Industrie 4.0 - Chancen und Herausforderungen der vierten industriellen Revolution

Industry 4.0 applications such as sensor solutions, cyber-physical systems or the digital exchange of planning data are on the rise. German companies already want to invest 40 billion euros annually by 2020. Companies expect this to lead to efficiency increases and cost savings, but also to qualitative advantages such as more flexibility and the ability to respond to individual customer wishes. For the "Industry 4.0" study, PwC and Strategy& surveyed 235 German industrial companies from the following five sectors: automotive suppliers, mechanical and plant engineering companies, electrical engineering/electronics, the process industry and the information and communications industry.

In this white paper, we present results from a joint study by PwC and Strategy& that illustrate how Industrie 4.0 applications are reshaping the corporate landscape. The spectrum ranges from the digitalisation of value chains to the redesign of product and service offerings. CEOs should put Industrie 4.0 on their agenda, as over 80% of companies will digitise their value chain in five years. Data analytics and portfolio digitalisation are key factors, while horizontal collaborations offer additional potential of €30 billion annually. The white paper also highlights the challenges and shows how policy and industry associations can help.