New report primes UK manufacturers for Industry 4.0

London –  EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation, has published a new report designed to help UK manufacturers on the practicalities of 4IR – the “fast-approaching” 4th industrial revolution.

The report has aimed to break the concept of 4IR down into digestible chunks and help manufacturers make the connection between theory and practice.

It has used real-life manufacturing case studies to enable them to then envisage how 4IR technologies and techniques could work in their own business.

The move has followed a series of focus groups with manufacturers across the UK and research showing that just four in ten (42%) have a good handle on 4IR.

The EEF report claimed that 4IR will herald smarter production, relationships and products and will boost the number of high-skilled jobs in the UK.

The report is part of EEF’s wider drive to get UK manufacturers 4IR ready. This involves providing firms with support and information along with practical tips and case studies of how other manufacturers are adapting to the new industrial age.

EEF chief economist Lee Hopley: “4IR is happening and the UK’s success in this global industrial transformation will hinge on manufacturers’ strategies and ambitions. It goes far beyond simply investing in new technologies and techniques – this new era requires cultural shifts, new business models and the ability to adapt and innovate.

“This report is about sharing this insight with manufacturers but, more importantly, also providing practical examples so that 4IR stops being about theory and starts being about something that manufacturers can genuinely see how and why to apply. By helping to connect principle to practice, we aim to put our sector in the driving seat, building confidence and awareness so that UK manufacturers can be at the forefront of this new industrial wave.”