gInd ustr y 4.0 in Manufactur in

Managing the Cultural Im pact of Industry 4.0 in Manufacturing

Amel Gardner, regional vice president – Middle East, Africa & India, Epicor Software elaborate on the key steps to manage the transition to industry 4.0

The success of digital transformation isn’t just about investing in the right technology. As with any large-scale project—from a change in working location to a company merger—the impact on the people involved needs to be a key consideration when putting a strategy and implementation plan in place. However, in a bid to keep up with the latest technology trends, manufacturers could be shooting themselves in the foot by not addressing change management and cultural aspects from the outset. In fact, recent research has found that only a quarter (26 percent) of businesses consider change management strategies to be an important part of the move towards Industry 4.0 and the connected enterprise. This suggests that a large proportion of manufacturers are not putting steps in place to manage the impact of such a change on corporate culture, which could affect the ultimate success of any digital transformation project.

Six steps to success Despite pressure on Middle East businesses and individuals to remain at the cutting edge, no one wants to be an early adopter and get it wrong.

A recent report from Deloitte into Industry 4.0 readiness found that even in today’s technology-driven world, senior executives are not as prepared as they think they are to reap rewards from digital transformation:

“Faced with an ever-increasing array of new technologies, leaders acknowledged they have too many options from which to choose and, in some cases, they lack the strategic vision to help guide their efforts. Organizational influences also challenge leaders as they seek to navigate Industry 4.0. Many leaders reported their companies don’t follow clearly defined decision-making processes, and organizational silos limit their ability to develop and share knowledge to determine effective strategies.”

To make Industry 4.0 a success, no matter how big or small the change, manufacturers need to put key measures in place to manage the transition. This includes undertaking the necessary groundwork to ensure that whatever technology businesses invest in, they can get the best out of it.

Step one—Be realistic Despite digital transformation being very much an industry buzzword, local manufacturers don’t need to take everything on at once. Assess what needs to be automated and why. If something is working and the process efficient, it might not need changing just yet. The key to getting it right is to prioritise adoption rather than change for changes sake. A phased approach will be beneficial for everyone in the long term.

Step two—Get stakeholders on board Following an assessment of priorities, manufacturers need to map and plan out what needs to happen next—from procurement to implementation and beyond. This ensures that all stakeholders from every department affected are clear about what is happening, why and when. Only then can everyone involved be prepared and plan for the roll-out.

Step three—Keep talking Communication at every stage is essential—particularly before implementation. Users need to feel they are part of the process and can raise any concerns or questions before a new way of working is thrust upon them. Taking time to address any potential issues at the start of a project will ensure users are bought into the process, understand what is expected of them and avoid any pitfalls further down the line.

Step four—Factor in ongoing training and support For efficiencies and productivity to be realised, users need to have a good understanding of how the technology impacts their working practices. This can only be done through comprehensive training and ongoing support. While this could be an overwhelming prospect, breaking it down into bitesized, digestible sessions will be invaluable rather than overloading people with too much information from the outset.

It is also worth considering that everyone learns in different ways, so whilst an online demo or training manual might be right for one person, someone else might prefer more visual tools like a video or a step-by-step animated guide, for example.

Step five—Take your time The choice of new technologies can be overwhelming and daunting for even a seasoned professional. Never lose sight of why you are investing in technology and keep your business objectives in mind—what your competitor is doing might not be the right approach for you. Jumping on the bandwagon or adopting new technology too quickly could be detrimental in the long-term, if the process is not well thought through or fit for purpose.

Step six—Undertake regular reviews While following steps one to five will ensure the business has the best chance of successfully adopting new technology, it will all be in vain if you miss out step six. The hard work doesn’t stop when you reach go-live—in fact, that is only just the start of the digital transformation process.

For a project to be a true success, any technology investment needs to be reviewed and assessed regularly. Is it being used to its full potential? Are there any gaps in training? What more could the business get from it? What is the data showing? Can it be analysed to improve future business growth?

Only by following these six steps will the Middle East manufacturing industry bring the whole business along for the digital transformation ride and ensure that Industry 4.0 is a success. Having a clear change management and implementation strategy will enable businesses to realise the full value of technology, whilst guaranteeing strong ROI and user acceptance.

ibm l FUSiON 7700 scanner

Kodak Alaris is partnering with Imaging Business Machines, LLC (ibml) to deliver the next generation of ultra-high-volume scanners to the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) market. With the recent launch of ibml FUSiON Scanners, and as ibml’s lead distribution partner in the region, Kodak Alaris is uniquely positioned to serve a market demanding smart solutions that deliver business process automation at higher speeds than ever before.

The new ibml FUSiON Series distributed by Kodak Alaris in EMEA as part of the Kodak Alaris offering ignites the fusion of disparate capture processes into one streamlined solution, us

ing in-line intelligence at blazing fast throughput speeds up to 730 A4 pages per minute and 938 checks per minute. As the world’s fastest, intelligent, scalable document capture platform, ibml FUSiON accelerates customers’ mission-critical applications by extracting information from documents to digital processes, thus enabling digital transformation.

Highlights:

• Real-time, in-line intelligence that helps understand documents, extracting data early in the process to minimize errors downstream. • The fastest throughput in its class; ibml FUSiON is 67 percent faster than its predecessor and allows customers to do mission-critical jobs in tight timelines and handle greater volume, driving better productivity and lowering costs.

• New patent-pending ibml iQpro image processing technology optimizes image capture for better accuracy of data extraction from images.

• Feeding enhancements and wider document track minimize exceptions and maximize the variety of document sizes that can be handled.

• Patent-pending envelope detection reduces stops and increases productivity while allowing for reducing the need for separator sheets.

• Motorized output sort pockets neatly stack sorted documents, reducing post-scan costs.

• Document content-based dynamic printing creates smart audit trails for scanned documents, securing the chain of custody of documents.

• User-centric design makes it easy to use, and user-friendly error alerts quickly identify problems, minimizing fatigue and improving productivity.

• Smart industrial design maximizes system uptime with separated airflow systems that keep paper dust out of system electronics.

HP Color LaserJet series

HP unveiled the latest iteration of HP Color LaserJet Pro M100 and M200 series. The updated M100 and M200 series are designed to give users the convenience, security and performance they have been looking for in the work environment.

With the constantly evolving mobile lifestyles of everyday professionals, the freedom to work anywhere is increasingly important. Now with the latest HP Color LaserJet Pro M100 and

Konica Minolta A3 MFP s

Konica Minolta, a leader in world-class printing technology, has expanded its new bizhub i-Series range with the launch of three new colour A3 multifunctional printers (MFPs). The new bizhub C450i, bizhub C550i and bizhub C650i are part of the next-generation multifunctional device portfolio designed to empower digital workflows. Like all models in the bizhub i-Series product line, the additions present a new paradigm for how multifunctional devices meet the needs of businesses by serving as a secure, smart technology hub to augment office connectivity.

The three new A3 colour MFPs boast of fresh, contemporary exterior design and great usability features that enhance user experience. The new cardtype quick copy screen and various applications with integrated guidance allow for an even better ease of access and convenience of use. In addition, newly developed widget technology allows embedding and operating functionality directly from the MFP’s home screen, shortening the time spent in front of the MFP and ensuring familiar use across all bizhub i-Series devices. Similarly, high performance operation and quick response is assured by the same powerful quad-core central processing unit and standard 8 GB of memory and 256 GB plus optional 1 TB solid state drive (SSD).

Highlights:

• The new bizhub C450i, C550i and C650i offer a choice of 45ppm, 55ppm or 65ppm print speeds, respectively.

• The three new MFPs not only offer fast, reliable solutions for document handling but also serve as an intelligent device that effectively becomes the heart of the customer’s digital office.

• They can also be tailored to meet the requirements of each business with the wide breadth of applications that are available from Konica Minolta’s Marketplace, which is pre-installed on every device

• These MFPs have also been designed to work with sophisticated workflow tools such as Konica Minolta’s Dispatcher Suite, layered by security options through bizhub SECURE services. This allows for businesses to have effective print management and advanced document workflow, while enhancing document security.

• As an added highlight, the three new MFPs feature a dual-scan document feeder that can accommodate up to 300 sheets, with a faster 280 ipm scan speed.

M200 series and Smart Tasks in the HP Smart App, users can quickly and easily print, scan and copy documents right from their phones.

Designed to completely control the printer from your mobile device, HP Smart App lets you save time with Smart Tasks and organise documents 50% faster2. With Smart Tasks on HP Smart App on your smartphone, you can auickly scan and access all your content on business software such as QuickBooks, Dropbox and Google Drive, enjoy a hands-free printing experience with HP Voice-activated printing, get notifications when printing, scanning or copying documents and order your ink supplies wherever you are.

The new M100 and M200 series, which include HP Auto-on/Auto-off technology, use, on average, approximately 35% less energy than standard model printers which don’t meet the ENERGY STAR®3.0 specifications.

Highlights:

• The updated HP Color LaserJet Pro M100 and M200 series integrate essential security features such as basic encryption and password protection to help protect and secure your device, personal data and business documents when you print.

• The M200 series also includes solutions that strengthen the defence against security vulnerabilities. Key features include automatic firmware updates to help detect and stop attacks, and dual band Wi-Fi® for faster, more reliable connections on wireless models5. • The HP Color LaserJet Pro M100 and M200 series come with Original HP Toner cartridges with JetIntelligence which help provide peak printing performance and professional-quality colour, page after page.

70% ofSupply Chain Leaders Pla n to Invest in the Circ ular Ec onomy

Only a Minority Link Their Digital and Circular Economy Strategies

Seventy percent of supply chain leaders are planning to invest in the circular economy in the next 18 months, according to a recent survey by Gartner, Inc. However, only 12% of those have linked their digital and circular economy strategies so far.

Gartner defines the circular economy as an economic model that separates the ability to achieve economic growth from the consumption of natural resources. Those business models encourage continuous reuse of materials to minimize waste and the demand for additional natural resource consumption. The circular economy starts with good design, with end of life and raw material reuse in mind.

“The circular economy creates an ecosystem of materials,” said Sarah Watt, senior director analyst with the Gartner Supply Chain practice. “What was previously viewed as waste now has value. However, those ecosystems are complex and include many interdependencies and feedback loops. Digital technology has the potential to provide visibility and enable improved decision making when it comes to raw materials and services. Already, 35% of companies believe that digital technology will be a key enabler for their circular economy strategies, but very few are leveraging the technology for this purpose yet."

Gartner’s Future of Supply Chain Survey gathered data from 1,374 respondents responsible for supply chain and related function across a broad range of industries including high-tech, healthcare, retail and logistics.

Digital Technology in the Supply Chain

There is not a single technology that will enable organizations to move toward the circular economy. Rather, several combinations can lead to this outcome. The survey results show that organizations focus on four key technologies to advance their circular economy activities: advanced analytics, 3D printing, the Internet of Things (IoT) and machine learning (ML)

“It’s interesting to see that only few organizations are currently using blockchain. However, 38% of respondents are planning to explore the use of blockchain for the circular economy in the next five years,” Ms. Watt continued. “For example, the technology canbe used to give materials a single digital identity and to enable trade and pay-per-use. Although we are yet to see scaled use cases of blockchain for the circular economy.”

Applying Technology to Enable a Circular Economy

The top four areas of the supply chain where digital technology is being applied are: delivery (46%), customer engagement (45%), manufacturing and remanufacturing (43%) and planning (43%). Only 27% of respondents are currently using digital technologies to improve reverse logistics, but 39% plan to do so within the next two years.

“The difference in emphasis between delivery and reverse logistics is intriguing,” Ms. Watt said. “On the one hand, we observe organizations using technology such as analytics and alternative vehicles to optimize their routes and reduce emissions. You can argue that those actions should be considered a sustainable practice rather than one that enables the outcomes of the circular economy.”

“On the other hand, reclaiming materials at the end of life requires reverse logistics for pickup and return to either the organization or a third party. Our results show that, in the next two years, reverse logistics will garner the most attention. This indicates that companies are looking at how to take back products for reuse, refurbishment or recycling – an important step on the way to the circular economy.”

UNSTRUCTURED DATADEMANDS ALL-FLASH SPEED.

Isilon All-Flash NAS Storage

Available from Redington Sales.value@redingtonmea.com