Industry 4.0: Building the digital enterprise

Our research shows that first movers are transforming into digital enterprises. Industrial companies need to act now to secure a leading position in tomorrow’s complex industrial ecosystems.

2,000+

industrial companies participated in this year's survey
26

countries across nine industries were represented in the sample
33%

of companies say they've achieved advanced levels of digitisation today
72%

of companies expect to achieve advanced levels of digitisation by 2020

Industry 4.0 will revolutionise industrial production

Digitisation brings enormous benefits.

Industrial companies expect to generate 3.6% p.a. in cost reductions over the next five years, driven by internal improvements and by working more closely across value chains. They’re also expecting to generate 2.9% p.a. in increased revenues by digitising products and services and developing new digital service offerings, all the way through to hosting platforms for industrial ecosystems.

Getting there won’t be easy.

Companies will need robust data analytics capabilities; that will mean making significant changes. They’ll need to focus on developing the people and culture to drive transformation.

And it won’t come cheap.

Investments in Industry 4.0 capabilities are expected to reach around 5% of annual revenues p.a. The good news: more than half of companies expect a return on investment within two years. And the payoff will potentially be enormous, as competitive landscapes get redefined.

Explore the key findings
From talk to action

From talk to action

The buzz around Industry 4.0 has moved from what some saw as PR hype in 2013 to investment and real results today. Looking ahead, our survey respondents expect to significantly increase their portfolios of digital products and services; more than twice as many expect to be at an advanced level in this area by 2020 compared to today. Similarly, almost three-quarters of companies expect to have highly digitised horizontal and vertical value chain processes. First movers have even more ambitious and far-reaching plans.

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Digitisation drives quantum leaps in performance

Digitisation drives quantum leaps in performance

Companies that successfully implement Industry 4.0 no longer need to choose between focusing on a better top or bottom line. They can improve both at the same time. Over the next five years, the companies we surveyed expect to reduce costs by an average of 3.6% p.a. and increase annual revenues by an average 2.9%. First movers who combine high investment levels with advanced digitisation are set to achieve even more dramatic gains. If even half of these expectations are met, Industry 4.0 will reshape the competitive landscape and bring fundamental change to established industries.

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Deepen digital relationships with more empowered customers

Deepen digital relationships with more empowered customers

Customers will be at the centre of the changes to value chains, products and services. Products, systems and services will be increasingly customised to customer needs, and many of our survey respondents say they plan to use data analytics to understand and meet them. First movers who are able to establish successful industrial platforms will have a significant advantage over competitors. Ultimately, industrial companies will need to own relationships with the end customers who drive demand.

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Focus on people and culture to drive transformation

Focus on people and culture to drive transformation

Our survey respondents say that their biggest implementation challenge isn’t the right technology, it’s a lack of digital culture and skills in their organisation. This finding is also consistent with our Digital IQ research.
While investing in the right technologies is important, ultimately success or failure will depend not on specific sensors, algorithms or analytics programmes, but on a broader range of people-focused factors. Industrial companies need to develop a robust digital culture and to make sure change is driven by clear leadership from the C-suite. They’ll also need to attract, retain, and train digital natives and other employees who are comfortable working in a dynamic ecosystem environment.

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Data analytics and digital trust are the foundation

Data analytics and digital trust are the foundation

Data fuels Industry 4.0 and successful data analytics is the pre-requisite for successful implementation of digital enterprise applications. It’s time to move from a phase of discovery and understanding what data is available and what it is worth to one of insights and action. ‘First movers’ are already making the shift and using data analytics to help drive decision-making.
As digital ecosystems expand, so does the importance of establishing strong levels of digital trust. Strong risk management and data integrity systems can help companies avoid breaches and better manage disruption to operations – the #1 data security concern of our survey respondents.

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Robust, enterprise-wide data analytics capabilities require significant change

Robust, enterprise-wide data analytics capabilities require significant change

Industrial companies will need to develop robust organisational structures that support data analytics as an enterprise-level capability. Half of the surveyed companies have established dedicated data analytics functions, either on a corporate level to bundle talent or on a business unit level to remain close to the operational business. However, 38% of companies currently rely on selective, ad-hoc capabilities of single employees; another 9% have no significant capabilities at all.

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Industry 4.0 is accelerating globalisation

Accelerating globalisation, but with a distinctly regional flavour

Industry 4.0 will create digital networks and ecosystems that in many cases will span the globe, but still retain distinct regional footprints. Both developed and developing markets stand to gain dramatically.
Companies in Japan and Germany are the furthest along in digitising internal operations and partnering across the horizontal value chain. With high investments in technology and employee training, they view their digital transformation primarily in terms of gains in operational efficiency, cost reduction and quality assurance. China’s industrial companies stand out in all aspects of digitisation: they are expecting both above average cost reductions, as well as increased digital revenues until 2020.

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Big investments with big impacts: it’s time to commit

Big investments with big impacts: it’s time to commit

Industry 4.0 investments are already significant and our research suggests that global industrial products companies will invest US$907bn per year through 2020. Major focus of this investment will be on digital technologies like sensors or connectivity devices, as well as on software and applications like manufacturing execution systems (MES). In addition, companies are also investing in training employees and driving organisational change. More than half of respondents expect their Industry 4.0 investments to yield a return within two years or less, given investments of around 5% p.a. of their annual revenue.

Find out more about big investments

Regional findings

Global

35%expect revenue gains over 20% over the next five years

43%expect to lower costs more than 20% over the next five years

56%expect to increase efficiency by more 20% over the next five years

Go

Americas

37%expect revenue gains over 20% over the next five years

39%expect to reduce costs more than 20% over the next five years

50%expect to increase efficiency by more than 20% over the next five years

Go

Asia Pacific

39%expect revenue gains over 20% over the next five years

57%expect to reduce costs more than 20% over the next five years

68%expect to increase efficiency by more than 20% over the next five years

Go

EMEA

39%expect revenue gains over 20% over the next five years

41%expect to lower costs more than 20% over the next five years

55%expect to increase efficiency by more than 20% over the next five years

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Industry findings Aerospace, defence & security

AD&S companies are currently one of the sectors putting the most emphasis on digitising product development and engineering; looking forward, they plan significant advances to digital business models too.

Learn more about Aerospace, defence & security

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Blueprint for success

To move forward with Industry 4.0, digital capabilities are all-important. These take time and concentration; a step-by-step approach is important. But move with deliberate speed, so that you don’t lose the first-mover advantage to competitors.

Don’t buy the hype. Buy the reality. Industry 4.0 will be a huge boon to companies that fully understand what it means for how they do business. Change of this nature will transcend your company’s boundaries and lead to a complete transformation of your organisation.

Learn more about the blueprint for digital success