Production & Manufacturing: A Technology-Driven Industry

What branch of industry sets trends and is most likely to embrace new technologies? Not many people would respond to this question by suggesting production and manufacturing. Yet it is this sector that continues to forge closer relationships with the IT industry and invest in research and development.

The industry's digital innovations under the watchful eye of IT companies

For many sectors, the year 2020 brought the greatest challenges in years. At the same time, it highlighted the importance of digital transformation and the use of new technologies in business. This has benefited the IT industry, which has provided much-needed support for many sectors during this complex time by offering the knowledge and solutions they sought.

In today's reality, progress is necessary and inevitable. Only organizations that evolve with the times are able to strengthen their position in the market, fight for the attention of increasingly demanding customers or maintain the current level of competitiveness. This can be seen in factories, which have changed beyond recognition over the course of several decades. In the 21st century, they are automated, use data efficiently, and deploy digital twins, artificial intelligence and IoT solutions on a large scale. They often set trends for the whole world, showing, for example, how to skillfully build foundations for cooperation between robots and employed specialists.

“Where technologies emerge, enterprises quickly reap significant benefits. Productivity and safety increase, and at the same time costs are reduced,” comments Marek Matysiak, Head of Division - Engineering at GlobalLogic Poland. “Industry automation software unlocks the business potential of companies that can also successfully tackle the most common industry challenges, such as costly downtime and unexpected breakdowns,” he adds.

This corresponds with the needs of customers and business partners who are pushing for change. However, one cannot forget the requirements of contemporary civilization. The idea of sustainable development plays an important role in the strategy of every organization and is part of the general trend of reducing the carbon footprint, caring for the natural environment and using resources more consciously.

The digital world of industry

March 2021 saw industrial production in Poland reach its highest level in history, according to data from Statistics Poland. Its development would not have been possible without effectively implemented technologies. In fact, 30% of companies that took part in the study Smart Industry Poland 2020 see digital technological solutions as an essential ingredient in the company's success over the next three years. It is worth noting, however, that the remaining, more frequently mentioned elements are also closely related to the IT sector and the modernization of organizations through technology. Without them, reducing costs, improving process efficiency or product quality may not be possible or may become much more difficult to achieve.

Building such awareness among decision-makers in industrial companies and — in the long run, directly supporting these companies in implementing changes and carrying out digital transformation — is the responsibility of their partners from the IT sector. We've learned this first-hand as the largest provider of IT solutions and services for the industrial, construction and manufacturing sectors in 2020, according to the "Computerworld TOP200" report.

“Close partnership between IT companies, which have the required competencies and knowledge, and industrial enterprises translates into dynamic development of the entire sector, one which is often the first to implement new technological solutions. It is futile to look for other areas where robotics and automation are equally advanced, and the concept of combining the real and digital worlds becoming so real. We see it every day while carrying out projects for customers of various sizes,” says Marcin Zając, Director - Engineering at GlobalLogic Poland — took first place in the ranking for the third time in a row.

The noticeable benefits resulting from the implementation of new technologies affect the growth of industry 4.0. The pace of change increases every year and with it the ties between industry and IT.

Research and development in industry

According to Eurostat, Poland is one of the countries with the highest growth rate in research and development spending in recent years. This includes investments influencing the evolution of industry, which thanks to digital transformation can better respond to the needs of their business partners and customers in the 21st century, and at the same time operate in a more ecological and resource-efficient way. The future of industry is invariably speed and efficiency, but also greater employee safety and care for the environment.

“Finding the golden mean is only possible thanks to new technologies, such as digital twin, smart sensors or intelligent robots, as well as progressive digital transformation,” concludes Marek Matysiak, Head of Division - Engineering at GlobalLogic Poland.