Your business only has a narrow window of opportunity to stay competitive. If you are not already in the process of adopting the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technology into your manufacturing process, you are in danger of being left behind the rest of the world.
IIoT is about to transition from bleeding-edge technology to being the entry-level technology you need to have a chance of surviving. This transition is happening now because of a combination of changes in communication technology and the business environment.
Widespread 5G Adoption
One of the biggest bottlenecks for the widespread adoption of IIoT in many industries has been poor wireless communication infrastructure. Now, we are on the cusp of having high-speed wireless access everywhere.
The new 5G standard for cellular communications is going to be unlike any previous cellular update. Switching from 4G to 5G is going to be like switching from a dial-up modem to an ultra-fast high-speed internet connection.
Widespread 5G adoption opens up more IIoT capabilities.
Collect, Process, and Analyze Data at Faster Scale
The heart of the IIoT is the ability of industrial machines and robots to adapt in real-time to changes in the supply chain. For it to work optimally, the IIoT requires robust data collection, processing, and analyzing systems.
5G will make it easier for machines all over the world to immediately share and process the data needed to run optimally.
While many businesses currently have some version of the IIoT, once 5G is fully rolled out, the pace of communication and innovation will increase faster than it has in more than a decade.
A factory is already connected to the IIoT will be poised to take immediate advantage of the productivity bonuses that 5G cellular communication will make possible.
Build Sustainable Processes that Can Run Remotely
However, there is more behind the explosion of the IIoT than 5G. Businesses need greater flexibility to move manufacturing as local tax and labor conditions change.
While in the early stages of the industrial revolution businesses tried to consolidate operations, today businesses need remote operations to optimize everything from productivity to tax savings.
IIoT technology makes running remote factories in different countries all over the world possible. Instead of running a supply chain on forecasts, it is run on real-time data sent by sensors in robots from every point in the supply chain.
This inter-connectivity allows for unprecedented automation. IIoT virtually eliminates wasted time and resources. This lowers costs and allows you to build sustainable business processes anywhere in the world, with a much lower footprint.
IIoT Built for Challenges of a Post-Pandemic World
While many parts of the world still struggle with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses have to prepare for the next global disruption.
IIoT is built for a post-pandemic world. The synergy between the different parts of your supply chain allows your business to run with a minimum of human input. You do not need a large workforce to keep shipping your products or receiving your inventory.
Many of the tasks that still require human interaction can be done remotely, helping to protect your business from future disruptions due to widespread illness and disease.
In the next decade, the most successful businesses will be the ones that were IIoT early adopters, and that harnessed the full potential of automation and remote interoperability.
If you want your business to be competitive for the next ten years, you only have this one narrow opportunity to transition from your current automation efforts to the adoption of IIoT technology in your operations.
