It’s not just that data is everywhere along the value chain. It’s that data is shared – by every partner, supplier, manufacturer, distributor, and retailer – a fully connected business ecosystem whose every component can be measured, analyzed, and optimized. Industry 4.0 presents a generational opportunity: to operate more efficiently, to manage risk more proactively, to grow more quickly, more dramatically, and more profitably.

Industry 4.0 is driven by host of technologies: the internet of things, cloud computing, additive manufacturing, automation, artificial intelligence, and more. Processes are more efficient – quicker, less expensive, using less energy, with less waste. Decisions are made faster, new products brought to market sooner. Customer insights are deeper, supply chains tighter, resources go further than ever. Companies that are making the best use of Industry 4.0 technologies compete more effectively and accelerate their growth.

No, it’s not hype. No, it’s not consulting’s latest catch-phrase. Industry 4.0 represents a quantum leap forward in operational efficiency and value creation. It is the next industrial revolution.