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SMART FACTORY SUMMIT 2021 HAD ALL THE ELEMENTS OF MANUFACTURING, DIGITALISATION, SAFETY, IOT, AND OTHER ASPECTS OF A TRULY HOLISTIC PLANT.

THE SMART FACTORY CONCEPT HAS BEEN spoken about for a long time. But if one seeks data about its implementation, there's little to be found. Manufacturing Today along with SAP, our technology partner IBM, our cybersecurity partner Moxa and associate partner Emerson, ventured out to unearth the extent to which smart factories have been built in India. Smart Factory Summit 2021 was our way.

The day long event was hosted by Rashmi Naicker, Editor, Commercial Design, who gave a glimpse into what awaited the audience. Bibhor Srivastava, country head, ITP Media Group (India) welcomed the guests, the partners and also the audience.

He made way for Rateesh Trakroo, head, digital supply chain, SAP, India sub-continent, to deliver his presentation. He spoke about SAP's strategy on Industry 4.0 and how the company supports customers. The value creation potential of manufacturers and suppliers implementing Industry 4.0 in 2025 would be $3.7 trillion. SAPs strategy was moving it from a manufacturing-only process to an organisation level process.

Shylaja Sabbani, engineering director, and Anchal Sood, director, global CoE digital supply chain, SAP India offered customer case studies that highlighted how today's manufacturing company must not look only at capacity but also its ability to keep up with changing times. Cost and quality play an important role and SAP has solutions and suggestions to scale them up.

The next presentation was by Ankur Goyal, associate director, industrial sector, IBM India, who spoke on Unleashing the potential of Industry 4.0. In his talk, he mentioned about the enablers of Industry 4.0. With much reskilling required, human capital must be considered carefully and only then can one be ready for adopting Industry 4.0.