Uncertain future prospects slow down Industry 4.0

• Uncertainty about return on investment prevents digitisation advancing
• Automation poor: only half of all processes are automated
• Cost reduction vs. digitalisation: a challenge in the DACH region
• USA leads in sustainability, DACH region and China need to catch up

LUDWIGSBURG, Germany and MUNICH, March 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The degree of automation and digitalisation in production is an indicator of how competitive companies or production locations really are. The study by the management and IT consultancy MHP "Industry 4.0 Barometer 2023" shows that only 50 percent of production processes are automated. More than half of companies do not engage with the potentials and opportunities presented by Industry 4.0 or do not regard them as expedient. For two-thirds of the companies surveyed, uncertainty about return on investment (ROI) is the decisive argument for their lack of commitment to digitalisation. This is especially true for digitisation on the shop floor. One of the biggest hurdles in achieving holistic shop floor networking is the unclear profitability of the Industry 4.0 technologies in question. The greatest impact in this field is attributed to two technologies in particular: autonomous transport (43%) and artificial intelligence (39%).

The digitalisation gap: China and the DACH region need to catch up with the USA

The fact that Germany, Austria and Switzerland perform poorly in production digitalisation is well known. In this year's Industry 4.0 Barometer, they remain well behind China, Great Britain and the USA - and the gap is growing. The greatest obstacle to implementing Industry 4.0 technologies is the lack of qualified employees and requisite training programmes. Using existing staff is scarcely an option because they are too involved in day-to-day business. More than half of the companies surveyed are dissatisfied with the training opportunities on offer.

Sustainability: USA and UK are circular economy leaders

When it comes to sustainability, a major problem is the high level of expenditure required to improve it. This results in only superficial issues being dealt with. The circular economy is being driven forward above all in the USA & UK, while the DACH region and China still have some catching up to do. Almost half of the companies surveyed state that they continue to run certain projects or processes, even if they are not in line with corporate sustainability goals.

About MHP

As a technology and business partner, MHP digitises its customers' processes and products and supports them in their IT transformations along the entire value chain. As a digitisation pioneer in the mobility and manufacturing sectors, MHP transfers its expertise to a wide range of industries and is the premium partner for thought leaders on their way to a better tomorrow. Worldwide, MHP serves and supports over 300 customers. These include top corporations, innovative medium-sized companies and disruptive start-ups. The advice MHP provides is both operational and strategic and it supplies proven IT and technology expertise, as well as specific industry know-how. With its headquarters in Germany and subsidiaries in the USA, UK, Romania and China, MHP operates internationally as OneTeam and has been shaping the future together with its clients for over 26 years. More than 4,000 MHP employees are united by the demand for excellence and sustainable success. It is this aspiration that continues to drive MHP - today and in the future.

www.mhp.com

Enabling you to shape a better tomorrow.

Logo - https://cdn.vietreader.com/uploads/posts/2023-03/mhp-and-lmu-munich-publish-industry-40-barometer-2023-2.jpg

Source: MHP