INDUSTRY 4.0
THE FOOD
REVOLUTION
The battle to maintain
a competitive edge
dictates that the
operations and
facilities we build today
must be prepared to compete in
tomorrow’s landscape. Industry 4.0
can help deliver that edge as well
as value to the food industry.
The hype of Industry 4.0 (I4.0)
and its relevance to the food
processing sector has been
increasing since 2013 when the
concept was conceived by the
German government and for a
concept which has existed for
only six years, I4.0 is fairly mature.
While the concept of I4.0 might
be mature, it is not the tidal wave
of technological upheaval it is
frequently made out to be, nor
is it knocking down the door of
business. As we shall see, industry
is now just starting to transition to
something which could be referred
to as I4.0, and there’s a long road
ahead.
To get a handle on the value
proposition I4.0 offers to the food
industry we first need a clear
understanding of what it means
beyond the buzzword. While it’s
clear to most people that I4.0 is
something involving technology,
computers and integration in the
supply chain or within a facility,
industry consensus frequently ends
there.
For clarity, I4.0 can be defined
as: “The implementation of
ubiquitous sensors and big data
analytics connecting cyber-physical
systems.”
In practice, this is the collection
and analysis of data generated
in every aspect of an operation
providing previously impossibleto
access insights. These insights
lead to enhanced strategic and
operational decision-making.
This applies to every aspect of
food processing — from batch
sizes to machine maintenance, to
training and performance, logistics
In the evercompetitive
world of
food processing, says
Wiley’s chief future
office Brett Wiskar,
the challenges of
changing conditions,
be it shifting consumer
trends, supply
chain constraints
or international
relationships, are
omnipresent.
IS (NEARLY) HERE
12 MARCH 2019