Industry 4.0 2022: What will the supply chain of tomorrow look like ?

The gradual transition to the industry of the future, or supply chain 4.0, is making the promise of a more flexible and autonomous organisation a reality for companies seeking productivity. These companies are investing in new tools to empower and automate their means of production. Big Data, connected objects and artificial intelligence are invading all levels of the production chain. However, the supply chain still seems to be lagging behind in terms of digitalisation.

Industrial challenges and issues

It is important that organisations apply the principles of Industry 4.0 to all levels of their production chain, including inventory management, purchasing, etc. It is time for companies to rethink their supply chain 4.0 management.

The transition to digital offers companies new opportunities in terms of inventory management, production cost reduction, etc. Thanks to an alliance of Industry 4.0 solutions, notably: connected objects, IoT, AI... organisations can now place the customer at the heart of the supply chain by adapting production to their needs.

Therefore, this new strategy of digitalisation of the supply chain is a necessary step to apprehend the emerging technologies, in order to reinforce its position in front of the competition.

What are the latest innovations for the supply chain sector ?

At the heart of the supply chain is inventory management. Suppliers and manufacturers must always be aware of their stock levels. With Supply Chain 4.0 stocks are better managed as managers can be detected in real time when stock levels of products are low. 

Also, for some years now, it has been possible to place new orders automatically if products fall below a certain threshold.

What will Supply Chain 4.0 look like ?

Cost issues are leading to the widespread use of intelligent robots, with massification providing rapid returns on investment. Supply chains are becoming increasingly dynamic and interconnected. This is leading to the birth of a "Supply Chain 4.0", whose management is aligned with the company's just-in-time production rhythm.

The Supply Tech and short circuit models coexist and fluctuate according to technological advances and societal changes. Thus, the notion of social and environmental responsibility will obviously be a determining factor in the future approach to the supply chain, both collectively and individually.

What are the benefits for the company ? 

By making the supply chain the next step in their digital transition, companies are tackling the three main areas of communication between different functions in the organisation, costs and stock levels, and supplier relationships. Supply Chain 4.0 enables better communication systems, allowing companies to interact more smoothly with each other. This improves and accelerates decision making.