Five forecasts that will boost the industry this year

Exponential needs in the renewable energy sector There is no doubt that there is a consensus that the energy transition is essential for the future of the planet. As such, many nations and companies have made it a strategic priority. The global dynamics around renewable energies translated into a record 2021 with the installation of 290 gigawatts of new capacity in the world. For their part, the major global groups are announcing, one after another, a carbon neutrality target, with a horizon ranging between 2030 and 2050. Like the challenge to be met, the needs are undoubtedly enormous. Renewable energy production and storage, decarbonization of the industrial and transportation sectors, thermal renovation of buildings and homes, implementation of smart electrical grids … each of these areas requires massive industrial responses backed by large-scale investments. In addition, focusing on the ecological transition should constitute a key project in 2022 for industry players, with the implementation of resource management optimization, as well as carbon footprint tracking through data. This global movement must be driven by a great novelty that will mark the environmental aspect in 2022: the entry into force, from January 1, of the European taxonomy. This classification of activities to guide investments towards sustainable activities is intended to become a decisive accelerator.

The continued rise of AI

In 2022, the shift to Industry 4.0 is expected to affect almost all industrial sectors. Optimization of the supply chain, inventory management and forecasting, supply and production chains, preventive or even predictive maintenance, automation of quality control, self-guided trucks in production workshops … Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications will continue to develop , relying in particular on digital technology. Several recent studies predict that AI software will experience growth of more than 20% in 2022. One of the key drivers will be the adoption of real-time AI that, according to Forrester, could increase by 20% in 2022, thus enabling the Elimination of latency between the production of indicators, decisions and their results.

Industrial production driven by the use of digital at all stages

It is estimated that the digitization of companies is responsible for more than 2% of annual productivity during the last decade. Such a trend will inevitably continue to drive the industry, beyond the dimension of AI alone, for increasingly efficient production methods. The implementation of agile solutions in particular, with the confirmation of the abandonment of any ERP, will increase the ability of the actors to respond to the volatile demands of the clients. To successfully face these enormous challenges, Spanish industrial players will be able to rely on new assets in 2022, starting with 5G connectivity. Like Germany and France, which already have hundreds of networks built directly by companies in 2021, the deployment of 5G should play an accelerator role. The result: maximum speeds of 20 Gbps, up to 20 times faster than 4G, offering unprecedented potential for connectivity of sensors, devices and machines in the Internet of Things (IoT).

A growing demand for personalized products

This is one of the most significant trends of the last two years. Consumers want products that are increasingly tailored to their individual needs. Automotive, medicine, luxury goods, cosmetics … Key to the already essential notion of customer experience, personalization is asserting itself as an important market trend in a wide variety of sectors. For manufacturers, the challenge is being able to adapt their production chain in real time (or almost). The establishment of flexible sites capable of producing small series competitively, relying in particular on extensive experience in data management and customer journeys. The challenge for manufacturers is obviously not to compromise their profitability. Various surveys carried out by specialists have shown that customers are willing to pay up to 20% more – and wait longer, at the same time – to receive an individualized product.

A dynamic of relocation

Relocation of industrial sites has been a recurring issue for years, even decades. By causing the sudden stoppage of many activities around the world, the health crisis related to COVID-19 has shown the limits and weaknesses inherent in a fully globalized system, marked by strong interdependence. Faced with this finding, certain public powers have made an effort to promote the relocation of industrial actors. The data shows that in December 2021 the distance between the place of investment decision and the place of investment had suffered a distance drop of 5% worldwide. Something that will increase in 2022 if financial assistance is provided by the State and by the recovery plan of the European Union. Potentially the beginning of a broader movement that could benefit the entire industry, particularly in terms of image.]]>