
commissioning and avoids all the hassle
of finding bugs that would happen when
using third-party programmers.”
“Finally, we are able to design a fully
comprehensive control system involving
all aspects of the production line, even
for equipment that normally comes with
its own control software. We can use our
experience and know-how in using many
different systems to program software
for that equipment and integrate this in
a single control system. As an example,
whether the extruder itself is part of our
scope or not, we can integrate it in a single
SCADA system, avoiding the need for
communication between various control
systems from various suppliers.”
“In the same way Steve jobs did with
Apple - controlling the product design
from end to end: hardware and software
- we are doing exactly the same with our
control systems.”
“All these things means that we are very
good at designing and offering control
systems that are lean and simple - a single
control system for the entire process,
regardless of whether the equipment in
that process is supplied by J-Tec or not.
 J - TEC MATERIAL HANDLING

34 June 2021
 J - TEC MATERIAL HANDLING

Partnership with Statec Binder

Although we don’t have fixed partnership
agreements with any supplier – one of
our core strategies – we do have a list of
preferred OEM that we tend to work with.
This follows a rigorous supplier selection
process to make sure that our approved
suppliers can support us and
our customers in the best possible way.

“In the same way Steve jobs

did with Apple - controlling the
product design from end to end:
hardware and software - we are
doing exactly the same with our
control systems.”

ARNAUD NELISSEN GRADE

SALES DIRECTOR ASIA,
J-TEC MATERIAL HANDLING

One of J-Tec’s preferred suppliers is

Statec Binder who offer high-performance
packaging systems for open-mouth bags, FFS
machines and related palletising and bagging
systems used in a wide variety of industries
for packing different products worldwide.
“When it comes to highly advanced
packaging systems, we have worked
with Statec Binder on various occasions
worldwide. They share a lot of our values
such as an impeccable service and a high
quality and performance level. I hope that
the global partnership can continue for many
years to come.

manufacturingglobal.com 35
DIGITAL FACTORY

FACTORIES
OF THE FUTURE
Industrial Manufacturing 1.0 to 4.0

36 June 2021
From the first industrial revolution through to Industry
4.0 and beyond, Manufacturing Global looks at the
past, present and future for industrial manufacturing

D
WRITTEN BY: ating back to the 1800s the first
GEORGIA WILSON industrial revolution occurred
when steam and water-powered
machines were developed. As production
increased so did small businesses
becoming larger organisations.
“The industrial revolutions are more
than a sequence of events from machines
to manufacturing,” says Maddie Walker,
Industry X.0 Strategy and Consulting Lead
at Accenture (UK&I). “The impact of the first
revolution in the 18th century is hard to
overstate – agriculture was replaced by the
manufacturing of key materials, powered
by water and steam as the country’s main
source of economic output, spurring a
population boom and economic growth. It
was a breakthrough for human productivity
and production – particularly in textiles and
steam powered transportation – where what
was spun by hand, could now be done by
machines, and distributed far more easily.”
The second industrial revolution was
sparked with the use of electricity in the
late 19th century - which became more
efficient than the steam and water-powered
machines - and the application of mass
production and assembly lines by Henry
Ford in the automotive sector increasing
efficiency and decreasing costs.
“During the second revolution, which took
place in the late 19th / early 20th century,
new energy sources emerged – gas, oil
and electricity. Their presence in factories
allowed for mass production and more
sophisticated machines, along with new
processes in the assembly line,” adds Walker.

manufacturingglobal.com 37
 DIGITAL FACTORY

“Ultimately, adopting Stepping into the 1970s, the third

industrial revolution began with the use
Industry 4.0 doesn’t need of partial automation using memory-
to be an all-or-nothing programmable controls and computers.
“The third revolution triggered in the 1970s
expense, but rather a introduced the computing era. The rise of
process involving small, electronics and information technology
measured steps to improve made automated production possible
- in the front, middle and back office.
manufacturing efficiency” Semiconductors were invented, giving
way to personal computers, mainframe
computers, mobile phones and, eventually,
RUCHIR BUDHWAR,
SVP AND REGIONAL the internet,” says Walker.
HEAD – EUROPE, Bringing us into the present day, the
MANUFACTURING, fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0)
INFOSYS
has been driven by the development of
advanced technologies such as the internet
of things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) to
improve automation, productivity and self-
monitoring capabilities.

manufacturingglobal.com 39
DIGITAL FACTORY
Industry X Explained | Accenture
“Whilst every revolution was distinct, each
one heavily influenced the one to follow.
Their core principles of communication,
connectivity and automation culminated
in the phase most companies are going
through today – commonly referred to as
Industry 4.0,” adds Walker.
40 June 2021
So What is the Current Landscape
for Industrial Manufacturing?
Happening right now, the fourth
industrial revolution (Industry 4.0, the
digital revolution), “is characterised by a
confluence of trends and technologies
that are blurring the lines between the
physical and digital sphere,” says Ruchir
Budhwar, SVP and Regional Head – Europe,
Manufacturing, Infosys.
Unique in many ways, “Industry 4.0 - unlike
prior industrial revolutions - is not about
replacing the existing assets/technologies
with new ones, but about mastering the
challenges and opportunities posed by
disruptive technologies like AI, machine
learning, and big data processing methods,”
continues Budhwar. “For the first time, an
industrial revolution is predicted ahead
of time, and not observed post facto. This
provides various opportunities for innovative
companies to actively shape the future. The
two key drivers behind this change are the
 DIGITAL FACTORY

evolution of consumer behavior and the

rapidness of technology advancements.”
“This movement really sees the
intersection of connectivity, data and
intelligence, with smart technologies like AI,
digital twins, robotics, and IoT supporting
growth and increasing profitability with
digital-first business models and more agile
production systems. Overall, this has had
a profound effect on the manufacturing
process, allowing every single aspect of the
chain – from sourcing, to the production
line, to logistics – to collaborate and share COVID-19 and its effect
intelligence. As a result, productivity is on Industry 4.0 adoption
increased even further, businesses are more
flexible and resilient, and the products they COVID-19 shone a light on the
make are better tailored to customer needs,” need for greater investment in
adds Walker. digital technologies and has brought the
importance of data-driven operations to
the fore – just look at how data has fueled

“Industry 4.0 - the discovery, approval, procurement and

roll-out of the vaccine.
unlike prior industrial While the benefits of being a data-

revolutions - is not driven organisation have been known

for a long time, the pandemic catalysed
about replacing many digital transformations out of

the existing assets/

necessity, meaning that businesses across
all industries are looking to apply the

technologies with technologies and principles of Industry

4.0 to their operations to not only
new ones, but maintain business continuity but to also

about mastering look to enhance their performance in the

post pandemic world.
the challenges Whether it was manufacturers

and opportunities
rearchitecting their supply chains to
alleviate shortfalls, or grocery stores

posed by disruptive scaling up their delivery networks, the last

12 months have truly demonstrated how
technologies” Industry 4.0 can help businesses pivot at
record speed.
Maddie Walker, Industry X.0 Strategy
RUCHIR BUDHWAR,
SVP AND REGIONAL HEAD – EUROPE, and Consulting Lead at Accenture (UK&I)
MANUFACTURING, INFOSYS

manufacturingglobal.com 41
DIGITAL FACTORY

“At its core, what Industry 4.0

has brought to manufacturing
is connectivity, COVID-19 put
connectivity to the extreme test”
MADDIE WALKER,
INDUSTRY X.0 STRATEGY AND
CONSULTING LEAD AT ACCENTURE (UK&I)
“But before making decisions on the
technology capabilities to achieve these
benefits, businesses should always first
Realising the Value of Industry 4.0 identify what their objectives are and what
Being one of the most prominent business challenges and opportunities
boardroom agenda for manufacturing they are looking to address. There is always
executives today, adopting Industry 4.0 a technology that can fix a problem, but
can help manufacturers achieve many it's about using the right ones to deliver
benefits, including streamlining operations, maximum benefits,” explains Walker.
making them more resilient and sustainable,
boosting cost efficiencies or creating more
intelligent products.

42 June 2021

“At its core, what Industry 4.0 has brought
to manufacturing is connectivity. COVID-
19 put connectivity to the extreme test
and manufacturers have learnt the value of
digital technologies to keep the lights on
in times of crisis. Machine intelligence and
transparent use of data help companies
to unlock insights into their operations –
insights that may never have been available
before. These digital threads will inspire
new decisions and operational processes.
Industry 4.0 strategies should now be
looking to embed these lessons and move
forward in times of recovery,” adds Walker.
However, for successful adoption of
such strategies, Walker further adds that
it “requires the whole business - from
engineering, supply chain, finance and
technology – to be engaged and work
DIGITAL FACTORY
towards achieving its value. Everyone in
the business needs to be engaged with
new technology and processes to deliver
sustained benefits. What we often see is
many businesses adopting a ‘minimum
viable product’ approach to bring about
change and to demonstrate the benefits
of a new product or process. This enables
a business to start quickly, prove its value
and then scale – bringing its people and
technology with them.”
Adding to Walker’s comments, Budhwar
comments that “ultimately, adopting
Industry 4.0 doesn’t need to be an all-or-
nothing expense, but rather a process
involving small, measured steps to
improve manufacturing efficiency –
particularly in ways that are right for
your organisation and its specific needs.
manufacturingglobal.com 43
DIGITAL FACTORY

“Acting on Industry 5.0 requires

manufacturers to have already
taken key steps to starting their
digital transformation journeys”
RAFI BILLURCU,
PARTNER AND HEAD OF UK MANUFACTURING
AT INFOSYS CONSULTING

44 June 2021

That’s why at Infosys, we consider 4.0 an
evolution, rather than a revolution, and
have developed an Industry 4.0 Maturity
Index in partnership with acatech, the National
Academy of Science and Engineering in
Germany, to provide companies with a
practical framework for progress.”
DIGITAL FACTORY
Industrial Manufacturing
Beyond Industry 4.0...
Believing that the fifth industrial revolution
(Industry 5.0) is already underway, Walker
explains that “while the fourth industrial
revolution has brought advanced technology
and with it, opportunities into companies,
it hasn’t done enough to truly seize said
opportunity. The COVID-19 crisis made that
very clear as have the growing movements
and regulations addressing unsustainable
behaviors, climate change and a growing
number of societal problems.
“Businesses will begin to pursue balanced
value – which goes beyond efficiency
and growth to also maximising social and
environmental responsibility, and being
better prepared in a world prone to crises.
“Companies will harness the existing
digital technologies from the fourth industrial
revolution to weave a continuous ‘digital
thread’ through product engineering,
manufacturing and the entire supply chain. This
thread will give them unprecedented data-
driven real-time insights, which enables them
to always balance being relevant to customers
and employees, operationally resilient, and
responsible to the environment and society.”
In order for organisations to realise the
Industry 5.0 potential, Rafi Billurcu, Partner
and Head of UK Manufacturing at Infosys
Consulting concludes that “acting on
Industry 5.0 requires manufacturers to have
already taken key steps to starting their
digital transformation journeys. This includes
establishing a digital vision for the enterprise,
and aligning this to drive the corporate strategy.
Setting up a digital foundation is also key –
digital processes must be at the core, along
with a fully integrated and aligned operating
model. Manufacturers must also adapt agile,
and later SAFe agile principles of execution, in
order to drive innovation at speed.”
manufacturingglobal.com 45
SMART MANUFACTURING

46 June 2021
 SMART MANUFACTURING

THE GROWING
SHIFT TO SMARTER
SUPPLY CHAINS
Manufacturing Global
B
eing just one part of many that forms
discovers what is driving the complexity that is a supply chain,
manufacturing can be as simple as
the need for smarter buying a small amount of raw materials to
supply chains and the convert into a product, or it can be a series
value it can provide the of components and processes that are
manufacturing industry interconnected.
Mark Hughes, Vice President (VP) of Epicor
WRITTEN BY: GEORGIA WILSON (UK&I) explains that “at the heart of it, a smart
supply chain is simply one that is as efficient
as possible. This means constantly reviewing
and understanding where any bottlenecks
may exist in your supply chain and working
to strengthen the weakest links in order to
minimise any potential supply chain shocks.
You either eliminate the challenge, or move
it elsewhere, further up or down the supply
chain as required, to make sure you deliver
the end result efficiently.”
However, when it comes to being the
‘smartest’ supply chain, “this takes efficiency
one step further and is self-organising
and self-optimising,” adds Hughes. “For
example, it will only introduce components
when they’re required —controlling the
likes of inventory and storage, and prevent
the emergence of any bottlenecks by fine
tuning the pacing of each stage. In order to
achieve this, it’s important to have maximum
visibility throughout the whole supply chain
Mark Hughes,
Vice President (VP) — which is where technology can play a
of Epicor (UK&I) beneficial role.”

manufacturingglobal.com 47

“For a manufacturer to
develop a smart supply
chain, it all begins with
digitisation”
MARK HUGHES,
VICE PRESIDENT (VP) OF EPICOR (UK&I)
So What is Driving the Shift Towards
Smarter Supply Chain?
With supply chains being made of
several different links - sourcing goods,
manufacturing, distribution, shipping and
receiving - a vast amount of information
and data is being produced. Coupled with
a heightened awareness of supply chain
risk, the industry is seeing an increase in the
adoption of IoT technologies to make supply
chains smarter.
“If just one of these links are weakened,
it can then have a devastating impact
across the whole supply chain. Nobody
wants to be the weak link in the chain, so
organisations across the whole supply chain
are continuously working to mitigate any risk.
SMART MANUFACTURING
What is a smart supply chain?
A smart supply chain is one that
draws on data from IoT sensors
in the factory, AI and other intelligent
technology and data sources to track,
monitor and manage goods from
manufacturer to retailer. This ability
to monitor all processes from design,
manufacturing, production and storage
of products helps ensure traceability and
compliance with the latest standards in
quality and hygiene and provides better
overall flow, visibility and collaboration
across all stages in the value chain.
The smart supply chain is self-
improving and self-optimising. It can learn
from its environment and past actions. It
can predict bottlenecks and work around
them to avoid disruptions. It can help
optimise inventory and make sure that
the right quantities are in the right place
at the right time. For manufacturers, this
can lead to better delivery times and
performance, lower costs, efficiency gains,
reduced risk and more.
manufacturingglobal.com 49
SMART MANUFACTURING

“The COVID-19
pandemic has exposed
the gaps in our global
supply chains and
the overall need for
greater transparency,
efficiency and
real-time flow
of information”
JIM BUREAU,
CEO OF JAGGAER

As a result, this ongoing

improvement cycle breeds higher
quality supply chains,” says Hughes.
“A great example is the dual sourcing
process that takes place in the automotive
industry. A car manufacturer may receive
95% of their stock of a single component
from one source, but retain 5% of their
supply from a different supplier. In the
event that something goes wrong with the
primary supplier, the manufacturer can then
ramp up their order from the secondary.
This mitigates risk, reduces the potential
for disruption and makes an organisation’s
supply chain more robust,” he explains.
Adding to Hughes' comments, both Jim
Bureau, CEO of JAGGAER, and Hong Mo
Yang, SVP and GM of the Manufacturing
Sector at Blue Yonder highlight the part that
COVID-19 has played in the shift to smarter
supply chains.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has
exposed the gaps in our global supply
chains and the overall need for greater
transparency, efficiency and real-time flow
of information. Supply shortages caused
major disruptions and placed immense
pressure on manufacturers to navigate
these challenges as efficiently as possible,
especially for critical products like personal
protective equipment (PPE), hand sanitizer,
media devices and equipment and more,”
says Bureau.
“Over the past year, COVID-19
disruptions have affected many industries,
but manufacturing has been particularly
impacted. Against this backdrop, the
transition to smarter supply chains has never
been more important: many manufacturers’
legacy supply chain systems simply haven’t
been agile enough to react to disruption,
let alone anticipate and avoid it. This is
driving a shift towards smart supply chains,”
adds Yang.

50 June 2021

Bureau also adds Industry 4.0 as a driver
for smarter supply chains, “Advanced
automation is primed to cause large growth
for the manufacturing sector over the next
few years and the broader supply chain needs
to advance at the same rate for the industry to
scale the benefits. In addition, the increased
demand for mass customisation calls for a
smarter, data-driven approach to manage the
complexity that comes with producing these
tailor-made products while minimising costs,
shortages and excess inventory.”
How Can Manufacturers Develop Smarter
Operations in Their Supply Chain?
“For a manufacturer to develop a smart
supply chain, it all begins with digitisation,”
says Hughes. “As a first step, manufacturers
must look inwards and ensure that a
comprehensive data-driven picture of their
SMART MANUFACTURING
organisation exists. Every factory floor is
unique, with unique processes, so there’s no
one-size-fits-all approach. With a centralised
view, organisations can see clearly which
processes might not be driving as much
efficiency as they should.
“By digitising operations across the shop
floor, manufacturers will be equipped with the
data-driven insights they need to ensure each
area within the supply chain is as efficient as
possible. By sharing these insights with each
link, suppliers can react and adjust their supply
according to demand, all in real-time. Call it
autonomous, or hyperconnected — essentially
what we’re talking about is achieving the
maximum visibility of information.”
Agreeing with Hughes, Yang adds that
it is important to “identify the use-cases
and challenges you want to overcome. A
pragmatic approach to implementing new
manufacturingglobal.com 51
SMART MANUFACTURING
Smart supply chains: the top trends
Jim Bureau, CEO of JAGGAER
Agility and better collaboration: the supply
chain pressures brought to light by the
pandemic have led organisations to crave agility
and the ability to quickly respond to change.
With the visibility and real-time monitoring the
smart supply chain provides, manufacturers and
their downstream partners can work together
more easily and effectively to solve issues at
any point in the supply chain when they arise.
This drives efficiency, performance, stronger
relationships, and resilience.
Sustainability: in the broad sense
– environmental but also social and economic –
has also been an urgent issue, and manufacturing
organisations are increasingly becoming more
intentional about developing resource-efficient
behavior and really knowing the suppliers with
which they work. Driving efficiencies, optimising
routes, increasing transparency across the supply
base through greater traceability through n-tier
suppliers, ensuring compliance, and limiting
overproduction, waste, and excess inventory, are
just a few of the ways a smart supply chain can
further sustainability.
Hong Mo Yang, SVP and GM of the
Manufacturing Sector at Blue Yonder
Artificial Intelligence (AI)/ Machine Learning
(ML): there are many use-cases for AI/ML across
the supply chain. From predicting demand
and anticipating disruptions, to optimising
52 June 2021
transportation routes, resource planning and
customer fulfillment strategies, AI/ML is widely
implemented to drive efficiencies, automation,
and enable greater visibility and integration
across the supply chain network.
Digital twins: to help supply chain leaders
make the right decisions across the end-to-
end supply chain, a digital twin is critical. By
creating a digital representation of the physical
supply chain, companies can leverage the
digital twin to make local and global decisions,
increase situational awareness, and evaluate the
impact of various scenarios with confidence.
More importantly, organisations can anticipate
the impact of decisions to strategic business
objectives such as revenue growth, margin
control, and customer satisfaction targets.
Demand for data scientists: as companies
continue to invest in new technologies across
AI/ML, IoT and robotics, combined with
requirements for companies to aggregate
higher volumes of data across internal and
external resources, the demand for data
scientists will grow. Today, data scientists are
working to solve many challenges, such as
modeling data and building plans to make
the supply chain more sustainable, improving
response times and agility with greater visibility
and control, and automating decision-making
processes with AI/ML and big data to enable
companies to make smarter and more strategic
business decisions.
 SMART MANUFACTURING

“Over the past year, COVID-

19 disruptions have
affected many industries,
but manufacturing has
been particularly impacted”
HONG MO YANG,
SVP AND GM OF THE MANUFACTURING
SECTOR AT BLUE YONDER

technologies to create a smart supply chain Blue Yonder

will allow companies to scale and deliver
greater value. Many companies today are
looking to build resilience into their supply
chains, and that requires real-time visibility
and actionable analytics to navigate supply
chain shocks and make data-driven decisions.
“Let’s look at the recent Suez Canal
disruption, where a 1,300-foot container
ship became stuck sideways in one of the
busiest shipping arteries connecting Asia
to Europe. With our AI/ML Control Tower,
we were able to help our Blue Yonder
customers prepare for the early ripple
effects by predicting the impact to inventory,
production capacity and sales in real-time
so they could take corrective actions to
mitigate the impact of the disruption.”
With current events such as COVID-19
and the Suez Canal posing severe risks to
the supply chain industry, “smart supply “Ultimately, it’s a case of collecting as
chains have never been more important,” much data as possible to increase visibility
says Hughes. “The smarter a supply chain is, across the whole supply chain. A smart
the more efficient and resilient it is. There supply chain will take care of the larger
will always be disruptive events that pose data points and self-optimise to an extent
a threat to supply chains, both minor and (sudden fluctuations in demand draining
major, but smart supply chains have a better stock levels for example). This frees up
chance of successfully mitigating these risks. those on the ground to focus on the small,
True optimisation means dealing with the disruptive anomalies: the flat tyres of the
anomalies, not the norm. supply chain that can’t be optimised away."

manufacturingglobal.com 53
AI & AUTOMATION

Why Should
Manufacturers
Adopt AI and
Big Data?

54 June 2021
 AI & AUTOMATION

Manufacturing Global speaks

WRITTEN BY: to executive leaders at EY,
GEORGIA WILSON Infor and GE Digital to get to
the bottom of this question

W
CVH: Cobus Van Heerden, hilst the drive to digitally
Senior Digital Product transform the manufacturing
Manager at GE Digital
industry has been a topic of
conversation for the last decade, recent
events have only increased the need
for the agility, scalability and resilience
that industry 4.0's smart manufacturing
capabilities can provide.
Speaking with Cobus Van Heerden, Senior
Digital Product Manager at GE Digital, Mark
Powell, Partner, EY (UKI Consulting), and Phil
Lewis, Vice President, Solution Consulting
MP: Mark Powell,
EMEA at Infor Manufacturing Global looks at
Partner, EY (UKI how technologies that harness AI and Big Data
Consulting) can help manufacturers unlock real-time
operational visibility to achieve improved
process reliability and performance.

Q. What are the current applications

of artificial intelligence (AI) and Big
Data in the manufacturing industry?

CVH: Industrial AI uses a combination of

targeted AI technologies, data, physics,
and deep domain knowledge to solve key
PL: Phil Lewis, Vice industrial business challenges. Traditional
President, Solution
AI mimics human intelligence, whereas
Consulting EMEA at Infor
industrial AI builds upon it to unlock insights
and determine causal knowledge in high-
stakes, dynamic, and variable industrial
environments. In Manufacturing, Industrial AI
can be used to detect and predict key process
and asset problems to help companies
optimise their operations including capacity,
quality, and cost structures.

manufacturingglobal.com 55
 AI & AUTOMATION

70%
of manufacturers will
use digital copies of the
physical world (digital
twins) to conduct
simulations and scenarios
by 2022

70%
of manufacturers moving
into robotics will need
operations talent to
manage more automated
and flexible production

73%
“Digitisation
of manufacturers plan
to invest more in smart
factories to support

is forcing innovation and automation

manufacturers to 70%
of manufacturers feel that

reimagine their robotics will drive the

need for highly skilled

supply chains”
workers registrar

Q. For manufacturers looking to adopt

MARK POWELL
PARTNER,
EY (UKI CONSULTING)
PL: Textbook definitions of AI or Big Data
miss the point that industries differ and
will have drastically different demands for
the technology. It is about the application
of a given technology to a specific issue
that a business may be experiencing. This
issue may be an ‘industry-standard’ one, or
something that arises in the configuration
of the technology. But there is most value
in the application of tools such as Big Data
and AI to the critical 10% of a business that
is truly idiosyncratic. We classify this as a
60/30/10 split and it is how we look to apply
these technologies to drive maximum value.
Industry 4.0, smart manufacturing
capabilities, why should manufacturers
use AI and Big Data to do so?
CVH: Smart manufacturing deploys
industrial advanced analytics to predict
future asset and process performance
using real-time and historical data and
optimising in a closed loop. This involves
the use of AI and machine learning to
enable process engineers to combine
data across industrial data sources and
rapidly identify problems, discover root
causes of issues in the plant, predict future
performance of assets, and automate
actions employees can take to improve
quality, productivity, and operations.

manufacturingglobal.com 57
AI & AUTOMATION

Big data analytics for manufacturing -

Samsung Nexplant Analytics

“The combination of AI and data provides acceleration

of digitisation through analytics-based solutions”
COBUS VAN HEERDEN
SENIOR DIGITAL PRODUCT MANAGER,
GE DIGITAL
MP: Digitisation is forcing manufacturers
to reimagine their supply chains. As an
example, most companies use internal data
to track demand-supply balances and it is
challenging for them to foresee external
events impacting their supply chains. Using
AI techniques that understand unstructured
external data sets, such as social media and
other data on events, manufacturers can plan
for supply chain disruptions much sooner.
In addition, manufacturers can use AI
and Big Data to build digital replicas of their
manufacturing operations and tap into
transformative possibilities of reducing cycle
time in production, adding manufacturing
capacity and predicting unplanned
maintenance activities etc.
PL: Some of the poster child statistics for
AI and Big Data simply demand attention.
Recently, Siemens automated one of
its factories in Germany, with 75% of the
processes digitised or having increased
automation. Productivity improved by

58 June 2021

1,400%. That is game-changing for any
business. Which means many manufacturers
are now looking at how they plug AI and Big
Data into their plans for the future.
Q. What is the best strategy for
manufacturers striving to realise the value
of AI and Big Data in their operations?
CVH: Process engineers have exceptional
domain expertise to put together process
models – or Process Digital Twins – and
be able to interpret the models. This is
the foundation for improving competitive
advantage and success with analytics. To
drive analytics and improve processes,
manufacturers should put together a
strategy that can align domain expertise
AI & AUTOMATION
to five capabilities: Analysis - automatic
root cause identification accelerates
continuous improvement; Monitoring
– early warnings reduce downtime and
waste; Prediction – proactive actions
improve quality, stability, and reliability;
Simulation – what-if simulations
accelerate accurate decisions at a
lower cost; and Optimisation – optimal
process setpoints improve throughput at
acceptable quality by up to 10%.
All process engineers can and need
to develop capabilities in analytics and
machine learning to remain competitive.
Over time, engineers can go from small
projects to pilots to multi-plant optimisation
with deep application of analytics. Their
deep domain expertise provides a
manufacturingglobal.com 59
AI & AUTOMATION

Is artificial intelligence (AI) and Big “Many manufacturers

Data driving the fourth industrial are now looking at
revolution (Industry 4.0)?
how they plug AI and
“The combination of Industrial AI and
data produces what we call a Process
Big Data into their
Digital Twin which helps manufacturers to plans for the future”
rapidly troubleshoot continuous, discrete, or
batch manufacturing process performance
PHIL LEWIS
by mining insight from available sensor and VICE PRESIDENT,
production data. This technology, which SOLUTION CONSULTING EMEA AT INFOR
utilises predictive analytics, enables users to
analyse operating scenarios, qualifying the
impact that operational changes will have
on key performance metrics and identifying
causes for performance variation. Digital
Twins inspire continuous improvement, a key
goal of the future of the industry by looking
back to historical data as well as real time to
move forward rapidly” - Cobus Van Heerden,
Senior Digital Product Manager at GE Digital

“We see daily increases in AI / ML

uses – inventory optimisation,
maintenance, faster finance processes are all
key areas that we see arise many times. For
this to continue, and return on investment
to continue, AI needs to be plumbed in and
ready to go with other systems, rather than
a bolt-on, or businesses face a hefty, and
costly integration project. In terms of the next
specific technology, it really depends on the
maturity of the individual company or project
– businesses are only just reaching the point
of a digital fabric rather than a bunch of digital
projects. Prescriptive working, driven by AI
and fed by masses of sensor data, holds a huge
amount of promise for the B2B / industrial
markets and we see some very encouraging
early shoots in asset maintenance and field
service” - Phil Lewis, Vice President, Solution
Consulting EMEA at Infor

60 June 2021

foundation for modelling processes and
developing the analytics that are game
changers in very specific applications.
Most importantly, get started with
analytics. “Trystorm” some projects; put
your intuitive ideas to the test and put data
and analytics behind them. Don’t wait to
become a data science expert. That isn’t
necessary. Leverage proven easy-to-use
industrial analytics tools fueled with your
domain expertise. That’s going to drive big
improvements quickly.
AI & AUTOMATION
PL: Businesses – including manufacturers
- tend to assess digital projects with a
focus on either customer, supply chain,
internal efficiency or people - those are the
four main drivers for any foray into digital.
These are often organic and arise from an
ongoing ‘how can we do better’ attitude.
This has been accelerated by concerns of
competition as companies are now fearful of
being left behind competition and disruptive
entrants. There is palpable fear around being
digitally relevant and this is promoting a lot
of investment.
However, it is worth noting that many
manufacturers have already invested heavily
in technology (even before COVID forced
a move to digitalisation) so the first point
of definition is to align AI and Big Data to
existing technology. When businesses
assess their technology in use today, they
need to bear in mind not only a short-
term perspective of will the technology
handle current processes but also does
it provide a platform for the future? This
latter perspective is built on data. Both
elements are equally important but the
second “platform perspective” demands
big data. It is no longer enough to choose
a platform that just supports / tweaks the
ongoing processes – there has to be future
capabilities built in.
There is then the need to ensure that
this technology is deployed in the best way
possible. This necessitates an open, cloud-
based application landscape so a business
can seize new opportunities such as Big
Data or AI without having to go through
a cumbersome integration and bolt on
process. This makes an organisation more
agile, focusing on the creative application of
the technology to the needs of the business,
such as identifying new opportunities
for revenue.
manufacturingglobal.com 61
AI & AUTOMATION

“The key challenge in adopting AI will come

down to manufacturers’ ability to establish
alignment across the organisation”
MARK POWELL
PARTNER,
EY (UKI CONSULTING)

Q. What are the challenges when it comes
to adopting AI and Big Data analytics
into manufacturing operations?
CVH: Manufacturers are challenged with
reducing waste, costs, and risk while meeting
customer demand. The combination of AI
and data provides acceleration of digitisation
through analytics-based solutions that
empower workers with data in context so
that people, assets, and processes work
together efficiently.
Another challenge for companies is
just getting started. They want to learn
more about how to use analytics in their
operations but don’t see it as a job for their

62 June 2021

current workforce. Fortunately, Industrial AI
solutions can help and not require process
engineers to be data scientists.
MP: The key challenge in adopting AI will
come down to manufacturers’ ability to
establish alignment across the organisation
on some of the high-value areas where AI
AI & AUTOMATION
will make an impact. For example, using
machine learning and computer vision to
predict and identify faults in equipment
before they occur, thus reducing production
downtime and decreasing maintenance
costs. Another challenge is establishing a
culture of infusing AI into their processes
through a test-and-learn culture.
For too long, organisations have talked
about becoming ‘data driven’ and this
has generally not worked as well as it
had been hoped. Manufacturers need to
take a different approach that starts with
understanding where value can be driven
from new insights and then focus on the
data needed to drive the insights that can
then drive business value. Organisations
need to become ‘insight driven and data
enabled’ and not simply ‘data driven’ - only
then will they really leverage the power of AI
and big data.
PL: It is all about how attitudes towards
data have changed. It was previously seen
as a necessary evil but is now the number
one asset in a business. Typically this drives
an obsession with big data labels but it is
what you do with the data that matters –
using the likes of AI / BI / IoT etc to turn
that data into a truly valuable asset. The
automotive industry is the prime example
– using and selling the data produced by
a car. Interestingly, we now almost take
‘cloud’ for granted – had we answered
this question 24 months ago, cloud would
have been the first consideration, but
it is now table stakes. It is no longer if a
business will go cloud but more a question
of what type of cloud / cloud use? – We
have moved far beyond the infrastructure
conversation –the how and into the what
– and into the why a business looks to
embrace digital.
manufacturingglobal.com 63
TECHNOLOGY

Cyber Threats and

How Manufacturers
Can Mitigate the Risks
Manufacturing Global looks at the types of
threats faced by manufacturers and the ways in
which they can protect themselves from attacks

U
nlike prior industrial revolutions,
Industry 4.0 is not about replacing
existing assets and technologies
with new ones, but about mastering the
challenges and opportunities posed by
disruptive technologies like AI, machine
WRITTEN BY: learning, and big data, which are blurring the
GEORGIA WILSON lines between the physical and digital world.
While the increase in technological
adoption is driving smarter manufacturing
operations that are more agile, flexible
and productive, it isn’t without challenges.
As more and more operations become
digital and converge to the cloud the need
for effective cybersecurity measures only
increases in its importance.

Cyber Threats in the Manufacturing Industry

“Cyber threats faced by manufacturers come
in all shapes and sizes, including phishing, IP
theft, ransomware, IoT attacks and supply
chain attacks,” begins Mo Cashman, Principle
Engineer at McAfee.
“Manufacturers are vulnerable to
cyberattacks wherever digital is present,”
adds Bobby Bono, Partner and Industrial
Manufacturing Practice Leader at PwC,

64 June 2021
 TECHNOLOGY

manufacturingglobal.com 65
 TECHNOLOGY

While

70%
of CISOs and
CIOs say they
increased security
training as a result
of COVID-19, only

30%
of employees say
their employer has
offered training on
the dos and don’ts of
protecting company
and personal digital
assets, data, and
information.

"After spending 2020 Bobby Bono, Partner

and Industrial

playing defense Manufacturing

Practice Leader

against cyberattacks,
at PwC

it is time to take a
step back and create
a secure foundation
for the future”
BOBBY BONO
PARTNER AND INDUSTRIAL
MANUFACTURING PRACTICE LEADER AT PWC
“manufacturing is not a siloed industry—
supply chains span numerous countries and
industries. A company is only as secure as
those it works alongside. Companies must
determine what their stakeholders are doing
to protect not only their information but also
any shared information,” he continues.
With the number of connected
systems and devices multiplying over
the last year because of remote working
and the increased desire for digital sales
and marketing by consumers. “Attacks
relating to COVID-19 continue to impact
the sector. Research from McAfee found
9,435,863 malicious detections related to
the pandemic since April last year, with 2%
of these attacks targeting the manufacturing
industry. Trojans have been the main tactic
used across all sectors, followed by viruses
and potentially unwanted programmes,”
says Cashman.
“Another thing to keep in mind is
that the manufacturing sector—like all
sectors of the economy—is coping with
massive workforce changes,” adds Steve
Gansen, Sales Business Development
Manager for Manufacturing Industry, Cisco.
“Baby boomers are retiring in large
numbers, and that’s driving the adoption
of technology solutions, including analytics,
remote expert and other network-

manufacturingglobal.com 67
TECHNOLOGY
“Cyber threats
faced by
manufacturers
come in all
shapes and sizes”
MO CASHMAN
PRINCIPLE ENGINEER AT MCAFEE
The evolution of cyber
threats in manufacturing
“Cyber threats in the manufacturing
industry have dramatically evolved
over the last decade as the intelligence and
creativity of cyber attackers has grown. Most
significantly, we see attackers repurposing
threats like ransomware and entering
through workplace systems to attack
industrial systems,” - Mo Cashman, Principle
Engineer at McAfee
“Cyber attacks are more sophisticated than
ever. For companies that have transitioned
the largest parts of their business to the
cloud, a breach could undermine the entire
foundation of a company and its workforce,”
- Bobby Bono, Partner and Industrial
Manufacturing Practice Leader at PwC.
“To say cyber threats have grown more
complex over the last five to 10 years is a
serious understatement. Back then, it was
a lot easier to spot a suspicious email or
an illegitimate link to a website. Today, the
attacks are increasingly sophisticated. We
are only a click away from a big mistake,” -
Steve Gansen, Sales Business Development
Manager for Manufacturing Industry, Cisco.
68 June 2021
driven solutions, so they can do more
with less without losing their competitive
advantage.  But these solutions come
with their own risks; they create a wide
and vulnerable threat landscape, that is
compounded by the historically aging
infrastructure within outdated plants.
Manufacturers must adapt to avoid
cyber threats.”
“Five to 10 years ago, many thought that
enterprise-grade firewalls were enough
to secure an IT network. But this thinking
has significantly evolved. Firewalls alone
can't provide the protection that digital-
first, smart factories and connected
manufacturers need,” says Raj Krishna,
VP of Strategy & Planning, Cisco Meraki.
As the industry becomes increasingly
data-driven and reliant on technology,
security professionals across the
manufacturing industry will face significant
challenges when defending their
organisations from threats across connected
machines and connected networks.
 TECHNOLOGY

“Migrating to the cloud and embracing

a smart factory mindset has highlighted
pressing cybersecurity issues, which is an
The average time from intrusion
evolving area and must consistently be at
to detection of a cyber-criminal is
the forefront,” adds Bono.
“Whether it is an enhanced digital- 56 days
customer experience or the option to
work remotely, the increasing presence
of digital has altered almost every aspect 792,000
of our personal and professional lives. We incidents with a reported
loss of over
have grown accustomed to the newfound
ease and flexibility that comes with
digital enhancements but need to keep in
US$4.1bn
in 2020 (69% increase
mind the risks associated with it as well,” compared to 2019)
continues Bono.
“Much of the industry continues to There were

practice ‘just-in-time’ manufacturing

which allows little room for error, further
emphasising the need for cyber-protected
digital assets. The recent Suez Canal
blockage halted global trade, and companies
faced the financial impact of catching up to
demand. A cyber attack against the entire
company would be much more costly.”
2,474
Ransomware attacks
documented in 2020
Steve Gansen, Sales Business
Development Manager for
Manufacturing Industry at Cisco
discussing the FBI report on cyber
attacks between 2019 and 2020

manufacturingglobal.com 69
TECHNOLOGY
The benefits of strong security in manufacturing
“A strong cybersecurity program should
mean that plant infrastructure is also
well connected. This opens up possibilities
for leveraging plant solutions that can hit your
bottom line quickly and efficiently.  Solutions
like artificial intelligence or augmented
reality, asset management tools, and analytics
tools all require a well-connected network to
gather, move and analyse the data. Security
is about having visibility to connected and
unconnected devices. That same strategy
can help manufacturers gather data to make
information-based real-time decisions for
productivity gains” - Steve Gansen,
Sales Business Development Manager
for Manufacturing Industry, Cisco
“Companies must focus on understanding
how cybersecurity can affect their business.
If they do not prioritise vulnerability to cyber-
threats until an attack strikes, it is too late.
Addressing potential threats head-on by
developing short-term and long-term plans
will build a strong cybersecurity foundation
internally and externally. Having a strong
cybersecurity foundation is also vital from
a reputational standpoint. Businesses and
70 June 2021
consumers alike are seeking partners they
can rely on to safely deliver products while
protecting private information. A breach goes
beyond one company – it impacts everyone in
the supply chain all the way down to the end-
user” - Bobby Bono, Partner and Industrial
Manufacturing Practice Leader at PwC
“Our recent research found that the monetary
cost of global cybercrime is around US$945bn.
These costs aren’t just the result of monetary
losses, but also include significant reductions
in both productivity and lost work hours.
When businesses fail to maintain and evolve
their cyber defences, it is now the difference
between their ability to thrive or just survive
within the market” - Mo Cashman, Principle
Engineer at McAfee
“With a strong cybersecurity strategy in place,
manufacturing organisations will be able
to reap the benefits - including seamless
maintenance of operations, improved
efficiencies and better outcomes from
leveraging connected devices, physical safety,
supply chain integrity and more” - Raj Krishna,
VP of Strategy & Planning, Cisco Meraki

So What Can Manufacturers do to Protect
Themselves from Cyber Threats?
“Cybersecurity is not a one-and-done
occurrence,” says Bono. “Once initial
measures are put in place, it is time to
shift focus to building the foundation for
cybersecurity excellence. As technology
advances so do potential cyberattacks, and
your employees are the first line of defense
in protecting your business, emphasising
the need to make sure they are trained and
prepared,” he added.
Agreeing with Bono that there is no ‘one-
size-fits all’ approach to cybersecurity,
Gansen says that “First, manufacturers need
to invest in modern security tools that do
deep-packet inspections to identify
vulnerabilities. If they use firewalls as their
primary strategy, then they’re in trouble.
Secondly, they need to embrace the
fact that security isn’t just a concern for
executives or managers. It’s something
every employee needs to be trained on so
that they’re making the right choices,” he
TECHNOLOGY
“Firewalls alone
can't provide
the protection
that digital-first,
smart factories
and connected
manufacturers need”
RAJ KRISHNA
VP OF STRATEGY & PLANNING,
CISCO MERAKI
also comments that “they need to work
with experts to find solutions that work for
their unique situations and give them full
visibility into the network and everything
on it. If it doesn’t look right, it probably
isn’t. Having that visibility will let managers
act on it.”
Adding to Gansen’s comments, Bono says
"After spending 2020 playing defense
against cyberattacks, it is time to take a step
back and create a secure foundation for
the future. Looking ahead one to two years,
companies should begin evaluating how
they are addressing cybersecurity at every
level of their organisation and allocating
sufficient resources for it.”
“What’s required is a sophisticated and
powerful security strategy for data and
networks – the ability to evolve with
speed, and at scale with security. This is the
foundation for manufacturing organisations
to win with confidence and become true
differentiators from their competitors,”
concludes Krishna.
manufacturingglobal.com 71
TOP TEN

Global Innovation Leaders

in Manufacturing
Manufacturing Global lists its Top 10 global
innovation leaders in manufacturing from BCG’s
latest ‘Most Innovative Companies 2020’ report

72 June 2021

B
attling global markets
that rapidly evolve
and fluctuate, leading
innovators “need a well-tuned
innovation system that can spot
emerging product, service, and
business model opportunities,”
says BCG, one that can be rapidly
developed and successfully
scaled over and over again.
WRITTEN BY:
GEORGIA WILSON
TOP TEN
BCG states that successful serial
innovators get three things right:
1. T
 hey are committed to making
innovation a priority, and
decisive when it comes to
investments and ambitions
2. They embrace the value of scale
3. T
 hey develop their innovation
system to drive a cycle of
continuous success
In this Top 10 Manufacturing
Global lists its top 10 global
innovators in the industry.
manufacturingglobal.com 73
TOP 10

10
Siemens
With a rich innovative history of
more than 170 years, Siemens
has pioneered many inventions
that have shaped the way the
world operates today. Such
inventions include the Pointer

09
telegraph which revolutionised
telecommunications, the Dynamo
which laid the foundations
for today’s electrification, and
SIMATIC which has been reshaping

Volkswagen
automation for decades.

Driven by its mission to “shaping

“Siemens makes its mark
with innovations that
count –innovations that
mobility, for generations to come,”
by “becoming a sustainable
mobility provider with a role
model function in the areas of
environment, safety and integrity.”
Since 2019, Volkswagen

are not merely new but Group Innovation has formed

the basis for a global innovation
actually redefine market ecosystem. The group dedicates

standards as new
products, solutions, or
services,” says Siemens.
its innovation - using a wide
range of skills and international
network - to decarbonisation,
security, conserving resources
and future mobility.

74 June 2021
 TOP 10

“The choice of materials and

how they are manufactured
are the two main ways
by which our innovation

08
teams can influence the
environmental footprint of
our products,” says Adidas,
who is taking affirmative
Intel action to tackle plastic waste,
With big ambitions, Intel is recycle materials and reduce
driven by its mission to “create its use of virgin plastic.
world-changing technology that
enriches the lives of every person
on earth.” Central to this mission
is innovation, which Intel drives
to make the world safer, build
healthy and vibrant communities,
and increases productivity.
Working relentlessly to drive
the digital revolution, Intel’s
innovations in the industry
are rooted in Gordon Moore’s

07
(Co-Founder) prediction in 1965
that the number of transistors
on a microchip doubles every
two years. “The insight, known as

Adidas
Moore’s Law, became the golden
rule for the electronics industry,
and a springboard for innovation.”
The guiding principle of adidas
founder - Adi Dassler is one that is
simple: to make athletes better. It
is this, coupled with the desire to
manufacture products that deliver
high performance in a sustainable
way, that puts innovation at the
core of the business.

manufacturingglobal.com 75
 TOP 10

05
Tesla
Founded in 2003, Tesla’s mission

06
remains as true today as it did
then, “to accelerate the advent of
sustainable transport by bringing
compelling mass market electric
cars to market as soon as possible.”

Nike
It is this dedication to
sustainable transport that has
fueled Tesla’s relentless innovation,
While the Nike brand can be forging partnerships with others in
described in many ways, its the industry to expand the market
mission remains simple to “bring for electric vehicles (EVs). Its
inspiration and innovation to recognition of the importance of
every athlete in the world.” advancing battery technology, has
With thought and deliberate dubbed Tesla as a pioneer in the
strategy Nike reaches across EV battery industry.
multiple sports, lifestyle
categories, and price points,
diversifying its opportunities for
innovation and long-term growth.
“Behind every corner of the
Nike business is a singular focus
– innovation. It is our nature to
innovate. It is the fuel that powers
our performance,” says Nike.
“It’s our connection to athletes
and consumers that allows
us to create game-changing
technologies and products.

manufacturingglobal.com 77
TOP 10
04
Sony
With over 70 years of innovation
under its belt, Sony has had
many firsts over the years
including: Japan’s first magnetic
tape recorder in 1950, the first
commercially successful transistor
radio in 1995, the first commercial
battery-powered portable TV
in 1959, the first video cassette
recorder (VCR) in 1971 and the
first commercial consumer grade
camcorder in 1983.
When it comes to innovation
Akio Morita Co-Founder of Sony,
offers three phases of wisdom:
‘try innovation by elimination’,
‘Ignore the doubters, believe
in yourself’, and ‘ignore focus
groups and instead anticipate the
needs of customers’.
78 June 2021
03
Huawei
Over the past 30 years,
Huawei has invested more
than US$100bn in research
and development, “innovative
activity is in the corporate DNA
of Huawei,” says David Harmon,
Director EU Public Affairs, Huawei.
In 2019, Huaweii outlined its
future plans transitioning from
Innovation 1.0 to Innovation
2.0. “In Innovation 1.0, we have
focused on technological and
engineering innovations to meet
customer needs. In Innovation
2.0, we will focus on theoretical
breakthroughs and inventions
driven by our shared vision for
the future,” said William Xu,
Director of the Board and the
President of the Institute of
Strategic Research at Huawei.
 TOP 10

Samsung
Devoted to “creating superior products
and services that contribute to a better
global society,” Samsung sets high
values for its people and technologies.
The electronics company heavily invests
in its people, with an innovative culture
built on training, repeatable methods
and an elite creative formation.
Samsung’s dedication to innovation
can be seen in its ‘Samsung Strategy
and Innovation Center (SSIC), where
the electronics manufacturer strives to
discover and develop groundbreaking
technologies collaborating with
visionary entrepreneurs and innovators
to help people around the world lead
happier, healthier, richer lives.

“Through innovative, reliable

products and services, talented
people, a responsible approach
to business and global citizenship,
and collaboration with our partners
and customers, the Samsung Strategy and
Innovation Center is taking the world in
imaginative new directions,” says the SSIC.

manufacturingglobal.com 79
TOP 10

Apple — Diversity —
Inclusion inspires innovation

“This quarter for Apple

wouldn’t have been
possible without the
tireless and innovative
work of every Apple
team member worldwide”
Tim Cook, CEO at Apple

82 June 2021

Apple
With strong Q1 results for 2021
totalling US$111.4bn in revenue,
Apple’s title as the world’s ‘most
valuable company’ certainly rings true,
but Apple’s CEO Tim Cook states that
“this quarter for Apple wouldn’t have
been possible without the tireless and
innovative work of every Apple team
member worldwide.”
Over the years Apple has had
many influential innovations in the
manufacturing of technological devices,
such as the iPhone in 2007 which for
TOP 10
the first time offered a full, non-scaled
down version of the internet.
Today, Apple continues to strive to
take its innovations to the next level,
manufacturing its own computer chips
known as the M1 processor. What
previously required multiple chips to
deliver its features, are now combined
into a single system on a chip (SoC).
“Every Mac with M1 is transformed
into a completely different class of
product. This isn’t an upgrade. It’s a
breakthrough,” says Apple.
manufacturingglobal.com 83