Before we start to look a the impact Industry 4.0 will have on us as a business, our suppliers, customers, and the UK manufacturing industry as a whole, let's take a look at the history of our industrial revolutions and what 4.0 means at a macro level.

First Industrial Revolution
Started right here in Britain in the 18th century, this introduced the world to mass production using water and steam power rather than manual or animal power. It was also the first time that machines were producing goods as opposed to being handmade.

Second Industrial Revolution
Over a century later we saw the introduction of assembly lines and the use of oil, gas, and electricity as sources of power. When combined with advancements in communications, such as telephone and telegraph, this brought mass production to manufacturing processes.

Third Industrial Revolution
By the mid-20th century, we added computers, advanced telecommunications, and data analysis to manufacturing. Factories began to be digitalised by implementing programmable logic controllers (PLCs) into machinery, helping to automate some processes and collect data.

Fourth Industrial Revolution
And here we now are, in the fourth industrial revolution, more commonly referred to as Industry 4.0. This is characterized by increased automation and the employment of smart machines and smart factories, informed data helps to produce goods more efficiently and productively across the value chain. Flexibility is improved so that manufacturers can better meet customer demands via mass customization.
So, there we have it. Watch out as we explore further how we are implementing Industry 4.0, the opportunities open to us, and the challenges we face.