- 38% of companies have undertaken digital transformation initiatives
- Uneven maturity among companies undergoing transformation: dedicated budgets or not, initiatives led by innovation managers or not.
- The transformation dynamic is driven by Mobility projects, IoT and the development of collaborative platforms. However, some topics are still at an early stage of development.
- The acceleration of digital transformation relies on strong stakes: data enhancement, definition of use cases, change management, organizational impacts, adaptation of internal skills, and IS agility.
- Business divisions are hardly involved in the definition and implementation of digital strategy; initiatives are essentially driven by General Management.
- There is a real need for support from ESNs (digital services companies) and software publishers. However, evangelism is needed to bring the worlds of industry and startups closer together.
<p>Vincent Jauneau, Vice-President, Industry Sector Director at Siemens France and Chairman of Gimélec's Industry Sector, describes this transformation.</p>rn
Industrial transformation brings information technologies closer to production systems. Connected machines, production planning software, simulation and data analysis can help manufacturers react to demand while improving operational visibility.
A successful programme starts with clearly identified problems and a realistic deployment path. Legacy equipment, cybersecurity, workforce involvement and interoperability are often as important as the technologies being introduced. Digital tools should support safety and quality, not impose unnecessary complexity on plant teams.
Industrial digitalisation works best when the technology responds to a defined production challenge. Teams may seek greater traceability, more reliable scheduling, preventive maintenance or faster quality control. Each use case requires careful attention to data accuracy, system integration, costs and the people who operate the process daily. Successful projects build on existing expertise and include training, security reviews and measurable outcomes, rather than imposing new tools without a practical reason.
