The Manufacturing Industry and the Fourth Industrial Revolution

For those of you with a good grasp of numbers, the fourth Industrial Revolution would suggest that there have been three earlier ones. 

The First Industrial Revolution was the transition to new manufacturing processes in the late 1700s to the early 1800s. This included the coal, iron, textiles and rail roads and early introduction of machinery, steam power and the rise of the factory system.

Interestingly, George Hattersley, formed in 1789, built one of the first power looms for weaving worsted cloth, previously woven on handlooms – a link to the First Industrial Revolution.

The second Industrial Revolution was borne out of the expansion of electricity, petroleum and steel.

In the late 19^th and early 20^th century the world became a smaller place with globalisation, new technology, and most importantly electrical power and telephones, resulting in factory electrification and the production line. The age of the car was born in the 2^nd Industrial Revolution, invented by Karl Benz in 1886. 

The third Industrial Revolution is better known as the digital revolution; this began in the early 1980s and has brought us the personal computer, the internet and information and communication technology – perhaps the best example being your mobile phone.

And finally we arrive at the Fourth Industrial Revolution – 4IR. This builds on the digital revolution and is marked by technological breakthroughs, robots, Artificial Intelligence, The Internet of Things, 3D printing and autonomous vehicles. If your businesses are not talking about, working on, or developing plans to embrace 4IR, they may be left behind in a fast moving arena.

4IR is the current talking point for the large, multi-national PLCs, and whilst it appears some way off for smaller businesses, be assured, it isn’t. It is just around the corner and the message is adapt or die! So I urge any of you who have businesses in the manufacturing sector, talk about 4IR so you don't miss out of opportunities it may bring to your business!