2016 Global Industry 4.0 Survey
What we mean by Industry 4.0 / Survey key findings / Blueprint for digital success
www.pwc.com/industry40
Industry 4.0: Building
the digital enterprise
2000+
respondents in 26 countries
US$493 bn
in digital revenue gains p.a.
US$421 bn
p.a. in cost and efficiency gains
US$907 bn
in annual digital investments
2
2016 Global Industry 4.0 Survey
Contents
04
06
What we mean by Industry 4.0
Introduction
26
27
Map out your Industry 4.0 strategy
29
Create initial pilot projects
30
Define the capabilities you need
31
Become a data virtuoso
31
Transform into a digital enterprise
32
Actively plan an ecosystem approach
Blueprint for digital
success
07
08
Key findings from our survey research
10
Blueprint for digital success
Executive summary
11
11
Industry 4.0 - from talk to action
13
Digitisation drives quantum leaps in performance
15
Deepen digital relationships with more empowered
customers
17
Focus on people and culture to drive transformation
18
Data analytics and digital trust are the foundation of
Industry 4.0
21
Robust, enterprise-wide data analytics capabilities
require significant change
22
Accelerating globalisation, but with distinct regional
flavours
24
Big investments with big impact: it's time to commit
Key findings from our survey
research
33
About the survey
34
Contacts and acknowledgements
3
Building the digital enterprise
Global Industry 4.0 Survey: Building the digital enterprise
PwC's 2016 Global Industry
4.0 Survey is the biggest
worldwide survey of its kind,
with over 2,000 participants
from nine major industrial
sectors and 26 countries. The
study explores the benefits
of digitising your company's
horizontal and vertical value
chains, as well as building
your digital product & service
portfolio. Based on the
findings and our experience
working with first movers,
we've also crafted a blueprint
for success to help you secure
your company's position as
a leading digital enterprise
in tomorrow's complex
industrial ecosystems.
Industry
split
21%
19%
11%
10%
4%
9%
9%
8%
8%
2% Aerospace, defence & security
Industrial
manufacturing
Engineering &
construction
Chemicals
Electronics
Transportation
& logistics
Automotive
Other
Metals
Forest, paper & packaging
Canada
USA
Sweden
Netherlands
UK
Austria
Finland
India
China
Japan
Denmark
Poland
Mexico
Brazil
France
Portugal
Switzerland
Middle East
Singapore
Australia
Germany
Italy
South Africa
Spain
Industry split of survey respondents
Participating countries
4
Global Industry 4.o Survey
Behind the scenes of the world's leading industrial and
manufacturing companies, a profound digital transformation
is now underway.
Industrial leaders are digitising
essential functions within their internal
vertical operations processes, as well
as with their horizontal partners along
the value chain. In addition, they are
enhancing their product portfolio with
digital functionalities and introducing
innovative, data-based services. The
2,000+ companies that we surveyed are
expecting to dramatically increase their
overall level of digitisation. While just
33% rate their company as advanced
today, that number jumps to over 70%
looking ahead to 2020.
While terms like the industrial internet
or digital factory are also used to
describe these changes, in this report
we use Industry 4.0 as a shorthand to
describe a journey industrial companies
are taking towards a complete value
chain transformation (see What we mean
by Industry 4.0).
At the end of this transformation
process, successful industrial companies
will become true digital enterprises,
with physical products at the core,
augmented by digital interfaces and
data-based, innovative services. These
digital enterprises will work together
with customers and suppliers in
industrial digital ecosystems.
These developments will fundamentally
change individual companies, as well
as transform market dynamics across
a whole range of industries. And that's
true in countries all around the world
in both the developed as well as the
emerging markets. Here's what's driving
change:
Annual digital revenue
increases of 2.9% on average
and a significant minority that
expect total increases of more than
50% over five years. That adds up
to US$493 bn in increased annual
revenues for the next five years
across the industrial sectors we
surveyed.
Cost reductions of 3.6% p.a.
on average. Digital technologies
enable shorter operational lead
times, higher asset utilisation and
maximum product quality; all told,
our survey respondents expect to
save US$421 bn in costs each year
for the next five years.
Introduction
5
Building the digital enterprise
Incremental and revolutionary
product & service innovation
To generate these additional
revenues, companies will introduce
new industrial products with digital
features and augment their existing
portfolio. Digital services based on
data analytics, or even complete
digital solutions serving a customer
ecosystem, will drive breakthrough
revenue growth.
A strong commitment to invest
Industrial sectors are planning to
commit US$907 bn p.a. to Industry
4.0 around 5% of revenue p.a.
A major focus of these investments
will be on digital technologies like
sensors or connectivity devices, and
on software and applications like
manufacturing execution systems.
In addition, companies are investing
in training employees and driving
required organisational change. 55%
of the investments expect a payback
within two years.
To keep up, you'll need to transform
your business.
Focus on people and digital
transformation
The biggest challenge of industrial
leaders isn't technology - it is the
people. While digital technologies are
rapidly becoming a commodity, success
largely depends on an organisation's
Digital IQ1, especially how well its
digital leaders like the CEO, CTO, or
CIO define, lead, and communicate
the transformation. It's also dependent
upon the digital qualifications of
the employees who need to roll out
digital processes and services. Radical
disruption isn't always comfortable
for the people who make it happen,
so change management will also
be critical. And with data analytics
becoming a core capability for every
industrial company, enhancing skills
and organisational structures will be
critical.
Digital trust is key
With so much change in store, there's
one area that companies can't afford to
ignore: digital trust. Digital ecosystems
can only function efficiently if all
parties involved can trust in the security
of their data and communication,
as well as the protection of their
intellectual property. Protecting your
company and ensuring digital trust
requires significant investment and
clear guidelines for data integrity and
security.
The key findings we explore in the
first half of this report confirm that no
industrial company can afford to ignore
the fundamental changes that Industry
4.0 will bring. The second half provides
a pragmatic, step-by-step blueprint
for how industrial companies can
successfully build a digital enterprise.
Please reach out to us for more details
on our research or to discuss our
approaches. The digital transformation
is underway: now is the time for your
company to act!
Dr. Reinhard Geissbauer
Head of EMEA Industry 4.0
Digital Operations Team
+49 170 939 1263
reinhard.geissbauer@
strategyand.de.pwc.com
Jesper Vedso
Global Industrial Products
Leadership Team Member
+45 3945 9144
jrv@pwc.dk
Stefan Schrauf
Head of PwC Strategy& Industry 4.0
Team for Germany
+49 895 790 5317
stefan.schrauf@strategyand.de.pwc.com
1 PwC, 2015 Global Digital IQ Survey, September 2015.
6
2016 Global Industry 4.0 Survey
What we mean by
Industry 4.0
In this report, the term 'Industry
4.0' stands for the fourth industrial
revolution. Other related terms include
the 'Industrial Internet' or the 'Digital
Factory', although neither takes as
complete a view. While Industry 3.0
focused on the automation of single
machines and processes, Industry 4.0
focuses on the end-to-end digitisation
of all physical assets and integration
into digital ecosystems with value
chain partners. Generating, analysing
and communicating data seamlessly
underpins the gains promised by
Industry 4.0, which networks a wide
range of new technologies to create
value.
While the term Industry 4.0 is
becoming increasingly familiar, we use
it in a specific way in this report. In our
view, Industry 4.0 is driven by:
1) Digitisation and integration
of vertical and horizontal value
chains
Industry 4.0 digitises and integrates
processes vertically across the
entire organisation, from product
development and purchasing, through
manufacturing, logistics and service.
All data about operations processes,
process efficiency and quality
management, as well as operations
planning are available real-time,
supported by augmented reality and
optimised in an integrated network.
Horizontal integration stretches beyond
the internal operations from suppliers
to customers and all key value chain
partners. It includes technologies from
track and trace devices to real-time
integrated planning with execution.
2) Digitisation of product and
service offerings
Digitisation of products includes the
expansion of existing products, e.g. by
adding smart sensors or communication
devices that can be used with data
analytics tools, as well as the creation
of new digitised products which focus
on completely integrated solutions.
By integrating new methods of data
collection and analysis, companies
are able to generate data on product
use and refine products to meet the
increasing needs of end-customers.
3) Digital business models and
customer access
Leading industrial companies also
expand their offering by providing
disruptive digital solutions such
as complete, data-driven services
and integrated platform solutions.
Disruptive digital business models are
often focused on generating additional
digital revenues and optimising
customer interaction and access. Digital
products and services frequently look to
serve customers with complete solutions
in a distinct digital ecosystem.
Mobile devices
IoT platforms
Location detection
technologies
Advanced human-machine
interfaces
Authentication &
fraud detection
3D printing
Smart sensors
Big data analytics
and advanced
algorithms
Multilevel customer
interaction and
customer profiling
Augmented
reality/wearables
Cloud computing
Industry
4.0
Data
& A
naly
tics as core capabilityData & Analytics as core
ca
pa
bil
ity1. D
igit
isati
on and integrationof ve
rtic
al and horizontalvalu
e chains
3. D
igital businessmode
ls a
nd
customer access2. Digitisation of
product and service offerings
Industry 4.0 framework and contributing digital technologies

7
Building the digital enterprise
Executive summary
With over 2,000 participants from
companies in nine major industrial
sectors and 26 countries, it goes to
the heart of company thinking on the
progress towards transforming into a
digital enterprise.
We've distilled the results of our
research into eight distinct key
findings. The first half of our report
explores each finding in more detail.
Based on the findings and our
experience working with some first
movers, we've also crafted a blueprint
for implementation success. In the
second half, we detail six steps to help
companies move from initial strategy
all the way to taking a leading role in
tomorrow's digital ecosystems.
PwC's 2016 Global Industry 4.0 Survey of industrial
companies is the biggest survey of its kind studying
Industry 4.0 to date.
Key findings from our survey research
From talk
to action
Data analytics
and digital
trust are the
foundation of
Industry 4.0
Focus on
people and
culture to drive
transformation
Digitisation
drives quantum
leaps in
performance
Deepen digital
relationships with
more empowered
customers
Robust,
enterprise-wide
data analytics
capabilities require
significant
change
Industry 4.0
is accelerating
globalisation, but
with a distinctly
regional
flavour
Big
investments
with big impacts:
it's time
to commit
Industry
4.0
8
2016 Global Industry 4.0 Survey
1) Industry 4.0 - from talk to
action
The buzz around Industry 4.0 has
moved from what some saw as PR
hype in 2013 to investment and real
results today. Respondents expect to
significantly increase their portfolios
of digital products and services; more
than twice as many expect to be at an
advanced level in this area by 2020
compared to today. Similarly, almost
three-quarters of companies expect to
have highly digitised horizontal and
vertical value-chain processes in five
years.
Investment plans are extremely
ambitious, with first movers in
particular already making significant
Industry 4.0 investments and realising
both above-average digital revenues
and operational savings. Their plans
for the next five years are even more
ambitious and far-reaching, with digital
products and services paving the way
for disruptive business models.
2) Digitisation drives quantum
leaps in performance
Companies that successfully implement
Industry 4.0 no longer need to choose
between focusing on a better top or
bottom line. They can improve both at
the same time. Over the next five years,
the companies we surveyed expect to
increase annual revenues by an average
of 2.9% and reduce costs by an average
of 3.6% p.a. First movers who combine
high investment levels with advanced
digitisation are set to achieve even more
dramatic gains.
All told, our survey respondents expect
to see US$421 bn in cost reductions
and US$493 bn in increased annual
revenues p.a. for the next five years. If
even half of these expectations are met,
Industry 4.0 will fundamentally reshape
the competitive landscape and bring
fundamental change to established
industries.
3) Deepen digital relationships
with more empowered customers
Customers will be at the centre of the
changes to value chains, products
and services. Products, systems and
services will be increasingly customised
to customer needs, and many of our
survey respondents say they plan to
use data analytics to understand and
meet them. First movers who are
able to establish successful industrial
platforms will have a significant
advantage over competitors. Ultimately,
industrial companies will need to own
relationships with the end customers
who drive demand or at least integrate
with platforms that allow them to
access the end customers efficiently.
Key findings from
our survey research
9
Building the digital enterprise
4) Focus on people and culture to
drive transformation
Our survey respondents say that their
biggest implementation challenge isn't
the right technology, it's a lack of digital
culture and skills in their organisation.
This finding is also consistent with
our Digital IQ research, which for nine
years has explored how organisations
across industries can derive value
from digital investments2. Digital IQ
emphasises that while investing in
the right technologies is important,
ultimately success or failure will depend
not on specific sensors, algorithms
or analytics programmes, but on
a broader range of people-focused
factors. Industrial companies need to
develop a robust digital culture and to
make sure change is driven by clear
leadership from the C-suite. They'll
also need to attract, retain, and train
digital natives and other employees who
are comfortable working in a dynamic
ecosystem environment.
5) Data analytics and digital trust
are the foundation of Industry 4.0
Data fuels Industry 4.0 and successful
data analytics is the prerequisite for
successful implementation of digital
enterprise applications. It's time to
move from a phase of discovery and
understanding what data is available
and what it is worth to one of insights
and action. 'First movers' are already
making the shift and using data
analytics to help drive decision-making.
As digital ecosystems expand, so does
the importance of establishing strong
levels of digital trust, backed up by
transparency and non-repudiation
that provides proof of the integrity
and origin of one's own and third-
party data. Strong risk management
and data integrity systems can help
companies avoid breaches and manage
disruption to operations better the
#1 data security concern of our survey
respondents.
6) Robust, enterprise-wide data
analytics capabilities require
significant change
Industrial companies will need
to develop robust organisational
structures that support data analytics
as an enterprise-level capability.
Half of the surveyed companies have
established dedicated data analytics
functions, either on a corporate level
to bundle talent or on a business unit
level to remain close to the operational
business. However, 38% of companies
currently rely on selective, ad-hoc
capabilities of single employees; another
9% have no significant capabilities at
all.
7) Industry 4.0 is accelerating
globalisation, but with a distinctly
regional flavour
Industry 4.0 will create digital networks
and ecosystems that in many cases will
span the globe, but still retain distinct
regional footprints. Both developed
and developing markets stand to gain
dramatically.
Companies in Japan and Germany are
the furthest along in digitising internal
operations and partnering across the
horizontal value chain. With high
investment in technology and employee
training, they view their digital
transformation primarily in terms of
gains in operational efficiency, cost
reduction and quality assurance. Our
experience working with companies in
the US suggests that they are planning
to invest more heavily in developing
disruptive business models, as
companies move quickly to digitise their
product and service portfolios.
China's industrial companies stand
out in all aspects of digitisation: they
are expecting both above-average cost
reductions as well as increased digital
revenues through to 2020. China is one
of the countries that stands to gain the
most from automating and digitising
labour-intensive manufacturing
processes and needs to find a solution
to rising employee remuneration. In
addition, Chinese companies are highly
flexible and open to digital change.
8) Big investments with big
impacts: it's time to commit
Industry 4.0 investments are already
significant and our research suggests
that global industrial products
companies will invest US$907 bn per
year through to 2020. The major focus
of this investment will be on digital
technologies like sensors or connectivity
devices, as well as on software and
applications like manufacturing
execution systems (MES). In addition,
companies are also investing in training
employees and driving organisational
change. More than half of respondents
expect their Industry 4.0 investments to
yield a return within two years or less,
given investment of around 5% p.a. of
their annual revenue.
2 PwC, 2015 Global Digital IQ Survey, September 2015.
10
2016 Global Industry 4.0 Survey
Blueprint for digital
success
To move forward with Industry
4.0, digital capabilities are all-
important. These take time and
concentration; a step-by-step
approach is important. But move
with deliberate speed, so that
you don't lose the first-mover
advantage to competitors.
1) Map out your Industry 4.0
strategy
Evaluate your own digital maturity now
and set clear targets for the next five
years. Prioritise the measures that will
bring the most value to your business
and make sure these are aligned
with your overall strategy. Make sure
company leadership is ready and willing
to champion your approach.
2) Create initial pilot projects
Use them to establish proof of concept
and demonstrate business value. Target
a confined scope, but highlight the
end-to-end concept of Industry 4.0. Not
every project will succeed, but they
will all help you to work in a cross-
functional and agile approach with
customers and technology partner - the
new norm of the future. With evidence
from early successes, you can also
gain buy-in from the organisation, and
secure funding for a larger rollout.
Design pragmatically to compensate
for standards or infrastructure that
don't yet exist. Collaborate with digital
leaders outside your organisation, by
working with start-ups, universities,
or industry organisations to accelerate
your digital innovation.
3) Define the capabilities you need
Building on the lessons learned in
your pilots, map out in detail what
capabilities you need to achieve
your vision. Include how enablers
for Industry 4.0, like an agile IT
infrastructure, can fundamentally
improve all of your business processes.
Remember to develop strategies for
attracting people and improving
processes as well as for implementing
new technologies. Your success with
Industry 4.0 will depend on skills and
knowledge. Your biggest constraints may
well be your ability to recruit the people
needed to put digitisation into place.
4) Become a virtuoso in data
analytics
Consider how you can best organise
data analytics; cross-functional expert
teams are a good first step. Later these
capabilities can be fully embedded in
your functional organisation.
Learn to get value out of data by
building direct links to decision-making
and to intelligent systems design. Use
the data to improve products and their
use in the field to offer and build new
service offerings. Think big, but start
small, with 'proof of concept' projects.
5) Transform into a digital
enterprise
Capturing the full potential of Industry
4.0 often requires company-wide
transformation. Look to set "tone
from the top", with clear leadership,
commitment and vision from the C-suite
and financial stakeholders. Foster a
digital culture: all your employees
will need to think and act like digital
natives, willing to experiment with new
technologies and learn new ways of
operating.
Remember that change doesn't stop
once you've implemented Industry 4.0.
Your company will need to re-invent its
capabilities at faster rates than in the
past to stay ahead of the game.
6) Actively plan an ecosystem
approach
Develop complete product and services
solutions for your customers. Use
partnerships or align with platforms if
you cannot develop a complete offering
internally. You may find it difficult to
share knowledge with other companies,
and you may prefer acquisition. But look
for ways to bridge this gap perhaps
with technical standards so that you
can profit from being part of platforms
that you don't fully control.
Real breakthroughs in performance
happen when you actively understand
consumer behaviour and can
orchestrate your company's role within
the future ecosystem of partners,
suppliers and customers.
Don't buy the hype. Buy the reality.
Industry 4.0 will be a huge boon to
companies that fully understand what
it means for how they do business.
Change of this nature will transcend
your company's boundaries and
probably the national boundaries of
the countries where you do business.
Blueprint for digital success
Map out
your Industry
4.0 strategy
1
Create
initial pilot
projects
2
Define the
capabilities
you need
3
Become a
virtuoso in data
analytics
4
Transform
into a digital
enterprise
5
Actively plan
an ecosystem
approach
6
Blueprint for digital success
11
Building the digital enterprise
Key findings from our
survey research
Industry 4.0
has moved
from talk to
action
When PwC conducted its first
set of research on Industry 4.0
in 2014 , it was on the radar for
many companies but relatively
few were actually in the process
of implementing it. That has
changed dramatically this year.
Industry 4.0 is no longer a 'future trend'
for many companies it is now at the
heart of their strategic and research
agenda. Companies are combining
advanced connectivity and advanced
automation, cloud computing, sensors
and 3D printing, connected capability,
computer-powered processes, intelligent
algorithms and 'internet of things' (IoT)
services to transform their businesses.
Change is happening fastest in
areas close to the core business
Just over two-fifths of companies
report that they believe their product
development and engineering and
their vertical value chains are already
benefiting from an advanced level
of digitisation and integration (see
Figure 1). Areas of focus include
digitising and connecting functions
Shown: Percentage of companies surveyed reporting high degrees of digitisation and integration
Q: How would you classify the current level of digitisation and integration in the
following areas in your company? What levels of digitisation and integration are you
expecting in the next five years?
Today
In five years
Vertical value-chain
integration
41%
72%
Horizontal value-chain
integration
34%
65%
Digital business
models, product and
service portfolio
29%
64%
Product development
& engineering
42%
71%
Customer access,
sales channels &
marketing
35%
68%
High level of
digitisation in 5 years
High level of
digitisation today
33%
72%
+39%
Figure 1: Respondents expect to more than double their level of
digitisation by 2020
12
2016 Global Industry 4.0 Survey
such as digital order processes,
customised product development and
the automated transfer of product
data to connected planning and
manufacturing systems, and further on
to integrated customer service. These
are also the areas that they anticipate
will also be furthest advanced in five
years' time.
Advanced digitisation and integration
of the horizontal value chain, with
suppliers, customers and other value-
chain partners, and digitisation of
customer channels are progressing
a little slower than with the vertical
value chain. Big advances are expected
in five years' time but these are areas
that companies believe will be more
challenging than those closer to their
core production activities.
First movers are set to outpace
their competitors
Some companies report advanced
or very advanced current levels of
digitisation and integration. There are
also companies who rate themselves
ahead of their main competitors when
it comes to building digital operations
capabilities. And some companies have
made early investments in Industry 4.0.
There is also a select group of
companies who score highly on all three
of these key dimensions. We identified
71 companies (around 4% of the whole
survey population) who are setting the
fastest pace. We call these companies
"first movers," and they're already
gaining a nearly insurmountable
advantage over competitors, as we'll
show throughout this report.
'First movers' expect to gain significant
benefits from their more advanced
digital capabilities and greater levels
of investment. They are far more likely
to be forecasting both revenue gains
of more than 30% and cost reduction
of more than 30% at the same time
(see Figure 2). They're more likely to
expect efficiency gains too. Put these
all together and you have an enormous
impact.
Cost reduction
Revenue growth<30%
>30%
<30%>30%% of companies achieving >30% increased revenue
and >30% reduced costs simultaneously by 2020
196
27%
First
movers
10%
All
Companies
Q: What cumulative benefits from digitisation do you expect in the next 5 years?
Lower costs, increased revenues.
Figure 2: First movers are almost three times more successful in combining
high revenue increases with significant gains in cost reduction
13
Building the digital enterprise
Digitisation
drives
quantum leaps
in performance
Our survey respondents
anticipate significant gains from
the implementation of Industry
4.0 initiatives.
On average, companies expect to
reduce operational costs by 3.6% p.a.,
while increasing efficiency by 4.1%
annually. High levels of cost reduction
are expected in every industry sector
we studied (see Figure 3). Some of
these cost savings can be achieved by
implementing smart manufacturing
initiatives. For example, companies
are moving to integrated planning &
scheduling for manufacturing. Such
systems combine data from within
the enterprise from sensors all the
way through to ERP systems with
information from horizontal value
chain partners, like inventory levels
or changes in customer demand.
Integrated shop floor planning improves
asset utilisation and product throughput
time. Another example is predictive
maintenance of key assets, which uses
predictive algorithms to optimise repair
and maintenance schedules and to
improve asset uptime.
System based, real-time end-to-end
planning and horizontal collaboration
is now possible using cloud-based
planning platforms. Companies that
use such systems to become better
integrated with horizontal value chain
partners, including suppliers and key
customers, can significantly improve
efficiencies and reduce inventories. In
addition, the implementation of track-
and-trace devices on products will lead
to better inventory performance and
reduced logistics cost.
9
49
78
28
54
52
61
62
28
421
Aerospace, defence
& security
Cost reduction
(in % p.a. until 2020)
Cost reduction
(in US$bn p.a. until 2020)
3.7%
Chemicals
3.9%
Engineering & construction
3.4%
Forest, paper & packaging
4.2%
Metals
3.2%
Industrial manufacturing
3.6%
Transportation & logistics
3.2%
Electronics
3.7%
Automotive
3.9%
Weighted Average
3.6%
Total
Q: What cumulative benefits from digitisation do you expect in the next 5 years? Lower costs.
Figure 3: Companies in every industry sector expect significant cost
reductions
14
2016 Global Industry 4.0 Survey
The new competitive landscape
Efficiency gains of the magnitude
uncovered by our survey have the
potential to change the competitive
landscape within a very short space of
time. If even half of the expectations
outlined are realised, some companies
may find themselves unable to compete.
In an increasingly cost-competitive
market, no industrial company can
afford to lose out in operational
efficiency against their market peers.
The next two to three years will be
crucial for companies looking to catch
up.
Significant revenue opportunities
ahead
Survey participants expect additional
digital revenues of 2.9% p.a. until
2020. To generate these additional
revenues, companies will introduce new
industrial products with digital features
and augment their existing portfolio
(see Figure 4). Digital services based on
data analytics, or even complete digital
solutions serving a customer ecosystem,
will drive breakthrough revenue
growth.
In addition, real-time data availability
will enable companies to manufacture
personalised products and customise
solutions. These customised products
usually generate significantly higher
margins than mass-manufactured
offerings.
Improved customer insight from smart
data analytics also allows companies to
better focus on additional high-margin
business.
In the new industrial reality, most
companies (86%) expect to secure
simultaneous gains from both lower
costs and added revenue in the next five
years.
And the impact is far-reaching for every
industry we studied. At least a third
of companies in every sector expect to
secure efficiency gains and cost savings
of more than 20% and many anticipate
that these will be accompanied by
additional revenues of the same
magnitude.
How Industry 4.0 is delivering revenue, cost and efficiency gains
Note: Companies achieving 10% or more additional
revenue in the following areas over the next 5 years.
Multiple answers possible
47%
Digitisation of the
existing product
portfolio
44%
Introducing a
new digital
product
portfolio
42%
Other digital
services to
external
customers
38%
Big data
analytics services
to external
customers
Q: Which of the following new digital products
or services do you plan to introduce and
expect will generate more than 10% of your
future revenue over the next 5 years?
Figure 4: Revenues from digitising
the product and service
portfolio will grow
significantly in future
Additional revenue from:
Lower cost and greater efficiency from:
Digitising products and services within the existing portfolio
Real-time inline quality control based on Big Data Analytics
New digital products, services and solutions
Modular, flexible and customer-tailored production concepts
Offering big data and analytics as a service.
Real-time visibility into process and product variance, augmented reality
and optimisation by data analytics
Personalised products and mass customisation.
Predictive maintenance on key assets using predictive algorithms to
optimise repair and maintenance schedules and improve asset uptime
Capturing high-margin business through improved customer insight from
data analytics
Vertical integration from sensors through MES to real-time production
planning for better machine utilisation and faster throughput times
Increasing market share of core products
Horizontal integration, as well as track-and-trace of products for better
inventory performance and reduced logistics
Digitisation and automation of processes for a smarter use of human
resources and higher operations speed
System based, real-time end-to-end planning and horizontal collaboration
using cloud based planning platforms for execution optimisation
Increased scale from increased market share of core products
15
Building the digital enterprise
Deepen digital
relationships
with more
empowered
customers
As Industry 4.0 develops, the
traditional model of products
pushed out to the market will
fade and 'customer pull', with
customers intimately involved in
a more collaborative relationship
with manufacturers, will be much
more the norm. Industry 4.0 will
greatly enrich the opportunities
to retain and grow the customer
relationship but it will also make
the fight for the customer more
intense.
Deepening customer relationships
through co-creation and
customisation
Digital integration with the customer
and new technological opportunities
to move production closer to the
customer, for example with 3D printing,
will enable greater individualisation
and customisation of products. Most
companies we spoke to are expecting
to strengthen their digital offering to
customers, either by digitising existing
products or by developing new digital
products. The opportunity is there not
only to greatly increase the ability to
respond flexibly and more rapidly to
customer demands but also to anticipate
demands, helping the customer move
ahead in a range of predictive ways.
Using data to enhance customer
service and responsiveness
Nearly three-quarters of companies
(72%) expect that the use of data
analytics will substantially improve
customer relationships and customer
intelligence along the product life cycle
(see Figure 5). Greater integration
of data between manufacturers
and customers can open up new
collaboration opportunities. Clever
use of pooled data, for example, can
allow manufacturers in B2B markets
to help customers in value-chain
planning, driving efficiencies within
the customer's operations as well as
vice versa. Many companies have such
collaborative opportunities in sight.
Over a third (38%) of companies in our
survey said they plan to offer their big
data services to external companies.
Basing
product/service
development
on customer
specifications
Innovation in
customer service
Using data
analytics to
meet customer
requirements and
improve operational
performance
Customising
products all the way
down to a lot size
of 1
Building a
customer-focused
supply chain
Driving customer-
centric marketing
and channel access
How industrial companies are getting closer to
customers
Data
& A
nalyt
ics as core capabilityData & Analytics as core
cap
ab
ility1. Dig
itisa
tion and integrationof
ver
tical a
nd horizontalvalu
e chains
2. Digital business
models and customer access
3. D
igitisation ofprodu
ct a
nd service offerings72%
Q: In which areas will your company use data
analytics in five years? Improving customer
relationship and customer intelligence along
the product life cycle.
Figure 5: Industry 4.0 is helping
industrial companies
optimise customer
relationships
16
2016 Global Industry 4.0 Survey
Developing a platform approach
to stay close to customers
Integrated solutions or value-
added services are characterised
by significantly higher customer
benefits and will revolutionise existing
product portfolios and performance
relationships. Foremost among these
is a platform approach. A platform is a
nexus of exchange and interoperable
technology, which allows a wide range
of vendors and customers to interact
seamlessly. The most successful first
movers of the software and internet
industries all cemented their positions
with powerful and distinctive
platforms.
First movers on Industry 4.0 will seek a
similar advantage. GE and Siemens, for
example, are already rushing to solidify
themselves as platform providers. Each
has developed a cloud-based system
for connecting machines and devices
from a variety of companies, facilitating
transactions, operations and logistics,
and collecting and analysing data.
Other industrial companies are also
moving from simply augmenting
their products with digital features to
more comprehensive digital offerings.
These can range from complete digital
solutions to becoming a platform
integrator.
An effective platform must, by
definition, bring the customer close to
operations. Industrial companies that
share these platforms will also have
access to customer data, which will be
analysed to better forecast their needs,
improve products and develop new
ones. Whoever owns the platform thus
owns the customer, owns access to the
customer, and ends up aggregating
the work of a lot of other enterprises.
Ultimately this can lead to providing a
full digital ecosystem.
Key types of platforms
Product Lifecycle Management
(PLM) systems: connect market
intelligence with product
development and operations, all
the way to smart services both
within a manufacturing company
as well as with key value-chain
partners.
Manufacturing Execution
Systems (MES): connect the
data input and transfer between
the equipment of multiple
vendors, as well as facilitating
communication between
multiple software and systems
applications, extending from a
company's Enterprise Resource
Planning (ERP) all the way to
shopfloor quality applications.
Complete Solution/
Service Provider
Focus on digital
products and
data-based services,
which provide a
complete solution for
the customer
Data Analytics,
Content & Platform
Integrator
Focus on data
analytics and
data-based services;
access to customers
via a dedicated
(online) platform
Integrated Digital
Ecosystem Provider
Integration of
third-party partner
or competitor
products and
control systems in a
complete customer
ecosystem
Core product
Value crea
tion
Asset intensity
Data intensity
Augmented Digital
Product Player
Focus on products
with digital features
like sensors or
communication
devices
Industrial companies are moving towards greater digital value creation, from augmented
products to serving digital ecosystems
17
Building the digital enterprise
Focus on
people and
culture to drive
transformation
Industry 4.0 has massive
implications for the nature of how
a company chooses to organise
itself and its delivery model.
Companies will need to make sure
staff understand how the company is
changing and how they can be a part of
it. From our interviews with industrial
companies, the biggest challenges
centre around internal issues such
as culture, organisation, leadership
and skills rather than external issues
such as whether the right standards,
infrastructure and intellectual property
protection are in place or whether
concerns about data security or privacy
concerns can be overcome.
The absence of a digital culture and the
right training was identified as a top
challenge by more companies than any
other (see Figure 6). That was equally
true for companies rating themselves
as advanced. And it held true across
industries and regions as well.
Skills issues loom large for data
analytics too
Lack of skills or competencies in the
company's workforce is also the biggest
challenge survey respondents see
when it comes to making use of data
analytics. It's not surprising, then, that
over two-thirds (69%) cite increasing
in-house data analytics technology
and skill levels as the single biggest
improvement route to boost data
analytics capabilities. Some companies
also say external partnerships have a
role to play, through the provision of
technology or training, and a minority
of companies (18%) expect to use M&A
to acquire outside companies.
Q: Where are the biggest challenges or inhibitors for building digital operations
capabilities in your company?
Note: Included as one of three possible responses
Lack of digital culture and training
Lack of a clear digital operations vision and
support / leadership from top management
Unclear economic benefit and digital investments
High financial investment requirements
Unresolved questions around data security and data
privacy in connection with the use of external data
Insufficient talent
Lack of digital standards, norms and certification
Slow expansion of basic infrastructure technologies
Business partners are not able to
collaborate around digital solutions
Concerns around loss of control over your
company's intellectual property
50%
40%
38%
36%
25%
25%
21%
18%
16%
14%
Data
& A
nalyt
ics as core capabilityData & Analytics as core
cap
ab
ility1. Dig
itisa
tion and integrationof
ver
tical a
nd horizontalvalu
e chains
2. Digital business
models and customer access
3. D
igitisation ofprodu
ct a
nd service offerings50%
Lack of digital culture and training
Figure 6: Lack of digital culture and training is the biggest
challenge facing companies
69% say increasing
in-house data
analytics technology
and skill levels is
the top route to
boost data analytics
capabilities
18
2016 Global Industry 4.0 Survey
Data analytics
and digital
trust are the
foundation of
Industry 4.0
Data lies at the heart of the fourth
industrial revolution, but the
massively growing information
flow brings little value without
the right analytics techniques.
The rapidly growing number
of sensors, embedded systems
and connected devices as well
as the increasing horizontal
and vertical networking of
value chains result in a huge
continuous data flow.
Data is coming from multiple sources,
in different formats, and there is a need
to combine internal data with data from
outside sources. Expert and effective
data analytics is essential to using
data to create value. And with so many
points of entry, companies need to take
a rigorous, proactive approach to data
security and related issues and work to
build digital trust.
Advanced companies use data to
drive decision-making
While most of our respondents (83%)
expect data to have a significant impact
on their decision-making in five years,
only about half are currently using data
to drive decisions (see Figure 7). Our
research suggests that companies who
are already ahead on their digitisation
and integration journey are also much
more likely to be putting data analytics
to work. Among those with advanced
levels of digitisation and integration,
nearly three-quarters (73%) say that
data and analytics play a significant
role in their decision-making, compared
to just 38% of those who have low levels
of digitisation and integration.
Shown: Summarised percentages of companies surveyed reporting high levels of significance
Today
In five years
Aerospace, defence
& security
39%
82%
Chemicals
60%
88%
Engineering & construction
40%
72%
Forest, paper & packaging
55%
83%
Metals
49%
83%
Industrial manufacturing
54%
88%
Transportation & logistics
50%
90%
Electronics
66%
89%
Automotive
49%
84%
Other
43%
83%
50%
83%
+33%
High importance
in 5 years
High importance
today
Figure 7: Data and analytics are becoming increasingly important to
decision-making.
Q: What significance does the gathering, analysis and utilisation of data for decision-
making have for your company?
19
Building the digital enterprise
It's important to remember that data
analytics provides tools for decision-
making, rather than a complete
replacement for sound judgement
on the part of management. In other
research we've explored the "art and
science" of decision-making, and
found that data analytics will play an
increasingly central role in the future
but it won't fully replace other factors,
particularly when it comes to major
strategic decisions3.
Companies need to expand their
use of big data
Many companies already use data
analytics to analyse and report on
processes (see Figure 8). Our survey
respondents say their companies are
focusing most on using data analytics
to control and improve their overall
business planning and manufacturing
operations, followed closely by efforts
to get closer to their customers, both
today and in five years. Around three-
quarters of companies are deploying or
plan to deploy data analytics in these
areas. But these approaches are just the
beginning.
There are other uses for data analytics
that far fewer companies have on their
radar screen. These include better
service and maintenance of companies'
own assets and products owned by
customers, and better cooperation
and decision-making with partner
companies. These open up possibilities
for new service offering and ways of
working, so companies may want to
start paying more attention.
To succeed, companies will need to
use data in predictive, forward-looking
ways that make sense of market
developments and customer behaviour
to improve products and develop new
products and services.
Status quo
Growth potential in 5 years
Optimisation of overall business
planning and controlling
56%
22%
78%
Better manufacturing /
operations planning
75%
59%
16%
Improvement of customer relationship and
customer intelligence along the product life cycle
72%
51%
21%
More efficient asset utilisation
of operational efficiency
71%
52%
19%
Development of new or optimisation
of existing products /services
69%
44%
25%
Increase of sales revenue
68%
46%
22%
Optimisation of transport and
logistics costs / efficiency
67%
48%
19%
Improved product or process quality
65%
47%
18%
Efficient maintenance / service of own
assets or customer products
Better cooperation and decision-making
with partner companies
61%
38%
23%
56%
36%
20%
3 PwC, Global Data & Analytics Survey 2014: Big Decisions
Figure 8: Are companies underestimating the scope of data analytics?
Q: In which areas are you using big data analytics today? In which additional areas will your
company use data analytics in five years?
20
2016 Global Industry 4.0 Survey
Building digital trust should be a
top priority
Digital ecosystems and broad use of
data also raises important issues around
cybersecurity. More touchpoints where
data is collected and exchanged also
means more potential points of entry
for an attacker. Our survey respondents
flagged a wide range of concerns
around data security, with operational
interruption from cybersecurity
breaches at the top of their list (see
Figure 9). Other issues like liability
risks, unauthorised access to data and
damage to company reputation are on
the radar too.
There's some good new though. Many
of our survey respondents are confident
that they've made strong progress here
just 25% rate unresolved questions
around data security and data privacy
as one of the top 3 challenges that are
slowing down their Industry 4.0 efforts.
To make sure that stays on track, many
companies will need to make building
and maintaining digital trust a priority.
For example, as companies move
towards operating increasingly in
ecosystems, it will be important to
integrate a whole range of technical
domains into the system. These include
managing organisational functions and
transactions, controlling automation
assets and supporting the creation and
delivery of products and services, in
some cases focused towards end-users.
Making security an integral part of all
systems and processes can help deter
attacks and speed up response time if
they do happen. Third-party assurance
is also an important way to confirm that
systems are robust and strengthen the
trust of ecosystem participants in your
platform's integrity.
Also important will be working together
with ecosystem partners; with possible
points of attack spread out throughout
the ecosystem, responsibility needs to
be shared broadly.
Digital trust is a complicated issue, but
it's based on three pillars: transparency,
legitimacy and effectiveness. In other
research, we look at ten issues which
centre around the ethics and control of
data access and use, interaction through
the internet, digital risk resilience and
value-creation in the digital age4. The
emergent and interconnected nature
of these issues and the regulatory
response to them highlight the
challenges organisations face. Industrial
companies will need to stay focused to
meet them.
Note: Included as one of three possible responses
Operational disruption due to
cybersecurity breaches
54%
Liability risks through data loss
40%
Unauthorised data extraction/modification
within company-internal data flow
Damage to company reputation and loss of
trust due to data loss
39%
Misuse of data during exchange of
information with partners
37%
Loss of intellectual property
35%
Violation of regulations and laws on
data security or data privacy
30%
Endangerment of operators or users
10%
40%
4 Norbert Schwieters, PwC, "Ten digital trust challenges," 4 December, 2015
Figure 9: Operational disruption is the top data security concern
Q: What are the main concerns in terms of data security?
Digital trust is a
complicated issue,
but it's based
on three pillars:
transparency,
legitimacy and
effectiveness.
21
Building the digital enterprise
Robust,
enterprise-
wide
data analytics
capabilities require
significant change
The companies we surveyed
understand that it's critical to
have data analytics capabilities
in order to successfully drive
digital transformation. But
there's still a long way to go
before these reach the level of
sophistication needed to really
drive Industry 4.0 applications.
Only 18% of survey respondents rate
the maturity of their data analytics
capabilities as advanced (see Figure 10),
and more than half say that the lack
of skills and competencies in their
company's workforce is a key challenge
to making full use of data analytics.
Moving beyond ad-hoc approaches
Ad-hoc approaches to the organisation
and governance of data analytics may
be part of what's holding companies
back. Almost half lack a structured
approach to data analytics organisation
and governance (Figure 11). Thirty-
eight percent of respondents say their
companies rely on the selective, ad-hoc
data analytics capabilities of individual
employees, while another nine percent
have no significant data analytics
capabilities at all.
In contrast, just over a third have
embedded data analytics into specific
functions, giving themselves the
flexibility and proximity to business
knowledge to fully utilise the
potential of data analytics. Another
14% of companies have a dedicated
department for data analysis serving
many functions across the company.
First movers are much more likely to
have pursued these two options 43%
have embedded their data analytics
in specific functions and 24% have a
dedicated department.
To reach excellence in data analytics,
industrial companies will need access
to a wide variety of skill sets, including
those of data scientists and algorithm
architects. They will also need process
expertise, advanced algorithms and
workflow integration for decision
support. In some situations outsourcing
can help supplement internal
capabilities or bridge temporary gaps.
Data
& A
nalyt
ics as core capabilityData & Analytics as core
cap
ab
ility1. Dig
itisa
tion and integrationof
ver
tical a
nd horizontalvalu
e chains
2. Digital business
models and customer access
3. D
igitisation ofprodu
ct a
nd service offerings52%
Medium
18%
Advanced
22%
Poor
Advanced
8%
Outsourced
to external
partners
Figure 10: Most companies don't yet have mature data analytics
capabilities
Q: How mature are the data analytics capabilities in your company?
Data
& A
naly
tics as core capabilityData & Analytics as core
ca
pa
bil
ity1. D
igit
isati
on and integrationof ve
rtic
al and horizontalvalu
e chains
2. Digital business
models and custom
er access
3. D
ig
itisation ofprodu
ct
an
d service offerings5%
Data analysis services
are outsourced and
performed by
external service
providers
35%
Data analytics is
embedded within
specific functions
14%
Dedicated department
for data analysis serving
many functions accross
the company
9%
No significant
data analysis
capabilities
38%
Selective, ad-hoc
data analysis
capabilities of
single
employees
Figure 11: Nearly half of companies still need to develop a robust organisation
that supports data analytics excellence
Q: How are data analysis capabilities organised in your company?
Note: Answers shown are rounded
22
2016 Global Industry 4.0 Survey
Accelerating
globalisation,
but with
distinct regional
flavours
As the fourth industrial
revolution binds companies
and countries ever more tightly
togetherthrough worldwide
supply chains and data
networksit will increasingly
promote globalisation.
Many industrial leaders operate
worldwide facilities, so successful
Industry 4.0 implementation is not
limited to specific countries or regions.
At the same time, many applications
will link closely to local companies,
as customised products often require
regional manufacturing capabilities.
Our survey results show similarities
between leading companies around the
globe, but they also differ considerably
by region.
Conventional wisdom suggests that
developed economies could be the
winners, in the short term at least, from
Industry 4.0, as they are driving digital
operations improvements to secure
significant efficiency gains. So are
emerging economies losing out? Our
survey results indicate that emerging
nations probably have the most to gain,
as Industry 4.0 takes hold around the
globe. They can leverage digitisation to
gain efficiency in their horizontal value
chain, efficiently working within a
global manufacturing network to supply
key components, products and systems.
In addition, rising personnel costs and
high potential to digitise processes will
lead to above-average efficiency gains
in emerging economies.
Additional revenue
Efficiency gains
Lower costs
Americas
Regions
Territories
Global all
37%
Asia Pacific
39%
Europe, Middle East & Africa
32%
39%
50%
57%
68%
41%
55%
35%
43%
56%
United States
37%
37%
51%
China
51%
59%
72%
Japan
22%
65%
67%
Germany
30%
42%
62%
India
43%
46%
62%
Brazil
41%
32%
41%
Shown: % of survey respondents in each region expecting gains of over 20% in the next five years
Figure 12: Big gains are anticipated by industrial products companies in all regions
Q: What cumulative benefits from digitisation do you expect in the next 5 years?
23
Building the digital enterprise
Regional and country contrasts
Companies in Japan and Germany
are the furthest along in digitising
internal operations and partnering
across the horizontal value chain. With
high investments in technology and
employee training, they view their
digital transformation primarily in
terms of gains in operational efficiency,
cost reduction and quality assurance.
Our experience working with and
interviewing executives in the
US suggests that companies there
are planning more investment in
developing disruptive business models,
as companies move more quickly to
digitise their product and service
portfolio. Their focus is more on digital
revenue growth, rather than efficiency
gains.
China's industrial companies stand
out in all aspects of digitisation: they
are expecting both above-average cost
reductions as well as increased digital
revenues through to 2020. China is one
of the countries that stands to gain the
most from automating and digitising
labour-intensive manufacturing
processes and needs to find a solution
to rising employee compensation. In
addition, Chinese companies are highly
flexible and open to digital change, and
the Chinese workforce is embracing
digital technologies.
A strong Asia Pacific push with
other regions coming up fast
Industrial products companies in
all regions are pressing hard on the
Industry 4.0 accelerator and expect to
secure significant benefits. But it is
companies in the Asia Pacific region
that are making the strongest running.
They report making significant digital
investments and they have already
moved further forward in terms of
current digitisation and integration.
Two-fifths (36%) believe they are at
an advanced level now, compared
to a third (32%) of companies in the
Americas and 30% of EMEA companies
(see Figure 13).
Looking five years ahead, expectations
of the level of digital integration are
broadly comparable in all three regions
(EMEA, the Americas and Asia Pacific).
A large majority of companies expect
to have advanced digitisation and
integration capabilities, with Japan
and Germany reaching digitisation
levels above 80%. American, French
and Swedish companies show similarly
high levels of optimism. Although Asia
Pacific companies report the highest
digitisation and integration levels
today, it is companies in the Americas,
followed by those in EMEA, that expect
to have the largest gains in digitisation
levels by 2020.
Americas
Level of digitisation today
Asia Pacific
Europe, Middle East & Africa
Level of digitisation in five years
Level of digitisation in five years
Level of digitisation in five years
Level of digitisation today
Level of digitisation today
32%
74%
36%
67%
30%
71%
+42%
+31%
+41%
Figure 13: Companies all over the world are expecting to dramatically increase digitisation over the
next five years
Q: How would you classify the current level of digitisation and integration in the following areas in your company? What levels of
digitisation and integration are you expecting in the next five years?
24
2016 Global Industry 4.0 Survey
Big
investments
with big
impact: it's time to
commit
The nine industries we surveyed
plan to invest US$907 bn
p.a. globally in Industry 4.0
applications over the next five
years. That's a staggering sum,
but the benefits are even more
impressive.
Survey respondents anticipate
that those investments will lead to
US$493 bn in additional revenues
annually, in addition to strong gains
in efficiency and reductions in cost.
Investment levels will be highest in
the electronics sector (see Figure 14).
A major focus of this investment
will be on digital technologies like
sensors or connectivity devices, as
well as on software and applications
like manufacturing execution
systems (MES). Companies are also
investing significantly in training their
employees, hiring new specialists and
driving organisational change.
Within the next five
years, advanced
implementation of
Industry 4.0 will
become a 'qualifier
to compete' and
is also likely to be
seen by investors
as a 'qualifier for
funding'.
756
Chemicals
Engineering & construction
Forest, paper & packaging
Metals
Industrial manufacturing
Transportation & logistics
Electronics
Automotive
Weighted Average
15
45
195
15
55
177
97
243
65
Industry 4.0 investment
(in % p.a. until 2020)
Industry 4.0 investment
(in US$bn p.a. until 2020)
5%
5%
5%
4%
4%
5%
5%
7%
5%
5%
907
Aerospace, defence
& security
Total
Figure 14: Companies in every industry sector are planning substantial
investments
Q: How high are your company's current and future investment in digital operations solutions?
(investment as a percentage of annual revenue)
25
Building the digital enterprise
Catching up is getting increasingly
difficult
There's no time to waste when it
comes to increasing investment
levels. First movers expect to see truly
game-changing improvements in cost
structures, operational efficiency, and
revenues and are therefore stepping
up their investment levels. Other
companies are doing so as well; in fact,
20% of companies plan to invest more
than 10% of annual revenues in the
next five years (see Figure 15).
Looking ahead, many of those who
haven't invested significantly in the past
two years plan to step up investment in
the coming five years. That's one way
to close the gap. But just over a third
of companies still expect to keep their
future investment relatively low. Some
of these companies may be waiting
for the 'perfect' technology. That's
short-sighted. As we've already shown,
the biggest challenge companies face
isn't buying the right technology, it's
transforming their organisation and
culture. This requires long-term change
programmes.
It simply won't be possible for
companies to achieve advanced
digitisation without making a step-
change in investment, given the
continued rapid progress anticipated by
companies who are already leading. The
investment required to catch up is likely
to be too costly, and faster-moving
companies will have a significant
advantage when it comes to positioning
their offerings as a 'platform of choice'
within digital ecosystems. Perhaps most
importantly, companies who try to jump
in too late will find that their internal
cultures have lagged behind.
Within the next five years, advanced
implementation of Industry 4.0 will
become a 'qualifier to compete' and is
also likely to be seen by investors as
a 'qualifier for funding'. Companies
who have not kept up will not only
find themselves struggling to maintain
market share but are also likely to face
higher capital funding costs.
Rapid returns on investment
Most companies believe they will see
a return on investment (ROI) within
two years or less (see Figure 16) for
their Industry 4.0 projects. Just over a
third of companies anticipate a longer
timescale of three to five years, but
very few think that it will take any
longer than five years for Industry 4.0
investments to pay for themselves.
Shown: Investments in % of annual revenues
Investment levels over the next 5 years
15%
0-1% p.a.
20%
More than
10% p.a.
22%
2-3% p.a.
21%
4-5% p.a.
10%
6-9% p.a.
13%
10% p.a.
Median
5% p.a.
Figure 15: Companies that do not strategically invest will lose competitive
advantage
Q: How high are your company's current and future investment in digital operations solutions?
(investment as a % percentage of annual revenue)
Within two years
Two to five years
More than five years
55%
37%
8%
Expected ROI on
Industry 4.0 investment
Figure 16: Most companies expect
Industry 4.0 investments
to pay back
within two years
Q: What return on investment period (ROI) do
you expect from your digital investments?
26
2016 Global Industry 4.0 Survey
Blueprint for digital
success
To move forward with Industry
4.0, acquiring and rolling out
digital capabilities across your
company are all-important. This
process takes time, so in order
to gain or retain first-mover
advantage over your competitors,
you will need top management
commitment and significant
implementation investments.
Based on hundreds of
transformation projects with
leading industrial companies,
we have defined six practical
steps your company needs to take
to lead tomorrow's competitive
digital landscape.
Blueprint for digital success
Map out
your Industry
4.0 strategy
1
Create
initial pilot
projects
2
Define the
capabilities
you need
3
Become a
virtuoso in data
analytics
4
Transform
into a digital
enterprise
5
Actively plan
an ecosystem
approach
6
27
Building the digital enterprise
Map out your
Industry 4.0
strategy
Your Industry 4.0 strategy will
shape every further step you take
on the path towards becoming
a fully digital enterprise, so it's
important to take the time to
clearly define your vision.
Evaluate your own digital
maturity now and set clear targets
for the next five years
Many industrial capabilities have
already begun digitising their business,
but often the process has started
in organisational silos, rather than
through a holistic approach. Take the
time to evaluate your maturity level
in all areas of Industry 4.0 so that you
understand what strengths you can
already build on, and which systems/
processes you may need to integrate
into future solutions. Our "maturity
model" is one tool that can help speed
up this process (see PwC maturity
model on next page). Our Digital IQ
Benchmark5 is another tool that you can
use to assess how well positioned you
are for digital success.
As you start to think about where
you want to go in the future, take
the time to consider what you could
gain by collaborating with customers,
suppliers, technology partners and
even competitors, without limiting your
vision based on current constraints.
Move your focus beyond technical
details and consider what impact new
applications could have on your value
chain and your relationships with,
and access to, your customers. Your
roadmap will need to consider future
changes in customer behaviour and
how your relationship with them will
change.
Moving from the current to the future
desired state will need precise steps
and a clear prioritisation. Companies
that become a digital champion embark
on a journey that starts small but ends
ultimately in a transformation of the
core business.
5 PwC Digital IQ Benchmark
Questions to ask as
you develop your
digital strategy:
How mature are my current
capabilities?
What could I gain by better
collaboration with customers,
suppliers, technology partners
and even competitors?
How is customer behaviour
changing and how does my
relationship to customers need
to change in response?
28
2016 Global Industry 4.0 Survey
Functional focus in "silos"
Cross-functional collaboration
but not structured and
consistently performed
Collaboration across company
boundaries, culture and
encouragement of sharing
Collaboration as a key value
driver
Organisation,
employees and
digital culture
Digitisation
of product
and service
offerings
Online presence is
separated from offline
channels, product focus
instead of customer focus
Multi-channel distribution with
integrated use of online and
offline channels; data
analytics deployed, e. g. for
personalisation
Individualised customer
approach and interaction
together with value-chain
partners. Shared, integrated
interfaces.
Integrated Customer Journey
Management across all digital
marketing and sales channels
with customer empathy and
CRM
Digital business
models and
customer access
First digital solutions and
isolated applications
Digital product and service
portfolio with software,
network (M2M) and data as
key differentiator
Integrated customer solutions
across supply chain
boundaries, collaboration with
external partners
Development of new
disruptive business models
with innovative product and
service portfolio, lot size 1
Digitised and automated sub
processes. Partial
integration including
production or with internal
and external partners.
Standard processes for
collaboration partly in place
Analytical capabilities mainly
based on semi-manual data
extracts; Selected
monitoring and data
processing, no event
management
Fragmented IT architecture
in-house.
Traditional structures,
digitisation not in focus
Vertical digitisation and
standardised and harmonised
internal processes and data
flows within the company;
limited integration with
external partners
Analytical capabilities
supported by central business
intelligence (BI) system
Isolated, not standardised
decision support systems
Homogeneous IT architecture
in-house. Connection
between different data cubes
developing.
Digital challenges recognised
but not comprehensively
addressed
Horizontal integration of
processes and data flows with
customers and external
partners, intensive data use
through full integration across
the network.
Central BI system
consolidating all relevant
internal and external
information sources, some
predictive analytics
Specific decision support and
event management systems
Common IT architectures in
partner network.
Interconnected single data
lake with high-performance
architecture
Legal risk consistently
addressed with collaboration
partners,
Fully digitised, integrated
partner ecosystem with
self-optimised, virtualised
processes, focus on core
competency; decentralised
autonomy. Near real-time
access to extended set of
operative information
Central use of predictive
analytics for real-time
optimisation and automated
event handling with intelligent
database and self-learning
algorithm enabling impact
analysis and decision support
Single data lake with external
data integration functionalities
and flexible organisation.
Partner service bus, secure
data exchange
Optimising the value-chain
network for compliance,
security, legal and tax
Digitisation
and integration
of vertical and
horizontal
value chains
Data &
Analytics as
core capability
Agile IT
architecture
Compliance,
security, legal
& tax
2
3
4
Digital
novice
Vertical
integrator
Horizontal
collaborator
Digital
champion
1
Make sure you engage champions
throughout your business
Building up capabilities, adapting
processes and IT and driving the
cultural shift needed will take years.
It's critical to provide clear leadership
from your top management, but
equally important is convincing the
top stakeholders who will need to roll
up their sleeves and implement the
desired changes. One way to line up
champions throughout the organisation
is to educate stakeholders from the
outset, for example through technology
roadshows and visits to innovation
hubs.
PwC maturity model - Industry 4.0 capabilities develop across seven dimensions and four stages
29
Building the digital enterprise
Create
initial pilot
projects
With so much riding on the
outcome of Industry 4.0 projects,
companies will need to work hard
to overcome initial challenges.
It can be difficult to secure
funding and stakeholder buy-in,
as the economic benefit case of
digitisation is not always easy
to calculate. And initially teams
will only be able to provide very
limited proof of concept and
demonstration of technologies.
Pilots can help address these issues.
Not every project will succeed, but they
will all help you learn the approach that
works for your company. With evidence
from early successes, you can also
gain buy-in from the organisation, and
secure funding for a larger rollout.
It's important to pick the right projects.
We recommend targeting a confined
scope, but highlighting the end-to-end
concept of Industry 4.0. Possible options
include vertical integration within one
or two manufacturing sites including
digital engineering and real-time data
integrated manufacturing planning.
Horizontal integration with selected
key suppliers is another option, e.g. by
installing track-and-trace devices on
your shipments, helps to create end to
end visibility. Or you could consider
installing sensors and actuators on
critical manufacturing equipment
and using data analytics to explore
predictive maintenance solutions. The
diagram below provides an overview of
possible areas for pilots.
Setting up cross-functional teams has
proven to be a solid strategy. These
teams should be fully dedicated to
the project with the freedom to think
outside existing company boundaries
and point the company in new strategic
directions regarding technology, way of
working and ecosystems. Enablers like
IT and human resources play a major
role and should be embedded in the
cross-functional pilot teams.
Data analytics is often done as part
of a pilot or as a standalone pilot for
companies looking to identify and
prioritise data analytics use cases.
Often pilot teams will need to design
pragmatically to compensate for
standards or infrastructure that don't
yet exist. While pilots may already
bring business benefits, their most
important purpose is to generate insight
into how your company can work across
functions or ecosystems and what
changes you may need to make in IT,
security, tools, and process and people
capabilities.
You may want to consider collaborating
with digital leaders outside your
organisation, by working with start-ups,
universities, or industry organisations
to accelerate your digital innovation.
Industry 4.0 pilot opportunities exist along the full vertical and horizontal operational value chains
Digital hardware
optimisation and
uptime guarantee
Digital
collaboration in
R & D
Digital
modelling,
mockup &
simulation
E2E product
lifecycle
mgmt.
Logistics visibility
Integrated E2E
Planning and
real-time
execution
Predictive
maintenance
E-finance/
controlling
Digital customer
relationship
mgmt.
Omni-channel
commerce
Self-service
portals
Dynamic pricing
Personalised
sales & marketing
services
E-payments
Digital HR
Internal
knowledge
sharing
Agile IT
Integrated digital
engineering
Augmented
reality solutions
Prescriptive
Supply Chain
analytics
Digital sourcing
Smart
Warehousing and
Logistics
Smart spare parts
management
Digital
factory
Machine
automation
MES
Advanced
asset mgmt.
Pay-per-use
model
Total platform
management
Big data
analytics &
performance
management
Digital manufacturing coordination controlNew digital
business
models
Vertical
operations
integration
Smart
maintenance
& service
Digital
workplace
Digital
sales &
marketing
Digital
engineering
Horizontal
Integration
30
2016 Global Industry 4.0 Survey
Define the
capabilities
you need
Building on the lessons learned in
your pilots, map out in detail your
enterprise architecture and what
capabilities you need. Include
how enablers for Industry 4.0,
like an agile IT infrastructure,
can fundamentally improve all of
your business processes.
The most successful approaches look
at which capabilities are needed to
enable new digital business models or
internal digitisation. To implement a
new capability, you'll need to consider
four strategic dimensions: organisation,
people, process and technology.
Fine-tuning your organisation
New organisational structures could
include:
Incubators to protect and grow
a new business idea which won't
be influenced by the legacy
organisation
Pods or Centres of Excellence to
enable temporarily self-organised
teams without any formal hierarchy
to solve problems or develop ideas in
an interdisciplinary team setup
Ideation Labs to provide an
inspiring, creative, and hierarchy-
free working atmosphere where a
trial-and-error culture is feasible
Focusing on people
Develop strategies for attracting people
with the right digital skills. Your success
with Industry 4.0 will depend on skills
and knowledge. Your biggest constraints
may well be your ability to recruit new
employees or train existing ones who
can put digitisation into place. You need
to introduce new roles in your company,
like data scientists, user interface
designers, or digital innovation
managers. And you'll probably need to
update existing job profiles to take into
account new digital skills.
Improving processes
One of the most important changes
is to focus on an end-to-end process
perspective. That will foster new
collaboration models. Strong user
interfaces are very important to meet
growing expectations and enable
consistent user experiences across
different channels.
There are also a number of changes
needed to build digital trust. These
include processes to prepare data
security approaches, access rights
control and setup standards in
managing sensitive customer data,
and compliance processes. You'll need
to establish information assurance
compliance to oversee and evaluate
security requirements. Your goal should
be to ensure information security and
trust in a collaborative environment by
providing an end-to-end management
of risks, threats and security issues.
Implementing new technologies
Not surprisingly, new technologies will
be core to Industry 4.0 pilots. One of
the most important will be to develop
an agile IT function that can respond
flexibly to business demand. By
focusing on creating working solutions
and responding to new requirements in
an agile approach, an agile IT function
helps you continuously improve
services.
The other core technology capability
is likely to be internet of things (IoT)
management to monitor, control and
orchestrate large amounts of diverse
devices and provide central IoT services.
This includes providing functionalities
(via software upgrades), communication
standards and connectivity and to
ensure an appropriate level of security.
Make sure to keep
a strong focus on
building digital
trust. Your goal
should be to ensure
information
security and trust
in a collaborative
environment by
providing an end-to-
end management of
risks, threats and
security issues.
31
Building the digital enterprise
Become
a data
virtuoso
Identifying and gathering the
right data, deploying it for the
right purposes and effectively
analysing it will be critical to
make the right Industry 4.0
decisions.
Defining and developing an effective
data analytics strategy will require a
focus on:
Predictive analytics and forecasting
Prescriptive analytics
Business-driven decision-making
Automated feedback to the
organisation and connectivity to
employees
Consider how you can best organise
data analytics; cross-functional expert
teams are a good first step. Later these
capabilities can be fully embedded
as a standalone function in your
organisation.
Companies will need to improve master
data management - defining, cleaning up
and maintaining data. A first step should
be the identification of 'functional use
cases' for early deployment. You'll need
to build your own data pool, based on
real-time cross-functional and externally
connected data, as well as develop a
suite of analytics tools, connected to
existing and new data sources. To get
value out of that data, you'll also need
build direct links to decision-making and
to intelligent systems design.
A key decision facing companies is the
choice of data analytics platform, with
the ideal being one single integrated
solution. Existing ERP systems do not
have full capabilities to handle the
more sophisticated data trends, analytic
methods and algorithms that need to
be used to provide the more advanced
business intelligence and foresight that
will be needed in the Industry 4.0 era.
A more sophisticated approach would
be to invest in a data integration layer
that is linked to the ERP systems and use
tailored analytics tools by use case.
Transform
into a digital
enterprise
Lack of digital skills and
transformation culture top the
list of the challenges identified
by survey respondents. We
have already highlighted how
important strong data analytics
capabilities are, but Industry 4.0
calls for other technical skills as
well.
Many industrial companies will need to
develop digital skill sets around creative
digital strategy design, technology
architecture and design, user
experience design, or rapid prototyping
capabilities.
Without the right digital culture, the
best talent will not want to stay. But
what does a true digital mindset look
like? It's highly collaborative, crossing
company boundaries and outward to
partners and customers. Companies
that remain constrained by functional
silos are unlikely to achieve the
integration that is so central to Industry
4.0.
Cultivating a digital environment can
only happen with committed leadership.
Some organisations task the CIO with
leading the digital transformation,
while others appoint a CDO or other
executive to lead the effort. Some
companies establish a digital council
that actively manages the development
of digital enhancements, products, and
services from the idea stage through to
the rollout in operating units. A digital
council can support cross-functional
teams in proactively managing a digital
pipeline.
Digital transformation will only happen
if top management places Industry 4.0
squarely at the centre of the C-suite
agenda and makes it a top priority.
32
2016 Global Industry 4.0 Survey
Actively plan
an ecosystem
approach
Industry 4.0 needs to extend
far wider than horizontal and
vertical integration within
your own organisation. First
movers achieve breakthrough
performance by going a step
further to understand consumer
needs and use digital technologies
to create and deliver value to
the customer in an integrated,
innovative solution.
Fundamentally this is about developing
complete product and services solutions
for your customers. Companies
can evolve their market offering
across four layers moving from a
traditional, physical core product to a
comprehensive digital ecosystem play.
In the earlier stages, use partnerships
or align with platforms if you cannot
develop a complete offering internally.
Real breakthroughs in performance
happen when you actively understand
consumer behaviour and can
orchestrate your company's role within
the future ecosystem of partners,
suppliers and customers.
As the value of an ecosystem is driven
by the number of involved partners
and the intensity of their relationships,
the biggest challenge is to set the right
incentives and find suitable benefit
sharing models that compensate
everyone fairly for his contribution.
The most basic business model in an
ecosystem is a marketplace, which
brings together multiple sellers
and buyers capturing value from
commissions on the transaction value.
You may find it difficult to share
knowledge with other companies, and
you may prefer acquisitions. But look
for ways to bridge this gap perhaps
with technical standards so that you
can profit from being part of digital
ecosystems, even if you don't fully
control the entire value chain.
Digita
l Ecosystem
Digit
al Service
Di
git
al AugmentationCore
Product
Physical
Digital
Digital Ecosystem: With interfaces to suppliers,
partners & customers the product is
embedded in an ecosystem for co-creation
and additional/ new value capture
Digital Service: Digitally enabled services which,
in combination with a physical product, can
provide an end-to-end solution to a broader
customer need
Digital Augmentation: Digital customer
interfaces, visualisation, touchpoints and
channels augment the experience and allow a
variety of interaction models
Core Product: Two possible options at the core
Digital: Data and IT define the product's value

proposition and generate standalone

revenues
Physical: Traditional base offering, which can

be 'digitised' by adding digital layers

around it
Moving from a product-oriented to a platform-focused approach
33
Building the digital enterprise
About the survey
The PwC Global Industry 4.0
Survey is based on research
conducted between November
2015 and January 2016 with
over 2,000 senior executives from
industrial products companies in
26 countries across Europe, the
Americas, Asia Pacific, Middle
East and Africa.
The majority of participants were
Chief Digital Officers or other senior
executives with top-level responsibility
in their company for Industry 4.0
strategy and activity.
Results were weighted by country GDP
to provide a balanced view in global
totals.
Industry
split
21%
19%
11%
10%
4%
9%
9%
8%
8%
2% Aerospace, defence & security
Industrial
manufacturing
Engineering &
construction
Chemicals
Electronics
Transportation
& logistics
Automotive
Other
Metals
Forest, paper & packaging
Company
Revenue
Split
21%
17%
13%
31%
18%
Between 100
and 200
Between 200
and 500
Between 500
and 1,000
Between 1,000
and 5,000
in millions of euros
Greater than
5,000
Industry split of surveyed companies
Revenue split of surveyed companies
34
2016 Global Industry 4.0 Survey
Contacts and
acknowledgements
Authors of the Study
Dr. Reinhard Geissbauer
Head of EMEA Industry 4.0
Digital Operations Team
+49 170 939 1263
Reinhard.geissbauer@strategyand.de.pwc.com
Jesper Vedso
Global IP Industry 4.0 Champion
+45 3945 9144
jrv@pwc.dk
Stefan Schrauf
Head of PwC Strategy& Industry 4.0 Team for
Germany
+49 895 790 5317
stefan.schrauf@strategyand.de.pwc.com
Project Management
Usha Bahl-Schneider
Stefanie Zuberer
PwC thanks all the participants who took time to participate in the survey
This is the second edition of our Industry 4.0 survey, and the first truly global survey.
We would also like to take this opportunity to thank the Industry 4.0 survey project team
and PwC colleagues around the world who have helped make this report possible.
Editorial Board
Michael Bruns
Steve Eddy
Derk Fischer
Ralf Hombach
Bjorn Johansson
Kumar Krishnamurthy
Elizabeth Montgomery
Achim Reimann
Costas Vassiliadis
Ruud Wetzels
Data analysis
Morten Grunwald
Oliver Krieg
Marc Mnch
Jens Wunderlin
Industry 4.0 Contacts
Australia
Matthew Benwell
+61 407 045 947
matthew.benwell@au.pwc.com
Andreas Wasita
+61 433 998 421
andreas.wasita@pwc.com
Austria
Alexander Soukup
+43 1 501 88 2973
alexander.soukup@at.pwc.com
Jrg Busch
+43 1 501 88 1105
joerg.busch@at.pwc.com
Brazil
Sergio Alexandre
+55 11 3674 2000
sergio.alexandre@pwc.com
Ronaldo Valino
+55 21 3232 6139
ronaldo.valino@pwc.com
Canada
Matthew Wetmore
+1 403 509 7483
matthew.b.wetmore@pwc.com
China
Grace Tang
+86 10 6533 2999
grace.tang@cn.pwc.com
Denmark
Jesper Vedso
+45 3945 9144
jesper.vedso@dk.pwc.com
Finland
Antti Niku
+358 9 2280 1512
antti.niku@fi.pwc.com
Kimmo Nieminen
+358 40 5780 377
kimmo.nieminen@fi.pwc.com
France
Benoit Romac
+33 1 44 34 30 83
benoit.romac@strategyand.fr.pwc.
com
Germany
Dr. Reinhard Geissbauer
+49 89 5790 6138
reinhard.geissbauer@strategyand.
de.pwc.com
Stefan Schrauf
+49 89 5790 5317
stefan.schrauf@strategyand.de.
pwc.com
India
Bimal Tanna
+91 22 6669 1555
bimal.tanna@in.pwc.com
Sudipta Ghosh
+91 22 6669 1311
sudipta.ghosh@in.pwc.com

Italy
Gabriele Caragnano
Milan
+39 02 6672 0445
gabriele.caragnano@it.pwc.com
Japan
Masahiro Ozaki
+81 3 5251 2844
masahiro.ozaki@strategyand.jp.pwc.com
Naohide Nomura
+81 3 5251 2844
naohide.nomura@jp.pwc.com
Luxembourg
Gilles Vanderweyen
+352 49 48 48 2156
gilles.vanderweyen@lu.pwc.com
Mexico
Arturo Martinez
Mexico City
+52 55 5263 8516
arturo.martinez@mx.pwc.com
Middle East
Dr. Anil Khurana
+971 4 304 3652
anil.khurana@ae.pwc.com
Netherlands
Michel Mulders
+31 8 8792 3165
michel.mulders@nl.pwc.com
Poland
Mariusz Dziurdzia
+48 7 1366 1217
mariusz.dziurdzia@pl.pwc.com
Maciej Korzeniowski
+48 2 2746 6106
maciej.korzeniowski@pl.pwc.com
Portugal
Antonio Correia
+351 22543 3248
antonio.correia@pt.pwc.com
Joao Rui Baptista
+351 21359 9344
joao.rui.baptista@pt.pwc.com
Singapore
Whee Teck Ong
+65 6236 3388
whee.teck.ong@sg.pwc.com
South Africa
Pieter Theron
+27 11 287 0501
pieter.l.theron@za.pwc.com
Tielman Botha
+27 11 287 0638
tielman.botha@za.pwc.com
Spain
Charles Kirby Isasi
+34 944 288 800
charles.kirby.isasi@es.pwc.com
Sweden
Stefan Hedvall
+46 10 212 9661
stefan.hedvall@se.pwc.com
Switzerland
Roger Mller
+41 58 792 16 37
roger.mueller@ch.pwc.com
UK
Bjrn Johansson
London
+44 7900 163265
bjorn.johansson@strategyand.uk.pwc.
com
US
Robert McCutcheon
+1 412 355 2935
robert.w.mccutcheon@pwc.com
Kumar Krishnamurthy
+1 248 390 0940
kumar.krishnamurthy@pwc.com
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